Stay-at-home mom blog

This Thanksgiving was rough. K and I were getting over a cold and A was coming down with one. I was up until midnight the night before baking pies. I made fifteen  pounds of garlic mashed potatoes.  Cut, boil, mash, mix, collapse.

Every year we drive an hour west to visit both my family and Mike’s. It’s nuts, but we no nothing else. Every last Thursday of November we pack up in the morning to a noon meal at my Grandmother’s. We fill our stomach’s to overflowing while all the kids have a cousins reunion. They laugh and play out it Gramma’s huge backyard.

After we are done eating an an embarrassing amount of food, we kick a back for an hour or two. We talk with cousins we only see once or twice a year. It’s good to see everyone. Well, almost everyone. There were a few people this year I could have lived another year without seeing. Seriously.

At 3:30 we have to round up and clean the kids up. We go around and give kisses to Gramma, Nana and Papa. The cousins always have to be pried apart. There is whining and hasty sleepovers arranged. It never fails. Just as I think I have everyone geared up and ready to move on, someone is missing. I have to run back in the house and root the straggler out.

Then we go to the in-laws and do it all over again.

This Veteran’s Day 2008 has me reflecting. I have been thinking about how many Americans have sacrificed family time to serve our country. I live in an area with a large number of military installations. Every day, I see how much the families of military service members sacrifice as well. I think it is very kind how so many corporations are getting on board to honor these people. National Parks are allowing all military active duty, reserve and veterans in for free. Golden Corral restaurants are giving free meals to vets. President bush spoke at the USS Intrepid. Vice President Cheney laid a wreath at the Tomb on the Unknown Soldier this morning. Arlington National Cemetery is a touching place. The former home of Robert E. Lee has become a symbol of our country’s resolve to be free and democratic.

Thank you to all who serve, who have served and to all those who love those who them.