Over The River...

After all the excitement of Halloween and all the Halloween movies and songs and poems,  before all the Christmas decorations, movies and songs,  there is a little know holiday of Thanksgiving.  It borrows most of it's decorations from the generic "Fall" category with the exception of adding Turkeys and cornucopias.  It only recently got a big movie--Charlie Brown being the only one prior.  It only has one song I can think of--Over The River and Through The Woods, which I believe is actually based on a poem by the same name.  I'm very loyal to Thanksgiving, not allowing myself to listen to Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving and not putting up any Christmas decorations until Thanksgiving is over.  I feel it deserves that kind of respect, being that it is it's own holiday.  Maybe it's because my birthday is so close to Valentine's day and I understand how being connected, if only by proximity, to a bigger holiday kind of overshadows you.  So tomorrow is the big day.  In years past I've made the big meal and hosted at my house.  It was fun and made it seem a little more eventful than just driving to someone else's house, eating, then going home.  This year we're driving to Cleveland to Uncle Rob and Uncle Steve's new house for Thanksgiving.  I'm taking my traditional pumpkin pie made from a fresh pumpkin, which is a good thing to bring in the car on a longish trip.  We're all excited to see  the new place so it makes this Thanksgiving a little extra special.
Every year we focus so much on just the meal part, this year, now that my kids are a little older, I want them to really think about Thanksgiving's roots. Ellie told us last night that she learned in school that the pilgrims came here to get away from the king and queen because they were tired of being told what to do and they wanted to be free.  She's old enough to get what I'm asking when I want to know "What are you thankful for?" I'm hoping that I get more than,  "my iPod." But we'll see.  It's a hard question to answer on the spot like that.  I often think that I should keep thank you notes around me at all times so I can thank people as I think of it.  I sent my dad a text the other day thanking him again for the necklace he gave me for my 21st birthday.  I wore it almost every day for almost 13 years.  I think that deserves a bonus thank you.  But beyond material things, I'm thankful that I have 4 healthy kids.  I'm so lucky that I don't have to worry about them in that respect, at least.  I'm thankful that I'm in Canton, near my family.  I'm glad I lived in Columbus for those 5 years, but I'm glad I'm back home.  I'm thankful that my parents are willing to help me, financially as well as emotionally--and childcare wise.  I'm so fortunate that I'm able to do the things I want to do, like help in Ellie's classroom, which my mom watches the little kids.  I realize what a blessing that is when I see friends of mine without family close, or willing to help.  I'm thankful that I have such a great support network of you, friends.  So Happy Thanksgiving to you!  Enjoy your free-range turkey or Tofurky and organic cranberries and non GMO corn.  Enjoy your fresh roasted pumpkin pie and organic sweet potatoes with fair trade brown sugar, because Friday it's all over and the Christmas season is upon us!