Thanks for Thanksgiving...

It has taken me being completely out of the country for two Thanksgivings in a row to realize that it may be my favorite holiday in the whole wide world.

What other holiday has yet to be taken completely over by commercialization and  allows people to just sit around spending time with one another and being thankful.

**I'm not sure how much longer it will last as I read from afar about the stores that open their doors as early as Thanksgiving day, while bellies are still stuffed and the turkey is still warm - making their workers come in to work when they should be spending their days with family and giving thanks.  But for now I will pretend that this too will end so I can remain under the illusion that Thanksgiving will continue to be magical.**
 
My family has rarely had a very traditional Thanksgiving with all of the traditional foods.  I can't really remember one as I try to think back over the history of Thanksgivings.
Yet, for the past two years I've spent in a foreign country, we've had the most traditional Thanksgivings so far.

It seems as though people from all countries love a good excuse to eat delicious buttered foods and to sit at the table for extended periods of time to give thanks for their many blessings.

I've had so much fun cooking for our giant "family" with my fellow Americans who want to spoil all of those invited with the best of the best in American traditions. 

littliest pilgrim

There were many times that day as I worked in the kitchen and had to absolutely hold back tears.  There were moments when I soaked in the laughter coming from my cooking partners, Desi and Kathleen and thought I was going to lose it.

I have a feeling a lot of the what remains for our time here is going to be like this.  Me being reminded that this is the last of everything.

Kathleen flies home to the States in less than a month.

We leave in nearly seven.

I have to start getting used to the idea of saying goodbye to some very important people. 

But until then I will enjoy these moments, like this day in the kitchen....when everyone around me was giving Thanks.

Today I'm thankful for heartbreaking goodbyes.... because it means that at one time my heart was whole and the love was strong enough to break me.