Thanksgiving

The funny thing about Thanksgiving for me it becomes a day to remember the good old times. It is a day when I think back on the Thanksgivings of my childhood. In some was it is a day I grieve the inevitable changes of life brings.
This Thanksgiving I have been thinking a lot about my extended family. And all the big parties we used to have. Eric and I were talking about how when we were kids we looked forward to Thanksgiving but now not as much. I started thinking about why I loved Thanksgiving when I was a kid but as an adult it kind of makes me sad.
When I was a kid we used to go to my Grandma Gygi's house for Thanksgiving. I loved Grandma's house. My Grandma had 10 kids and a gazillion grandkids. Needless to say the house was crowded. I remember it always getting really hot. I don't know how we all fit in the house. I do know that I loved it. I loved playing with my cousins and watching my aunts put the final touches on the food. I loved watching my Grandpa skillfully carve the turkey. My Grandparents were farmers and several years they had raised the turkeys we ate. One time we ate one of their geese. Holy crap that thing was good. And well when it was a live it was mean so the vindictive side of me loved the fact that the little buggar was part of my dinner. My Grandpa always seemed to be very proud of the get together. I think he loved being able to have all of his children around him and to be able to provide for them. Grandpa wasn't a big talker but he was a big influence on all of us. My Grandma is one of my favorite people in the whole world. She used to babysit me a lot and I loved talking with her. For some reason everything was better at Grandma's house even pb&j tasted gourmet when Grandma made it.
Eventually the family got too big to have Thanksgiving at their house. And then Grandma and Grandpa had to sell their home and then the year I got married Grandpa passed away. Grandma isn't well and doesn't really know who we are anymore. She has had such a huge impact on all of us. I often think of all the wonderful times at my Grandparents' home. When I am really stressed I have dreams of being back there and I wake up calm. I am so grateful for my Grandparents and the memories I have of them. I am so grateful for my amazing aunts and uncles who have taught me so much. I really have been blessed to have so many incredible people in my family to love and support me. I think God knew that I was going to need extra help so he sent me a huge extended family and wonderful friends to surround me.
I miss what my family used to be. I miss the family members we have lost. I miss being crowded into a small house that was full of great food and great people. But with all change there good and bad . I am so grateful that I get to watch my son enjoy going to his grandparents homes and enjoy playing with his cousins and creating memories that as an adult he will look back on and be grateful for.