The story of three Thanksgivings-2004-2006

I did my very first blog ever on Thanksgiving 2004. I have saved that blog and am going to paste it here and then add about my 2005 Thanksgving and the one to come this year, 2006.

I have journaled all of my adult life (almost) and my friend Kathy W. suggested I become a blogger. I am willing to try all new things, within reason, and think I am going to enjoy this. There are always thoughts and ideas swirling in my head, so great to have a place to park them!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day 2004. I rather dread holidays anymore, now that I do not have my 3 children home, or my parents, or my husband’s mother at our festive table. I have especially dreaded the holidays that my husband and I were alone. I grew up in Oklahoma, always going to large holiday dinners at my grandparent’s farm. My mother’s two sisters and their families were always there, and it was great fun having nine children playing together. All the kids’ had to eat at the “kids table” in the kitchen and no chairs for us- we all stood and ate and laughed and had fun. We never thought we were deprived of anything doing this and just had fun. I loved every holiday at my grandma’s farm- running in the pastures, wading in her creek on Labor Day, helping milk the cows, sleeping in a big feather bed, drinking water from the big bucket by the windmill (and we all used the same dipper to drink the icy water), using her out door toilet (always a challenging experience), and she had no electricity either. I remember them getting electricity when I was in college! (Yes, they were way behind the pace of the rest of the world), but what a great escape it was. Setting off firecrackers on the 4th of July, opening gifts at Christmas, and listening to my grandpa play the piano. All was special to me.

This Thanksgiving there was four of us at my home. My husband and me, my daughter and my grandson who is 15 years old. My daughter baked the wonderful, perfect turkey and made dressing and mashed potatoes, and brought it all to our home. I made the side dishes and rolls and my good friend, Monique, brought us a homemade sweet potato pie yesterday morning.
All the food was perfect, and we had a very good day, enjoyed by all. I just wish my grandson could experience my childhood holidays at least once, but he never will. That makes me sad.

Now for 2OO5: I did not do a blog last year as I stopped doing them in May 2005, and have regretted that I ever stopped. But I am back at it again, and the born journaler that I am, is happy.
Thanksgiving 2005 was very different. My daughter and grandson who live in AZ had gone to California to my other daughter's home. So my family, such as it is, was all gathered there as well as my former brother-in-law, my children's uncle from Texas. We were not invited, and that is another story, not worth repeating. I think this year though how nice it would have been if we had all been together last Thanksgiving, since that is not possible this year. So I am sorry that did not happen. My husband and I had Thanksgiving dinner last year with our neighbors, Richard and Carmen and all their relatives. It was so nice of them to invite us and we enjoyed it, but it was not the same as being with your very own family. So for me, it was another sad Thanksgiving.

Which brings me to now, 2006 and less than a week until Thanksgiving. I still do not like the holidays anymore. I want it to be the "way it was" but cannot be again. The kind of holidays I told about in 2004 and also the kind of holidays when my own children were young. Those days are gone, and it makes me sad.
This year my husband is in a group adult care home. Thank goodness, my daughter and grandson, now 17 years old, still live not far away in AZ. I reached a decision this week what we would do, and Thanksgiving will be at my condo (the first one here) and I will pick up my husband and bring him here for dinner with my daughter, grandson and daughter's boyfriend. My husband has not been back to the condo since he went to the care home on September 16th, just 2 months ago.
Today I ordered the entire Thanksgiving meal from A. J.'s Fine Foods, so that is a whole new thing for us too! At least we will all be together that live here, and I want this holiday to be happy. That is my desire and intention!