Thanksgiving Weekend

I loved waking up to the smell of turkey on Thanksgiving, pumpkin pies that had been baked the night before sitting on the counter (with that one sliver that was always missing from every baked good Mom had ever baked in my life).

I loved the hustle and bustle of the morning as we all got ready to go to church at 10:30 am for the special Thanksgiving service. Mom had somehow successfully juggled making sure we were all haircombed, toothbrushed, and neatly pressed, with the perfect turkey in the oven, and a feast that Martha Stewart would be proud of prepared and ready to cook when we got home after church.

The Thanksgiving church service was always amazing because in our church on Sundays the kids go to sunday school while the adults had church simultaneously. But each year on Thanksgiving we all went to church together and after the sermon people would stand and say what they were thankful for, and it was always the one church service during the year that every church member showed up for. It was an amazing experience!

I was thankful for my mom. Even when I was very little and she was supporting five kids by cleaning motel rooms I knew that it was an amazing accomplishment that we had Thanksgiving dinner each year. Santy didn't come to shanty-town each year, but by golly we feasted at Thanksgiving.

Now that Mom has been gone for so many years I think it's finally time to resurrect some traditions. This afternoon I will be baking pumpkin pies. Thanks for the recipe Mom.