Nov 26, 2020
This has been a year that has caused me to see how blessed we are. As Covid-19 continues to claim lives and the pandemic is pulling people into poverty in large numbers, I am grateful for the support system that we have, the blessings of jobs and health, the blessing of our home, the blessing of family to share our physical life and our cares, and I am ever thankful for the faith in our God of hope.
We wouldn't be getting together as an extended family at Will and Heather's but none of us wanted to miss our family meal. We decided to do a food swap in the parking lot after Thanksgiving Day Mass. Each of us made our traditional dish x 5 and we swapped passing on our Holiday greetings. I then drove Will and Heather's share to them in Gaithersburg and picked up Will's famous stuffing. When I returned to the area I made the rounds to pick up Rachael and to drop off the stuffing at everyone's house.
When Rachael and I got back home we all wore masks. The really odd parade was already over and got poor reviews from the girls, but they still seemed glad for something. We decided to use a cloth tablecloth and the good china and make the most of our dinner together to celebrate. As we prepared the turkey and set the table Rachael suggested we listen to a podcast by Native Americans and their take on the holiday and the things they focus on. They brought a good perspective, had a few challenging things but also many confirmations of values that we hold, being humble, being grateful, taking care, and honoring family, history, and community. Emma arrived during this time and soon our turkey was ready, all of our dishes were warmed and it was time to eat. Rachael wanted to abide by CDC guidelines so we set up a table for her in the living room and we all sat down for dinner. Johanna struggled to pick the perfect beverage and the perfect glass but soon we said our prayer of thanksgiving and enjoyed a delicious meal.
After dinner we did a whole family video call and then the cousins broke off to their own call, where they played a number of virtual games. Jim and I stayed on with the adults and visited with my siblings and Dad, who was at Joe and Magaly's. After that we did a little clean up and then got a video call with Jim's brother and parents. It was so good to see everyone and catch up and "be" together. We are so thankful.
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