Surviving Thanksgiving

In a world of Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray and Pinterest, we often find ourselves hoping to survive rather than enjoy the holidays. As the mom of kids who no longer live full time at my house, these holidays can be even more stressful. We hardly see our adult children if they live or go to school far away. And for Thanksgiving, they come, they eat, they pack up and they are gone. Or due to work schedules (stupid black Friday) or significant other responsibilities (inlaws!), they might not even come home for Thanksgiving. So how do we survive this holiday? And better question, how do we enjoy it?

Keep it Simple 

We don't need to cook the newest recipe or decorate with the cutest thing we found on Pinterest. I've discovered my kids prefer the old traditional basics. They want Mom's potatoes and Mom's stuffing, not Martha's or Rachel's

Be Flexible

With our broken/blended family, there are lots of people who want to see my kids. I have told my kids I don't share very well, but in the end, I know its important they spend time with their dad. Thankfully, we have worked out a system that currently seems to be working. But I know it will change when our kids get attached to other families and when grandchildren are added to the mix. Sometimes, my kids get lucky and have two Thanksgiving dinners, who says you can't serve Turkey and dressing on a Sunday rather than a Thursday.

Be Creative

I live far away from my parents. So when I divorced, I found myself alone for a portion of every holiday. I will be the first to admit I hated those holidays. One of which was spent at the Veterinary Emergency Room when our dog decided to share our Christmas chocolates. I quickly learned to find other things to do I enjoyed. When the kids are with their dad, I spent time with friends, some years I slept and now I get some quiet alone time with my new husband.

Remember the Important Things

When the dishes are empty and the refrigerator is full of leftovers, the important thing will be the time spent with family. The best memories are shared laughter after a candy fight at the table and games played together with fully bellies. Nothing makes my heart more content than seeing my 3 kids getting along and enjoying each others' company. Those moments are the ones I store in my heart and thank God for when they are gone.

This Thanksgiving will be different for us. My oldest daughter isn't coming home. She is staying at her house to spend the day with her boyfriend's family. I'll miss her but I know she will be home for Christmas. And we will text, phone or IM at some point during the day. In the end, she's still my girl and still part of this ever-changing family.

Happy Thanksgiving!