HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I don't know what has happened to the last few days.  I see where I blogged on Monday the last time and here it is Thursday.
I had league play in tennis yesterday.  We dropped all three matches and actually there was not even a close match BUT there were a lot of close games.  For me, on court #1, we played againist an opponent that I would bet money my team could beat 4 of 5 times but NOT yesterday.  We have 2 fall matches left and then there is a month break before winter.  I will be VERY short handed for the next 2 matches so we may take our lumps.  The up side is several players are getting to play at a level they are not used to so that is good experience for them.
Here we are on Thanksgiving Day.  Terry and I will have a quiet day at home.  Neighbors on both sides are gone so it is VERY quiet.  A far cry from Thanksgivings of the way back past "for sure".

THANKSGIVING DAY--NOVEMBER 24TH 1988

It is a "FIRST" for the Lee clan.  We always have celebrated, as an entire family, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter together.  Today is the first time we are not whole, we are missing John.  He is off to college in California and he will be missed.  If I am right he said he would be with the family of Phil for Thanksgiving.  We will have our usual eats and treats.  I had driven to downtown St. Paul on Wednesday to pick up the turkey at the farmers market.  We have purchased a turkey from a farmer in Wisconsin for a few years.  Last year we were not able to do that as the farmer said his wife was battleing cancer and they were not able to raise turkeys that year.  Is a fresh turkey from the farm any better than a frozen one from the grocery store?  I am not sure but it makes me feel good that we can buy from a small farmer who works so hard for a living.  There will be lefsa making in the morning with, I am sure, many pieces being eaten before we are finished making them.  It seems that the kids LOVE to get one hot off the lefsa grill and then use too much butter.  As they eat it the melted butter is caught in their left hand as they hold the lefsa in their right hand.  It is almost a full time job limiting them to two pieces each but it is a great way to spend Thanksgiving morning.  We all miss John but it seems Cynthia, age  8, misses him the most.  Several times during the day she mentions she wishes John were home.  I assured her that come Christmas he will be here.  In my heart I know and I understand that while this may not be the norm this is perhaps the beginning of what family could call "growing up".  I know there will be many holidays ahead where one or more of us will be missing.  Deep down I wonder HOW, as a dad, I can limit that as much as possible.  Perhaps that is part of being a parent, you raise your children and then you say good-bye to them with a heavy heart.  We sit down to eat about 1:30.  There is delicious turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, corn, home make buns (who really eats buns when there is lefsa) and then later in the day we will make homemade ice cream.  Of course I made sure there was plenty of split wood so when the kids got out of bed there was a fire and when they go to bed there will still be a fire.  The afternoon is spent sitting around the fire playing games and eating too much.  Before Gail and I go to bed I  just have to have one more turkey sandwich on that homemade bun.  I know I do NOT need it but then who really cares?  I may when I step on the scale the next morning!  So today, 31 years later, Thanksgiving is different yet the same.  I give thanks for what God has given us.  Health, family, homes, friends and so so much more.  It will be a day filled with good food and good thoughts AND FP "for sure"!