Yet Another successful Turkey day!

Every year I look forward to Thanksgiving. It didn't start out that way. It used to be a time when I went out to dinner and then drowned my sorrows back at home with some stupid Lifetime movie (Mother may I sleep with danger anyone? Where DO they get those stupid ass titles?!). I could not take off to fly home for both Thanksgiving AND Christmas..so Thanksgiving found me here alone.
That all changed the year (14 yrs ago!) I decided to make the whole kit and kaboodle for me and my (then) boyfriend. I thought...why suffer? Just call home..get the recipes. How damn hard COULD green bean casserole be for God's sake?
Turns out not that hard. (Although I've since graduated to some pretty fancy fare) And not only was it a success for me and the boy. HIS parents started flying in from Boston to eat with US.
After I broke up with him and married my now husband I loved breaking out my new wedding china/crystal and putting out the spread. Friends who started coming to it ten years ago now started bringing their families from out of town their new brides, the babies. Neighbors in my cul de sac joined us. I had to buy a bigger dining table. Now it's HUGE.
Every year I send out a printed menu with a list of what to bring (usually along the lines of pie, napkins. Never a dish. Never leave your thanksgiving to someone else's cooking skills and/or weird recipes. I learned THAT lesson the hard way.)
So I get to do my favorite things. Cook, and eat and drink wine with friends. I NEVER have to clean up. And everyone leaves with plenty of leftovers.
We play board games and watch whatever game is on. It's AMAZING.
And no matter what is going on in our lives or the world we take that Thursday to be together. I love being the tradition/momma of all those families. And they make ME grateful to know them every year.
I've met new people, people have made love connections, people have broken up at my table, we've even had a famous legend for dinner. The best part is gossiping about the past dinners. And the hilarious things that have happened on the way to getting a simple TURKEY TO THE DAMN TABLE.
I joke that one day I'll be using the kitchen in the nursing home and my friends will arrive on hover-rounds and walkers. Whatever. As long as it keeps on going. I'll always be THANKFUL for them