It's been a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend

Andrew left about 45 minutes ago to drive east and return his mother to the neighbor who will take her the rest of the way.  We are so very grateful for the neighbors who were willing to help out with this trip, and we are so very grateful that my mother-in-law was willing to come for the week.  I know that she was fairly emotional about things, but I also know that being here was good medicine for her soul.

While the day of Thanksgiving itself was not my most favorite, I'm grateful the weekend overall was one of my most favorites.  The house is decorated and picked up...fingers crossed it stays that way!  We decorated the trees first to make certain we could get them done while everyone was around.  Andrew's mother thoroughly enjoyed watching us unwrap all of the memories that we hang on the tree each year, as well as the memories that we place throughout our home.  We have many decorations that were made by my mother-in-law or even her mother, we have many that were made by my grandmother, and we even have one that was hand-carved by my great-uncle.  We have decorations that were gifts to my grandmothers and now we get to enjoy them as well.  And we have decorations that are just fun.

The OSU/*ichigan game (you understand if you're from here) did not at all go the way we wanted, and my mother-in-law laughed at the exuberance with which we watch the game.  I wasn't too happy about the outcome of the Iron Bowl either, but I think our Irish still have a shot at making the playoffs this year!

More than anything, we made sure Andrew's mom laughed.  We began watching some of our favorite episodes of our favorite shows, and she would just laugh and laugh.  She even said her sides hurt from laughing so hard.  I know she especially enjoyed all of the laughter.

We are hoping to get up to see my grandmother today since she didn't feel well when we hoped to see her the other day, and real life begins again tomorrow.  It's a little hard not to wish it was a week ago when all of the fun was beginning, but I'm just going to take the full and peaceful feeling in my heart, and remember to enjoy even the crazy busy days!

Thanksgiving break 2021

We aren't even half way through this amazing Thanksgiving break, and I'm so glad we still have the weekend ahead of us.  Honestly, I've been looking forward to the next three days even more than today.  My mother and her good friend (who was also my high school choir director) came down for a wonderful meal prepared by my mother-in-law and Andrew.  It was a nice meal, and I'm grateful we could be together, but I sure did miss the big family gatherings that used to happen.  It was a nice day though.

Tomorrow we get to start decorating for Christmas!  I've been so very excited about this!  I'm grateful that we have three full days to make this happen.  The big goal will be to get the trees up tomorrow because Thomas has some plans on Saturday.  We are so looking forward to a few more days of downtime!

Steel drums

I'm late in posting this, but that is the way life is right now.  A week ago we had the annual chili supper for our bands.  It's a fun fundraiser, but it was often an evening I was a little resentful as I never had a child performing, but there I was for hours anyway.  Not this year though!  I was still there, but this year I had a performer!  Thomas has is participating in the steel drum band for the first time this year.  It was fun to be able to see him perform, but also a little comical.  Part of the "performance" is the dancing/movement of the kids who are playing, but we will just be referring to my son as the "statue on the left".  I give him credit for wanting to do it at all though, because he doesn't really like people looking at him.  We actually had a decent amount of help to set up and tear down this evening, so it was a pleasant evening!

If she doesn't care, I shouldn't either

My mother decided she didn't think she would be hope to hosting any kind of Thanksgiving meal.  She wanted to because it would be easier for everyone to have it in my hometown and have the four of us and my mother-in-law (Andrew is going to get her this weekend) drive there.  We were happy to do whatever was easiest for my mother.  Mom decided this past weekend that there was no way she could do it.  She has some compressed nerves and is in a lot of pain.  My aunt had sent the same email to my late aunt's kids, so we sent them messages letting them know they are welcome as well, and my mom has a friend who will be joining us.  Andrew and I began to discuss the menu, and I was carefully planning to make sure my sister, who has dietary restrictions, could eat what we were serving.  Keep in mind of course, my sister at no point over the years told me about her dietary restrictions, but I learned about them over the years at meals.  Today, I sent my sister a text asking if her "significant friend", or anyone else would be joining us.  She let me know that not only would there be no guests, but she wasn't interested in making the trip down and would rather spend the day at home along with the dog.  Those were actually her words.  While it felt like a slap in the face to me, I hurt more for my mother.  I know my mother feels as though she's lost so much of her family, and my sister being so blunt about not wanting to be with us is bound to be hurtful.  I know I felt hurt by it.

It reminds me of one year shortly after I was married, and my sister was in town on a grad school break.  I had been out of town on my honeymoon during most of the break, but I arrived home three days before she returned to school.  We had plans to see each other one of those nights, but I had a bad cold.  We were supposed to drive to my parents' house to see her, but I asked if she would mind coming to my house instead (about a 40 minute) drive.  My dad offered to bring her down to my house.  I remember being at work and talking to her on the phone asking if we could adjust the plans.  I remember explaining to her that if she didn't come down I wouldn't get to see her while she was on break, and I vividly remember her response being, "I don't really care if I see you or not."  I remember crying and saying to my dad, "If she doesn't care if we see each other, I shouldn't either."  Dad responded that isn't really who I am.  It's true.  Family is so important to me.  I'm grateful for those that I do get to spend the holiday with!

