Thanksgving Day, 2007

11/22/07 Rhett & I slept late when I should have gotten up to make my egg custard, "green stuff" and sweet potato casserole. I made the egg custard for my parents but I only made one this time. I prepared a buttermilk egg custard but there was no more time so I left it in the mixing bowl in the fridge so I could cook when we got home later that night.

Don and I went in separate vehicles so he could go hunting yet again. When I arrived, the dressing was just going in the oven AND I HAD BEEN RUSHING. I helped finish things like slicing the cucumbers while Rhett set the table. We used the everyday china Lori had given mom but the plates were too small to hold all the goodies we had today. (The photo doesn't want to load but it is not that great anyway. Not the prettiest plate, but Thanksgiving is not about the plate.)

After we ate, Don took Rhett to spend the night in the camper at the hunting land that night. I was not a happy camper, but I cannot be an overly protective mom all the time. I want him to do things with his daddy. I want them to bond even though I know he is a momma's boy. I don't want him to be a sissy. I just worry as I am sure all mom's do. Its going to get colder and he might get sick. I'll be the one who gets up with him at night when he has a coughing spell. I will be the bad one who has to give him nasty tasting medicine. Of course at bedtime he may cry for his momma and want Don to bring him home. Don won't though.

I could have cried as they pulled out of my mom's yard, but I was proud of myself that I did not weep. I just wanted to stare out the door.

I had a frame in my car so I framed a picture while at mom's which turned out really well. Better than I expected because I was able to crop out some of the top of it that I didn't think belonged in the photo. This will be our preacher and his wife's Christmas gift. One down who know how many more to go... I got to spend time with my mom. I wrote this long entry in my gratitutde journal while waiting for it to get almost dark so I could go home ALONE to an empty house. Poor pitiful me. I could do anything I wanted to do. Watch tv. Get on the computer afterwards, stay up late until I got exhausted and did. Still I missed having my men in the house. The security I feel of having a husband there. I missed all the noise Rhett makes. My mom asked me if I'd be scared. I try not to think of that. I turned lots of lights on, got caught up in "CSI" and forgot until I laughed and my laughter echoes hollowly through the living room.

I left all the food at mom's. Don & Rhett will come in for lunch tomorrow. I'll probably go shopping for mom.

I was a bit sad because I always thought Thanksgiving was about spending time with your family NOT camping in the woods with only half a family. It sort of reminded me of the one Thanksgiving one of my wrong boyfriends took me to a club that night. It felt almost sacri-religious to me. I was quite uncomfortable the entire night.

These past two days seems to have been one trip down memory lane with a lot of detours back to yesterday. It certainly made me appreciate my past Thanksgivings. I am still thankful for ALL my many blessings.