Thanks.Giving.

It had been 7 years since we last celebrated one of the most American of holidays on U.S. soil.  Sure, we had celebrated most years but no matter how hard we tried, it just wasn't the same.  The first year we did nothing at all and tried to pretend it was just another day (though I did write about it here).  Then we tried a Friendsgiving and a vacation rental celebration before heading to Europe for 2 more attempts at holding them with Friends (here and here respectively).  And then I gave up.  As much fun as they were, it just wasn't the same and each year it just made me feel more and more lonely because even though you enjoyed the company, it almost seemed forced.   Which is the opposite of what you want on Thanksgiving Day.  Yep, I had turned into the cynical expat.

This year though we were home.  Finally.  And with my parents living only a short drive away we hopped in the car and spent the weekend as a family!  Something we had not had in years.  Was it everything I had missed and longed for all of those years?  Yep!  And more.  It was easy and relaxed and fun.  We made crafts and Stinkerbell helped cook.  I did a puzzle with a little help from the others when they had a minute.  We watched the Macy's parade and then the Dog Show.  We drank wine and talked and generally just enjoyed the day.  It was not forced; it was not squeezed in between homework and the next school day; it was not celebrated thousands of miles away from home.  And I wouldn't have had it any other way!

This year, I am thankful for being home.

I hope you had just as fabulous a day as we did!

This is what the girls looked like at their last Thanksgiving at home...

We all seem to have grown a bit since then.  In more ways than we can count.