Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the States. It's going to be a strange one for me. My family of five is spread out this year and I'm having a bit of a hard time.

The tween left on Monday with his grandparents, to surprise his aunts on the east coast. It was a very last minute decision. He is having a blast and they are spoiling him rotten. I am excited for him; he is having wonderful adventures and the adults are enjoying playing tourist again, seeing their city through young, fresh eyes. But I miss him. The house is very quiet without his goofiness, his movement, his constant dialog of football plays as he uses the furniture as tackling dummies.

The teen is leaving this afternoon. He is going to Hawaii with his dad's family. I think he will have fun once he gets there (I hope), but he is a big ball of stress right now. He is missing five days of school next week and I think it might give him an ulcer (only partly kidding). For various reasons, he can't take all of his homework with him, which put a ton of stress on him this last week to try and get as much of it done as possible, while still working late at school for his journalism class (the paper goes to press soon, they've been at school until at least 8:00 all week). Knowing what is looming over his head when he gets back ... well, he's had a couple breakdowns. I hurt for him, knowing how much this is stressing him out. I wish I could help, but instead we just get the brunt of the freak outs. I am crossing fingers that he will find a way to relax and enjoy the trip, and not melt down again when he gets back to reality.

Man, this senior year is hard.

Anyway, it will just be the hubs, the toddler and I in the house for a solid week, without our boys. I am already wandering around lost in this quiet.

We are spending the evening tomorrow with my husbands family, about 40 of them. It will be loud, the alcohol will be flowing, the football will be on ... but it'll be different. Weird, not having MY little family together.

But I am thankful they are safe and happy and well taken care of. I hope the teenager finds some peace and relaxation in the sun. I hope the tween is distracted enough not to be sad. And I hope the vodka is cold where I am at so I can warm myself up with some liquid happiness.

I will leave you with a little laugh I got today from a friend on facebook. The 32 Rules of Thanksgiving Touch Football. My favorite is number 6: "A Nerf ball is okay but you should own a leather football. A leather football is one of the things every home must have, like a dishwasher and a bourbon distillery in the garage."

Happy Thanksgiving.