Friday, November 12, 2004

Making Thanks

Good morning. Up since 2:40 am. I lay in bed for a time, then moved to the chair, then came downstairs and opened emails. Now I am trying to think of something interesting to say.

Nope, it ain't happening.

I am still having waves of the Thanksgiving mood, mostly related to cooking.

Last year I went to great last minute lengths to achieve Max's ideal of Thanksgiving. We had, the day before, been in Sonora, Mexico, and after the 16+ hour drive home I thought it was reasonable to pass on the turkey holiday. Max woke up the morning of and was completely set on setting the holiday in to motion.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" He gleefully announced. Clearly he was not one of the drivers the day before. "We need to decorate and cook. It's Thanksgiving today."

His words and enthusiasm went straight to my Maternal-Love Deep Storage of Impossible Energy. I found an open store. I found an unfrozen turkey, and pie crust, and cranberry sauce, yams and organic apple juice. I baked pumpkin pies and chopped veggies, prepared dressing, set out candles and mashed potatoes with cream. It was a sweat/love effort of awesome proportions. Max came to the table, as the late afternoon sun cast rays of dappled sunlight across the leaf strewn yard, and he surveyed the feast set before him. My heart burst with gratitude and pride, and I thought how perfectly this moment had come together; the children would cherish this memory, this pinnacle of Thanksgiving wealth.

"None of this looks very good to eat. What's good for Max to eat?"
Max was not impressed, and as forthright and pragmatic as ever.

This year I asked him What makes Thanksgiving good? Yes, we know about being thankful, appreciating our toys and the hot water that runs from the tap in the house. I want to know what the heck the boy will eat, and be really stoked to see on the dining table.

Max dreams of a Thanksgiving feast of "Ramen Noodles." Alex thinks we should include barbecued ribs.

This Thanksgiving I will be thankful that we have so many choices and options. That we have the resources to satisfy our appetites and the time to enjoy all of our blessings. In the meantime, I am going back to bed, in hopes of falling asleep, and accumulating some more of that Impossible Energy.

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