It’s finally that time of year again. But we can really appreciate it this year, because last year we were tucked away in our homes, with no holiday to look forward to. The vaccine for Covid was still in development; many schools were full remote; sports were spotty around here with contact tracing with no parents in the stands at meets or games. I don’t know anyone that celebrated Thanksgiving, except with their small immediate family. I am excited to get together. I want to see my siblings and their families, my in-laws and their families. I want to fill the house with happiness! I want to cook too much food and watch the older kids run out in the backyard to toss a football around. 

It will be smaller than normal years still. My nieces and nephews that have little ones that can’t get vaccinated seem to be opting out. I want to see them, but I understand. Since we moved to Valparaiso, our gathering size went down just because we are far, so anyone that is hosting something later in the day at their house probably won’t come to ours. I feel the tinge of panic that accompanies hosting the holidays, but I am pushing it down. Since I am now teaching and coaching, I seem to be spending 12 hours a day at school, and most of the weekends grading, which leaves little time for much else. But I’ll figure it out. And if I fill the house with enough people, maybe nobody will notice the things I didn’t get done. 

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! My favorite holiday of the year! I know it’s a short blog, but I am running late as usual. I am still hoping that this year some magical fairies come to clean and organize my house before the melee of Thanksgiving is upon us. In all the years I’ve hosted, it hasn’t happened yet, but I never thought we’d have a pandemic, and that happened, so who knows!! Who am I kidding? With my luck, my version of helpful fairies would turn out to be destructive gremlins. Anyway, I am thankful for you! If you want to join us for a boisterous brunch, send me a message. All are welcome!