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Friday, November 19, 2010

HP hangover but feeling Thanksgiving

Didn't really have the energy today to blog. Is there a technical term for a Harry Potter Opening Night Hangover? Between getting less than five hours of sleep and being completely overloaded (as an introvert) by the sheer volume of people there multiplied by the obnoxious, rude behaviour of some (ESPECIALLY some staff members and a manager at AMC Mission Valley) I needed to refill my emotional gas tank. Add still being a little sick to the equation and I was incapacitated.

But the holiday season began today. My sister-in-law and I agreed to meet tomorrow to plan the Thanksgiving meal. Usually my mom and I plan it all out with me arriving with "suggestions" (translate: demands) from my family about what we will and will not tolerate for the traditional meal. It's a perfect balance as my mother provides the location and we provide the food.

But this year I seek to blend my family's wishes with the desires of my newly acquired family. I want Ricci to feel like she gets her own traditions welcomed and yet my own family isn't too unhappy about the compromises. It's so funny to me that I raised these kids (especially Ariana) who are so tradition bound when I grew up with experimental Thanksgivings of tacos and orange chicken with whomever in our church was without family or provisions on that day. I grew up with a lot of my Thanksgivings being about family and Paris, TN. I experienced grievous Thanksgivings where mom and I couldn't go back to Paris and my father had custody of my brother, Jonathan. Those were difficult times where we often found ourselves down at the cliffs in Torrey Pines, watching the sunset and talking about what everyone else was doing in Paris and remembering good things. And we always listed - no matter how bad things were - all the things we had for which to be thankful.

So for me the traditions don't matter as much as the Thankfullness and the family.

But don't get me wrong. I love the whole turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and pumpkin pie magic formula. Especially the leftovers. The most depressing Thanksgivings have been those where the turkey wasn't large enough to send home heaps of leftovers.

So I guess I'm just trying to say I'm so excited about beginning new traditions of our families together, grateful and full of love. I can't wait to experience Wednesday and Jack, let alone Jonathan and Ricci for this wonderful holiday and see us grow into a gigantic, extended family of our own traditions. It is such a new beginning and I am so grateful that they are here with us permanently now and we can just be together and love one another.

I am grateful for so much. I will probably share more about being grateful this next week. Not to be cliche but I am grateful to be able to share all of this. Thank you Universe.

Now, down to the food. Yummy.

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