Thanksgiving

I’m interrupting my series—who saw that coming?—on special needs that we accommodate to talk about Thanksgiving. 

First, here is my antisocial opinion/rant about Thanksgiving.  It’s getting lost, which is a grievance and forfeiture by us as a culture.  Back in the old days (*ahem*), Halloween was a one-day event. Costumes, décor, and candy were in stores around October 1^st.  I think churches contributed to the spread by offering ‘alternatives’ to Halloween parties.  Initially, they were genuinely alternatives, taking place on October 31^st.  Then some figured they could get more people if they didn’t interfere with the big day.  The spread began.  Parties, trunk-or-treating, haunted houses, and pumpkin patch visits, filled the entire month and more. This year, I saw neighbors putting up decorations in August!

On the other side of the day, another phenomenon occurred: Christmas!  I have seen countless memes celebrating this new seasonal trend: September and October are for Halloween, and November and December are for Christmas minus a single day set aside for Thanksgiving.  This is lamentable—except to retailers, I suppose.  I know Thanksgiving is sticky because of the ties to the nation’s shameful history. But giving thanks and practicing gratitude is good for all people.  Pausing before the Christmas bustle to adjust our minds and hearts benefits our mental, spiritual, relational, and financial health. Approaching Christmas—as Jesus-followers and not—with a healthy mind gives wisdom to how we spend our time and money.  Who doesn’t want that?

Ok, rant over. 

Our Thanksgiving was wonderful!  We had friends over on the Saturday before and took the week off from school. I did some cleaning and purging at the beginning of the week and we did extra crafting and cooking. Then for Thanksgiving, the seven of us had lunch, did Christmas decorating, went for a freezing walk, and watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  Yesterday we shared leftovers, continued decorating, and played games.

We have this set of cards for adoptive families. It looks like a standard deck of playing cards, and each card has a question or activity.  They’re handy for starting conversations. I always wonder what the balance is on these things. I don’t want to cause emotional heartache unnecessarily.  But I also want to provide safe times to talk about what might be ruminating.  I want to normalize acknowledging their beginnings.  I do not want to pretend or wash away their first families.

There are seasons where we talk quite a bit about the girls’ first family. And then there are stretches of being more in the present. Holidays understandably carry more memories and grief. Using the cards sets aside a dedicated time for the girls to share and for the grown-ups to tell the girls how important they are.

I am so thankful for this life.  I am thankful for technology that allows for connection across the miles.  I am thankful for each member of my family.  I am thankful I get to stay home to homeschool.  I am thankful for a God who is near, who cares, and who saves.  I am thankful for our new king-sized bed that fits everyone for story time. I am thankful for the warm house. I am thankful for the chilly fall weather.  I am thankful we are relatively healthy.  I am thankful my adult kids and husband have jobs where they do good work.  I am thankful for friends and family.