Counting My Blessings

Today, I count my blessings.  We will spend the holiday with the remaining seniors of my parents generation... my only living Aunts and one Uncle will be here.  It's exciting.

Today, Uncle Al's dream is coming true.  Maryann, Dan, his little Princess, my mom and me... we are celebrating Thanksgiving Day together.  Uncle Al told me so many times when I'd pick him up at the nursing home, taking him out for the day, "I want my family together, I want you and Maryann to be like you were before, when you had fun.  Maryann, I want her to love my family as much as I love all of you."

"Don't worry Uncle Al, it will happen.  Just visualize us all together, happy... it will happen.  I promise you."  I replied with a strong belief; I believed that if I painted a positive picture, Uncle Al could help manifest his deepest desire.

That was 2 years ago when Uncle Al was pinning for his entire family to be reunited.... today, Uncle Al's dream will come true.  He will have dinner with his family here at our house.  He'll be with his only living relative, my mom.

Aunt Jay will be here too.  My parents thought they'd set Jay up with Uncle Al decades ago, but Uncle Al had his sights on my cousin Jeannette.  Al and Jeannette had different ideas, stealing away into the woods with a bottle of wine.  Al and Jeannette fell in love, married and adopted Maryann.

I am grateful that they brought Maryann into our family.  I am grateful that Aunt Jeannette taught Maryann and I how to cook, often we'd watch the Frugal Gourmet and Julia Child, cooking something for Uncle Al.  Aunt Jeannette made the best potato salad and stuffing.  Today, Maryann will bring the stuffing, made from Aunt Jeannette's recipe.

Aunt Rose will come today.  My Aunt opened my eyes to the magic of growing flowers from seed.  Because of Auntie Rose I absolutely LOVE marigolds; flowers that she always used to line her walkway.   A colorful  pathway to her cookie jar, full of Hermit cookies, the best darn cookies ever made.  Auntie Rose always invited me in for cookies and milk, then she'd let me play with my cousin Joan's Barbie Dolls.  Oh, what fond memories I have with her.  She was also the one who opened my eyes to books; each time we shopped she'd buy me one of those little children's books on displayed at the local A&P Supermarket checkout.  Today, I am grateful for my Aunt Rose and her passion for gardening and reading that she shared with me.

Today, I am counting my blessings that I have a family.  I love my family, all of them... I will miss those who live too far away, but they are in my heart.

We have a crowd coming today.  Marty, Patricia, Jay, Rose, Joan, April and Dewey, Justin, Amy and Caleb, Maryann and Dan, Nikki and my new family.  It will be a fine celebration, one where we will be together gorging ourselves on a fine feast of turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving... today I am counting my blessings and boy, do I have a lot to be thankful for today!