Missing Family

For the first time in many years, we are having turkey with just our family of 4.  In years past, we've been blessed to share this holiday with friends and family, at our house or at theirs.

While we have looked forward to a relaxing, low expectations day of hanging around in our pajamas stuffing our faces, I do wish we had family closer.  We've enjoyed spending the last couple of years with DH's sister and nephews.  I just miss my family, which is all on the East Coast.   I remember the days, before kids, when DH and I drove from our midwest apartment to my brother's house in the NorthEast.  It would take us all day to get there, but we enjoyed the fall foliage on our trek, and with us being 2 carefree young adults, life was easy.  We had money for the gas, time to bake pumpkin bread, and knew that my sister-in-law's cooking was waiting for us.  Back then, my brother was the one with 2 young boys raising bedlam in his house.  We had the fun of witnessing shaving cream and garden hose battles on the front lawn.  I remember being a little taken aback at the roughhousing that always went on...that was before I gave birth myself, of course.

Thanksgiving had all the traditional accouterments, and since DH and I were just learning to cook, having recently graduated from dorm food, dinner was sheer HEAVEN.  Both my brothers married great cooks--not something I thought about when I was choosing my mate. 

Some years, we could stick the milk and beverages in the snow on the back deck to free up refrigerator space for all the leftovers. And my brother always had his Christmas lights hung before we drove away to return to our jobs back on the North Coast.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our siblings, North and South, East and West.  We miss you guys!