Thankful for Thanksgivings Past

Thankful for Thanksgivings past & much more:

So, I noticed many of my friends on Facebook have taken part in the I’m Thankful For…” status posts each day leading up to Thanksgiving.  Normally I’d be all over this, as I enjoy taking part in things like that (photo challenges, daily status updates, etc.)  I’m even planning my “Liz’s 25 Days of Christmas” posts again starting December 1^st.  I did this once a couple years ago.  I will post a Christmas-themed question each day to see how everyone celebrates and what traditions they would like to share.  I enjoy reading everyone’s answers, who participates, as well as sharing my own. 

But, back to Thanksgiving…  For some particular reason I did not have any desire to post daily what I’m thankful for.  I feel that my regular facebook activity speaks volumes to that aspect.  Now sure it’s wonderful that everyone is posting and sharing and making public proclamations about their thankfulness (I love it for you)! 

I thought I would encompass as much as I could in this blog and relate how I think I portray this on Facebook.  I am thankful for my Lord and my faith as a Christian because I share regular bible passages, or verses to praise songs, or links to my Sisters in Christ page lifting others up and encouraging them.  I also offer prayers and words of encouragement to those who reach out, and I myself reach out for prayer requests from and to others.  I am thankful for my son and for being a Mommy by posting pictures of him, his art work, his achievements, and sharing his accomplishments at home or at school; I am thankful for the opportunity to have another child by posting photos of my growing belly and the anticipation and excitement of mother-hood (again); although I’m not always thankful for pregnancy :)  I am thankful for my husband by acknowledging his love and adoration, and flirting with him sometimes, too. ;) ;)   I am thankful for family because I post memories and blogs, and I post pictures of family vacations and time together.  I am thankful for my friends because I share status updates of quality girl-time, giving shout-outs when appropriate, and posting photos marking the occasions.  I also share links and photos with special friends/family when it pertains to them or when I see something that makes me think of them.  I am thankful for my Church and my son’s school because I am a fan of their pages and I support them by volunteering when I am able, and sharing ways others can help contribute.

I’m thankful for many other things as well, but I want to move on to my memories of Thanksgivings past.

I am about to have a Thanksgiving experience like I have never had before.  I’m going to be in another state… my husband’s home turf, Snellville, Georgia.  This will be the first time I have ever spent a Thanksgiving (or any major holiday) away from “home”.

I’m very excited for Joshua to have his first airplane ride, and I’m certainly excited for my In-Laws to have a chance to see me in real life (other than pictures) with my pregnant belly, at 30 weeks plump.  They didn’t have that opportunity the first go-around.  And I think it will be a good time.  I know it will mean a lot to them, and to my husband. 

But, at the same time, it forces me to reflect on how I came to this decision to spend Thanksgiving in Atlanta, and what I have left behind in my heart. 

Thanksgiving was always a wonderful time in my parent’s home, or more specifically -Mom’s kitchen.  Being away from home this year is just a sad reminder that my Mom is no longer here.  I never would have thought to leave her for any of the big holidays since each passing year I would take much more interest in helping her in any way that I could, to make the hosting and the holidays easier on her.

To be honest though, I wasn’t always ready to jump in and help (especially as a teen), but once I got going, I loved helping and just the atmosphere and the smells of my Mom’s prepped kitchen were awesome!  I would love to transform back for one moment just to experience the ambiance of it all and give my nose a treat.

I would help with the pies and the sauerkraut, the stuffing and the turkey (ok, not so much the turkey).  I always helped with the candied carrots and yams.  That’s about the only thing I can do well today on my own.  Although, I have the sauerkraut down now too (I think). 

I was never much of a cook, that was my Mom and her Grandmother (I think it skips a generation) –There may be hope for Lydia.  I did not follow in the natural footsteps of having a knack or interest for it.  Although I give it a good try when I feel motivated.  But, I miss my Mom’s cooking so much!

When I was little, Thanksgiving gatherings included extended family.  My parents would host and include Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and the like.  The first Thanksgivings I remember growing up were just like that, with my two older brothers of course.  My cousin Lindsey came along when I was 4 and then the family started growing.  My best memories of Thanksgiving as a kid definitely involved my cousin Lindsey and playing for hours :)

My Mom continued to host the whole group (sometimes as many as 20+) every year until finally it became too much for her to have the whole group, including extended family.  Just our immediate family was big! 

It's so hard to break a long-standing tradition, but it was time to break into smaller groups.   

My Mom hosted close to 30 years (or more) I’m sure.

This year in Atlanta will also be the first Thanksgiving I have ever eaten out at a restaurant.  We are planning to go to The Blue Willow Inn, a historical southern mansion located in Social Circle.  I’m excited for it, but it was so booked up on Thanksgiving Day that we had to make our reservations for 11a.m.!  It should be interesting.  Of course our main time will be spent with my In-Laws, but we will also visit with a few of David’s friends from High School and their children.  We also plan to visit Stone Mountain and ride the gondola up to the top, if the weather cooperates!

I’m still working on inputting most of my Mom’s recipes into a cookbook that will be made into digital format not only with the recipes themselves, but also historical notes and tidbits, as well as pictures.  It has taken a lot longer to work on it and organize it than I had originally thought, so I’m hoping by Easter, 2014 it will completed.  

I’m sure I will dream of the Thanksgiving smells and tastes that came from my Mom’s kitchen for many, many, many, many years.  I will think of my family back home having their different days planned out.  My Dad will be having Thanksgiving dinner with his Goddaughter and her family, but planning to visit my brothers to deliver advent gifts, as he has done each year.  I won’t ruin the surprise for them in case they read this blog, but I received my advent gift already.  Beautiful!  I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving week.      

Thanksgiving, 2009