I will go on record to say that this year's Thanksgiving ranked as one of my favorite of all time. I've come to terms with Thanksgiving not being a quiet, relaxing and peaceful affair. I've divorced that notion with the birth of our first child. My acceptance of this fact has left me infinately happier. The scurrying, the crowds, the road trips to far off lands (Plainfield). With over a week of festivities, I've narrowed down the top ten high-iights of this year's celebration.
1. Thanksgiving nearly a week early at Tita Cora and Tito Joe's house. The table full of chafing dishes held the traditional goodies: Pancit, deniguan and italian beef. The dessert table was piled high with ensaymada and siao pao all made by Jerry's "crazy" Tito Joe. I've never met someone that can tell a dirty joke like he can and then turn around and make the sweetest, lightest pastries. It's truly a gift. It also turns out that he is quite the videographer. Old home movies playing on the tv revealed my mini skirted mother in law and Jerry's aunts and uncles dancing with infants on their hips. Confident smiles, knowing that even though they had just immigrated to America, that they had each other. And here we are, Jerry, Jon, Joanne and I, kids on our hips, looking a bit less stylish (speaking for myself of course) and realizing just that same. We have each other. Also realizing that maybe we need a video camera. Our next big purchase.
2. An afternoon with the Muppets. I was crying in the theater it was so beautiful. Kermit took my breath away.
3. Once again sitting at the "kid table" for the Thanksgiving feast at my moms. I hadn't been there for over twenty years. The kid table used to be where all the fun happened. This year it is where four hungry adults wolfed down their Thanksgiving plates in time to wipe sweet potatoes off my shoe and head off a one year old before climbing on the glass coffee table. The last time my family was around a house full of little ones, MC Hammer was too ligit to quit. Bless my family for their enthusiasm over my kiddos. I couldn't talk them into swapping places at the kids table though.
4. Tea at the Ritz - an annual tradition with my mom. This year my mother did not have to endure the company of a sleep deprived, unbalanced mother of a newborn. I think we had a much better time this year, right mom?
5. Watching Ella and Viv in their Thanksgiving program at their daycare. Jerry, sweating through his clothes after a gallant sprint from the train station. His meeting ran late but his determination to be there for the opening number was what makes me so thankful to be married to this man.
6. Catching moments like the ones above. The kids creating memories with each other. And creating such happy memories for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment