We’ve got a lot to be grateful for this year. A panties-wearing Laurel and a 20/20 Allen, a mostly healthy Terry, and an exuberant Kelsey. We’ve weathered storms this year (and continue to) that would shake the foundations of most families I know. We hope next year will be a bit more boring.

Thanksgiving prep was rather lonely this year, and I really missed my family of origin and the group spirit of preparing for this holiday. This year is actually the first that I’ve had to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey by myself, without my mother or a friend looking over my shoulder. It was a little daunting, having that responsibility! Allen and Laurel were making a last-minute grocery store stop to find mincemeat, so it was just me, a turkey that needed to be put into the oven, and my squeamish 5 year old.

Unfortunately, I may have converted the five year old to vegetarianism.

It’s not my fault. I was stuffing the neck cavity, spooning stuffing below the neck flap (gods this is disgusting) when she snuck up behind me and asked what I was doing. I tried to shield her, but my hand slipped on the skin flap, which slapped down with a gooey meat splash. I thought Kelsey was going to retch.

“That looks yucky! I’m not gonna look at THAT again!” she cried, before leaping out of the kitchen to hide her eyes in a book. She came back a few minutes later to talk some turkey with me.

“But Mommy, I don’t want to kill turkeys just to eat. I think that turkeys are good for the world!”

Although I tried to explain food chains and omnivorous-by-choice stuff, she just didn’t seem convinced, and instead concentrated on getting the green beans ready for cooking while carefully averting her eyes from the obscene things I was doing with the turkey.

I can’t really blame her. I was close to puking myself. I’ve never enjoyed the WORK of preparing a turkey or chicken for baking. Maybe next year we’ll have tofurkey!

After I got the bird into the oven, Allen and Laurel returned triumphantly with my jar of mincemeat. Our friends came over, and we had a really nice time. Here’s the menu, for those interested:

24 pounds turkey stuffed
I rubbed the turkey with some butter and fresh rosemary. Very juicy — the 1/2 apple in the body cavity did its trick!

2 butternut squash
Oven roasted, and prepared with roasted almonds and a little butter, some salt to taste.

1/2 pound green beans
Steamed, then tossed with roasted smashed garlic and olive oil.

5 pounds potatoes
Your basic whipped potatoes w/butter and a little milk, prepared by my friend, E.

Yummy Sweet potatoes with brown sugar
Corn
Dinner rolls
Gravy
Pinot Noir
Apple cider

Dessert included E’s apple pie and pumpkin pie, and my favorite Toll House Cookie Pie (with, as usual, an irresponsible amount of chocolate chips inside!), and a Key Lime pie for Allen. Need I mention the mincemeat? I’m the only one who ever eats it. More for me.

E’s husband, M, brought the family’s china over, and the table looked gorgeous. The table itself is an old friend, and it was nice to see 9 chairs wrapped around it to share a meal.

Our friends are gone and are already missed. My kitchen is clean, the counters wiped. The dog finally let in and fed. The girls in their beds, sleeping peacefully. They both had passed out in my arms downstairs, and their father carried them to their beds. I love it when my girls fall asleep with my arms around them. I’m thankful for my amazing, crazy, silly, supah-smaht children, who make me cry and laugh and crazy every single day.

Allen is snoring beside me. I’m thankful to be sharing this bed and this life with my very bestest friend.

I’m speaking for him now, but I think he’d agree. We’re grateful for friends, here and far. For family from Birmingham AL to Pensacola FL to Marblehead MA, and everywhere in between (and above — don’t wanna leave out the Vermont folks! Howdy!). *Big Waves* to the Boston folks and the NC-Triangle folks and the Durham UK folks — yeah, we’re thankful for you guys and toasting your health!

Thanks for tuning in tonight. Many blessings to you on this Thanksgiving day and every day.

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