Happy Thanksgiving...

I'm heading over the river and through the woods (most literally since I drive over the Snake River 3 times and through a couple of National Forests...) to spend it with family... but as I prepare for the day I can't help but think back to that wonderful Thanksgiving we spent together three years ago... the one where Jim was so giddy with excitement and full of life he was singing in the shower like a little kid... and stood there shaving and humming the Wedding March... that's how well the week went... because whenever we were together it was always a blast... no matter what the circumstances were...



Lots of laughter, lots of fun, lots of food. I was trying so hard to be the perfect version of a homemaker... and the spread was damn good if I don't say so myself... even the slightly burnt fresh green beans... okay, they were very burnt, but hey, dinner isn't ready until the smoke alarm goes off right? I was a little tired from getting up very, very, very early to start cooking enough food for 10 people even though it was just going to be the two of us... and I may have forgot I had them on the stove... okay, if memory serves me right I had a valid distraction ;)

We were in the smaller condo at the time. We spent the day snuggled up on the couch going through my boxes of accumulated memories from years gone by. Jim helped me decide which letters from which ex boyfriends to keep - willingly! I'd just moved into the condo a month before and was still unpacking... and Jim was gleefully helping and brought me the box to go through while we were watching the Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends marathon (totally his choice). It was full of random things from high school through college. I was all for just chucking them right then and there. But he insisted on my going through them first... and even suggesting I keep a few of them despite my best efforts to throw them away. But I digress...

The turkey turned out perfect. The potatoes only slightly lumpy. The gravy divine. The corn and deviled eggs yummy. The world's sexiest, wittiest, most caring man sharing the meal with me. It was the perfect first Thanksgiving.

We had no way to tell it would also be our last.

Today, when you're gathered around the table with the one you love sitting next to you, squeeze their hand, if only for a moment, and be thankful they're able to sit there with you.