Thanksgiving

- I was up at 4AM and felt the beans needed to cook some more, along with the mac n cheese. I finished the mac n cheese and put the green beans on low, while I went to lay back in the bed. Dinner at Aunt Linda’s wasn’t until 3PM and I still had to cook the yams, the corn bread, the rice, and the cake.

When I looked at the greens, I discovered there wasn’t enough to last us all week so I had to go in the fridge to clean and wash the ones I had left over.

Everyone once they woke wanted to help, so once the yams, and rice were on it became the help mommy hour.

The baby helped take the collard greens off of the stem and tear it into shreds then put them into the sink. After that was on, I called Rowan in, so she could help cook the corn bread. Then she stopped listening and she had to be banned from the kitchen, so the baby came back in to help with the second round of cornbread. Rowan was able to help with round three, after she apologized for her behavior, and showed she could listen. Cooking and sticking hands and fingers into the food don’t mix well.

Bath time for all as things cooked and simmered. I wondered what exactly Whitney and I were going to do for Black Friday. I gave her a call and she said, we had to do it. We had to gave to Target’s craziness and be out there at midnight. She would pick me up at 11PM.

With bathes out of the way, Jory came into the kitchen to help with the cake though really I think he just wanted to lick things once the cake was in the oven. Our favorite country station played in the background while we cooked. It was a nice morning, then we put the cakes in and I told everyone they had to be quiet. We left Oma resting on the sofa, while we went to do schoolwork. Sadly, the week of Thanksgiving Jory’s teacher didn’t give him a break. He did some math, I read while we waited for our cake to be finished. After a few returns to the oven, it was ready to cool while we went to Aunt Linda’s.

Off to Aunt Linda’s we went, gathering with the fam, saying grace in LC’s room, possibly the last Thanksgiving grace he will hear if his doctor and hospice workers are right, a good time was had by all. The baby and I walked or rather I walked and she rode her scooter to the store to buy a paper. Yes, Aunt Lavonia had a paper but I needed my own Black Friday sales paper.

We came back to Aunt Linda’s after paying $2 for a paper. $2 for a paper!?!? Are you kidding me?!?! This is why the newspaper business is going under. Really it was $2.18, but I only brought $2 to the store with me. It was nice of the clerk to let it go.

We ate and thank God my aunt didn’t ask Mort & Renee to bring the turkey again this year because they always show up two to three hours late. Renee revealed this year that they are so late because Mort spends his morning playing golf and then he’s wiped out when he comes home.

There was a new baby in the mix. Baby Sa’naii. First baby in our family with an apostrophe in her name. What exactly is the apostrophe for? Have no idea, but bygones. In years past, I would have been all over the three-month-old, but I saw my aunt with her when I went in, thought about going to get her, but got busy with other stuff. Maybe having three babies of my own killed the desire to hold every baby in the vicinity. Towards the end of the evening, I held her. And ooohhhh, she smelled like spit up, formula, baby powder, etc…. all that stuff that makes a baby smell like a baby. I bent down so the Irish twins so they could see their new little cousin. The one they pray for at night, Krystal and her husband’s baby. They really know how to narrow in on the people they want to pray for, sometimes they pray for Krystal, rarely Shaheed, her husband, but they always pray for her baby.

I almost didn’t want to give her up, but her aunt was waiting for her so I did. I know how my cousin felt, this is her first living niece, and there’s nothing quite like your first. I’m sure I monopolized all of Mijo’s time when Mona wasn’t holding him. Maybe one day in the future Jack can come home. Maybe.

My Aunt Lavonia tried to convince me to go to Toys R Us with her at 9PM. I love my aunt. She has my back, but there are somethings I can’t do. Wait in line at Toys R US, Walmart or Best Buy or enter a Kohl’s on Black Friday. Can’t do those. She seemed to be unwilling to go with me at around 11AM or so. I tried to tell her Toys would be empty then, but she felt they wouldn’t have the gift she wanted at that time.

We hung around my aunt’s after everyone left, the kids played “Mother, May I?” with Aunt Brenda and Vandy in the living room, while I slept off and on. Then around 9PM, we made our way home, past the people lined up around the block for Wal-Mart to open. I got the kids dressed for bed, set my cell phone alarm clock. It was only 9:30, I could sleep for an hour and twenty before Whit came. I would just wear the clothes I had on. I didn’t think I would be able to fall asleep, but the next thing I knew the alarm was going off and a few minutes later Whit was calling……

All in all, it was a great Thanksgiving. I have a lot to be thankful for. A great God who sent His only Son to die on the cross for my sins, then called me to be one of His. TTT. The greatest babies in the world. A great mom who is like no other human I have ever known. Awesome family and loved ones.

Hot Peppermint Tea Heather, when we were sitting in front of Fjelstad saying our food names did you think we’d be friends all these years later? I love you, sister. And I love SG. You’re an awesome mommy.

The former Royster sisters. I’m so glad Grace and Bruce brought us into each other’s lives. Who would have thought things would turn out the way they have? I love you, guys.

I am one blessed chick. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLLMzr3PFgk