From My Table to Your Table

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

So Much More Than Turkey

I never really knew how much Thanksgiving meant to me until I left the States. Every single Thanksgiving in my life, I had been at Mom and Dad's house, helping with meal preparations, setting the table with linen napkins and Mom's good silverware. For many years while I was growing up, Thanksgiving included my grandparents. When they were gone, it was the four Coopers, until 2000, when Aaron brought Susanne and we met the woman who would become his wife.

It has always been a memorable holiday, and one I enjoyed, but I never really thought of it when it came time to name my favorite holiday.

Last year found me spending my Thanksgiving not in front of the TV watching the Macy's Parade but in my classroom; business as usual. I told the kids about Thanksgiving, and a bit of its generic history.

They seemed interested, but it's not really on their radars. It was on mine, though. I was missing my family.

But I had learned in England that when you can't be with your Family (the people you share DNA and a name with), then be with your family. That is, the friends you care about, who support you and care about you.

And I had family last Thanksgiving, for sure.



For starters, Summer arrived on the day itself, and we had a lovely reunion for a few days before she went to Spain.

And on the weekend, when I had a bit of time to devote to cooking, I made a Thanksgiving feast for Kathy and Derek (with a bit of help--Derek made fabulous stuffing and Kathy made a to-die-for pumpkin pie). We ate in the dining room instead of the kitchen. For Kathy and Derek, it was a nice meal that they didn't have to cook themselves, and an insight into how important Thanksgiving is to Americans. For me, it was a chance to celebrate the holiday, and to overcome some of the homesickness I was feeling.

It's amazing how much can happen in a year. So many memories--good and bad. I am thankful for each and every one, though, as they enriched my life and made me a stronger person.

So I find myself this year with Family again. We'll miss Aaron and Susanne but Mom and Dad and I will be together with friends. I won't have to work, but will sit at home watching the Macy's Parade, after a comfy lie-in.

So many things to be thankful for...I have a network of friends spreading across the country and even across the Atlantic to England. I will be thinking of each and every one of you as I give thanks tomorrow.

So, may the turkey be just right, and the mashed potatoes plentiful. May the stuffing be flavorful and the cranberry sauce sweet. May you be surrounded by people you love, and may all your wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving come true.



Cheers,

Meg