Thankful

For so much...for Harry and our life together. That comes first.

There are many other things I'm thankful for, in this moment before I log off to go and cook the Brussels sprouts (with walnuts and Parmesan) dish that has been my long-standing annual assignment at the Orphan's Thanksgiving, a group of friends I've been celebrating T-day with for 20-odd years.

The Orphans originally formed (this was long before I knew them) as a group who were either far from their families or resistant, for various reasons, to spending T-day with said families.

I came into the picture when Ex (remember my EX?) was invited by a grad-school friend to Thanksgiving with his "family" who turned out to be the aforementioned orphans.

Ex and I at the time, had a two-year-old.

So my first experience with the orphans, (even conducted as it was at my Ex's wonderful familial retreat "down the shore") was not promising. The food was great. (They're all foodies and serious cooks to boot) but Maya (the 2-year old in question and the only child anyone had at that point) wanted to watch tv. (Hello? Sesame St, early in the morning?)
The other adults, (none of whom were parents) unilaterally agreed: TV: EVIL BAD TURN IT OFF.

So I spent the day after T-day (when the orphans have the lovely custom of eating leftovers and reprising DINNER at brunch the next day) switching the tv repeatedly back ON for my child and trying NOT to hear people (NONE OF WHOM WERE PARENTS AT THAT POINT) saying things like "Children need to NOT watch TV. TV IS DAMAGING..."

After this I boycotted the orphan's thanksgiving for several years. Ex and I did NOT attend the O's Thanksgiving for a while.

The 2-year old in question grew older.

Ex and I had more and more conflict over Holiday Arrangements. This was hard. In the end, we found ourselves happiest with the orphan's T-day,so we resumed attending right around the time one of the other orphans had a child.

Fast forward to now:

Ex and I are divorced, our girls are grown up.

My Harry has issues of his own ex-wise, kid-wise.

Tomorrow we (Harry and I) are going to the Orphan"s Thanksgiving, with the Brussels' sprouts, but sans any of our children. I think he is not happy about this, but he loves me and is going along.I hope it goes well.I am looking forward to seeing my friends.

Next year we have to find another way to do thanksgiving.

Not to mention Christmas.