A perfect November weekend

In so many ways, this was a perfect November weekend.  For one thing, I had Friday off work, so it as a longer-than-normal weekend.  I made a quick trip to my hometown for a winter shopping event.  It was a bright sunny day, just as it had been the previous Sunday when I went to visit my grandmother.  The leaves that are still on the trees had some pretty colors (although I still think there is too much green).  It was very peaceful.

Catherine came home Friday afternoon, and we allowed Thomas to skip swim practice so Andrew could take the kids to dinner with a college friend.  I was able to accomplish a few things, and it was lovely to know we got to sleep in yesterday (except Andrew, who had baseball conditioning).

I didn't leave the house yesterday.  I worked and worked on things in the house because my mother-in-law is coming next weekend and staying for a week.  Andrew worked outside, and the kids worked on some things as well.  We ordered dinner in, and then our family sat together and watched two Hallmark Christmas movies.  We love watching those together.  Some are sweet, some are goofy, some are ridiculous, but they all bring out the Christmas magic that we love each year.  So very rarely do we get to sit around and all be entertained by the same program, and I went to bed last night full of more gratitude than I can even express.

This morning I got up and found the YouTube channel that shows a fireplace and plays Christmas music.  I don't want to decorate for Christmas yet, but I'm totally fine with playing the music, especially with the scenery of the snow that is falling!  It isn't just flurrying either...it's all out snowing!  It's been too warm to stick on the roads, but the grass could see up to an inch of accumulation.  It is such an incredibly peaceful and beautiful morning.  My heart could not be more full.

The end of the marching band years

This evening Thomas is in Indianapolis performing in his final marching band competition.  I'll be honest, I never understood the appeal of marching band, nor did I particularly enjoy watching marching bands.  However, for the last eight years I have poured a significant amount of blood, sweat, tears (yep, there have been some) and TIME into our marching band program.  I've had a marching band student for eight consecutive seasons, and this is the end.  This is the last time one of my kiddos takes the field in a high school marching band.  I'm so grateful for how much Catherine and Thomas enjoyed it, and my favorite were the two years they were able to participate together.  Having said that, I know there are SO many things about marching band season that I won't miss.  I wouldn't have traded one second though, because it was so important to the kids.  It's the end of an era!

First weekend in November

This was a really nice weekend.  We had gorgeous weather the entire weekend.  November means no athletic events for Andrew to supervise.  With the situation with his dad falling into three weekends, it had been nearly a months since we'd had an entire weekend together here at home.  We appreciated it immensely.

Friday evening Thomas had swim practice, so Andrew and I went to the state park to eat at the lodge.  Honestly, I just wanted to be in a wooded area to enjoy some changing leaves.  We have some yellows and a little bit of orange, but honestly, everything is still entirely too green!  It was still lovely to look out over the lake though.

Saturday was sleeping in, then Andrew took Thomas out to breakfast to congratulate him on his grades.  I met up with a friend for a quick outlet mall walk (and a little shopping) and then we were home for the day.  We made our potato bacon pizza that our family loves, and hung out watching college football and old TV shows.  It was a fabulous evening to recharge ourselves.

Yesterday we made it to church and Andrew had a meeting after.  My grandma's assisted living facility was finally allowing visitors again, so I made the trip to see her.  She's doing fairly well, although there are still some issues.  I was gone the bulk of the day, and came home to get some church things ready for a meeting this evening.  Tomorrow is a band meeting, so that will be tonight's project.

As I was out and about this weekend, I just tried to soak up all of the beautiful scenery.  We are getting close to the holidays, and things will be different, but we still get to spend it with family.  November is the month of gratitude, and I'm feeling very grateful!

Officially the end of family celebrations

I received an email this week from my aunt, the wife of my mom's brother.  She was letting us know that they would no longer being hosting a big family Thanksgiving.  I'm certainly not surprised, and of course given the way my aunt & uncle have treated my mother, we wouldn't have gone anyway.  But this truly means the end of the big family gatherings.  Even if there is some reconciliation somewhere down the road (unexpected, but never say never), there won't be 30 family members gathering together for a holiday.  It makes me sad.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and the meals hosted by my aunt & uncle are a big part of that.

It had already been decided that my mother-in-law would be coming here for Thanksgiving.  The five of us will be joined by my mother & sister for a meal.  Seven of us sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner.  I try to remember to be grateful for that, but it's a little tough.  I feel sad that my family feels as though it is getting smaller.  We have Robert who has essentially left the family, and of course both my dad and father-in-law have passed away.  I know there may even come years when we can't be together at all on Thanksgiving and need to choose another date.  This is absolutely our reality and I accept that, which encourages me to be grateful even for just the seven gathering around the table this year!

Acceptance

In the mail today arrived the news Thomas had been waiting for...he'd been waiting for weeks.  He was accepted to Wright St.  He had visited in July.  It's about 90 minutes from home, and right now it is his first choice.  He was also accepted to Bowling Green, which is about three hours away.  He says he would prefer to be closer to home.  I would like to visit both of them again so he can make sure that is how he feels.

I also have to mention that Thomas had an amazing first quarter of his senior year.  In seven classes, he had six A's and one B.  It is the best quarter of schooling that he has ever had.  We are so very proud of him!  The disappointing part is that there is still no Honor Roll breakfast because of COVID, but Andrew plans to take him out to breakfast tomorrow.  We are so proud of Thomas!