Every day without the turkey…

Like the fact that I finally figured out what to do with squash.  Or that my parents stuffed and cooked the delicious turkey.  Or that my mother in-law made two of the best desserts imaginable… neither one dry!

But mostly… that I can still call her my mother in-law.

There’s the fact that my eldest is home for the weekend… coming into my room late into the night and turning off my tv before going to bed… which I’ve missed.  And could possibly be the contributing factor to my lack of sleep this past month that she’s been away… or maybe it’s just that she’s been away.

I’ve my family to be grateful for.  My parents and brothers and a list of extended family that are such an amazing support in my life.  A lovely email from my Aunt Loret last week, a fabulous visit with my Uncle Ed and Aunt Rose and a favor from my cousin Paul in Newfoundland reaffirms the importance of the people we’re born into.

The fact that I didn’t burn the sweet potatoes even though the turkey was filling the oven so I fired up the bbq and cooked them on the grill.

And even if I had burned the sweet potatoes… no one would have cared!

And how grateful I am that I can bbq, mow the lawn and pump my own gas though admittedly… I haven’t mowed my lawn in weeks and it’s beginning to embarrass me.  I’ve finally learned to put gas in my car but I’m afraid to put it in the plastic red container with the yellow spout and bring it home… but that too, like everything else I’ve feared, shall pass.

I’m so very thankful for my friends but I don’t need one day to reflect on them as every single day I’m grateful for the people who are in my life… all they have to offer… but I think they know.

I hope they know.

Nope… yesterday I was more thankful that the turkey was only half an hour late.  That the crumbs in my oven didn’t catch on fire.  That my in-laws drove in to spend the day with us.  That my kids only fought one time.  That we curled up together and watched Heartland at the end of the evening.  That my youngest peeled the carrots and set the table.  That my eldest cooked the cranberries without burning down the house.  That a little cut in my dog’s armpit finally healed.  That Dad brought beer when we realized I didn’t have any.  That I had an extra bottle of shampoo in the cupboard.  That my pants are getting too big for me again.  That I sat next to Crazy’s boy at the hockey game last night.  And that my son enjoyed the game even though they lost.

Yesterday I was thankful for the simple fact that I’m getting through the “seconds” of every occasion… and that they are so much easier than the “firsts”.  However, I’ll be even more grateful when I don’t think of every occasion as how things used to be… wising for things to be different… but thankful that they arent.

I”m grateful every time I walk into my home… every time I look at my children’s faces… every time my dog wags her tail, my parents come to visit or a friend drops by.

I’m thankful that we grew vegetables in our backyard this year… but if we’d only relied on our harvest for our Thanksgiving dinner we’d be eating tomatoes, green peppers, strawberries and banana peppers… so I’m thankful that we have supermarkets…. and Cosco.

I’m really grateful for Cosco.

There was a time that I thought there was nothing left… and since then… every single day… I’ve had something to be thankful for.  I don’t need one day in particular… as every time the sun sets I reflect on the day and I’m grateful for every moment I’m here… surrounded by everyone I hold dear.

Yesterday… I was thankful I finally figured out what to do with squash.  I’ve never really known before how to properly cook squash.  And every day… I’m learning something I didn’t know before.

For that, I’m truly thankful.