Happy Thanksgiving, sweetheart! You were missed today, many people said so. They all agreed you were looking down from Heaven with approval.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; Ecclesiastes 3:4
Your mother misses you very much. We talked about you a bit, until she said she couldn't anymore without getting emotional and you know how she is about that. I am the same way, agreed with her, and we moved on to discussing camellias. Young E has been collecting camellia seeds from their bushes, and plans to grow them to sell. B is much more relaxed (as much as she can be) now that Aunt E is living there. The apartment they built for her is really nice! A lot bigger than I thought it would be.
You'd be proud of Mr E. Since he retired, he's grown a bodacious beard that honestly rivals yours. Apparently he got tired of 25 years of military shaving and stepped away from the razor. He is also incredibly relaxed, more than I've ever seen him, and he cooked the turkeys. While they weren't your amazing deep fried ones, he did a spectacular job (especially considering it was the first time he'd ever done it) cooking them on the grill. He brined them, spatchcocked them, and grilled them. They were excellent.
Aunt E was cheerful and had a trunk full of lemons for everyone. Miss A was there, with a red wig and as cheerful, polite, and forgetful as ever. I love her. No one is a stranger to her, probably because everyone is. She is so gracious.
Pastor B said his Bulgarian trip went really well. No hiccups, all the missionaries are doing well, and 4 new churches have been planted.
Miss C was bemoaning her shortness, fairly sure she will never grow any taller than her current 5 feet. D and A tried to encourage her, but your mom whispered to me that she'd probably always be short.
There were babies there! A whole new generation coming up to enjoy the attention and food! Your father gave T's baby (he's 4 months old now and I've never met a more cheerful little one) a turkey leg bone to gnaw on.
D's A brought that cream cheese-chocolate chip sugar-crash stuff she always brings. It was universally agreed that it was PMS food and men needed to stay away. Your mom brought homemade wine and this cranberry butter (like apple butter, only...y'know...cranberries) to put on top of a cheese cake and oh my. I'm getting the recipe for that.
I made a crockpot of collard greens and you will flinch to know that the interior of the truck now smells like collards, and the New Smell is all gone. Sorry, hun. What was I thinking? No one ate the pecan pie I brought, which is fine because now I can serve it Saturday, and don't have to get another one. Who's going to get a slice of store-bought pecan pie when it's sitting next to cheesecake with cranberry butter, and lemon squares made from Aunt E's own lemons? NO ONE. I know I didn't!
Sweetheart, you were missed. Everyone said so. They said it was strange not having you there. A tear or two were shed, but not for long because we all knew you are celebrating the greatest Thanksgiving ever, every single day. I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it through the day without falling apart, but thanks to babies and Big Pharma, I made it through just fine. Missing you, wishing you were there to handle the turkeys, but made it. As I was leaving, your Dad told me he was sorry you and I didn't have more time together. I said I was as well, but I was thankful for the time that we did have.
So now I have a container full of leftover dressings, creamer peas, and green bean casserole I can enjoy later on, and a mind full of happy thoughts thanks to your amazing family that treats me like I belong there. Thank you so much for bringing me into it.
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