Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Thankful

Although I am not American, I did marry one, which means that every November we celebrate or at least acknowledge Thanksgiving. When we lived in the States, we did so with his family. (We won’t talk about the year I was uninvited to Thanksgiving. Not that I’m still bitter or anything.) Since moving abroad, Thanksgiving has become about celebrating our new family. The family of Hubby and I and our friends who help make each port feel more like home.

This year, we celebrated the Great Turkey a few days early with our friends Black Beard and Adelpha. Being the good expats we are, we ordered the whole meal from turkey and stuffing to veggies and pie fully prepared from a local hotel. That afternoon, we gorged ourselves on a giant, perfectly cooked bird and enjoyed the camaraderie and security of friendship over several bottles of wine, a viewing of Zombieland, and a few games of Wii Sports Resort.

Thanksgiving in Canada is pretty much a bank holiday. We do the turkey thing but it isn’t quite the BIG DEAL it is to Americans. I have always wanted to be a part of those Thanksgivings on television where the family goes around one by one to say what they are thankful for. Since we were slightly too inebriated on Saturday to do so, I thought I would share my thanks with you guys instead.

I am thankful for my family at home in Canada who never let me get too big for my britches.

I am thankful for this blog and all of my Devoted Readers for keeping me sane and happy. You have no idea how much you all mean to me.

I am thankful for the wonderful friends I have made all over the world. Leaving a new place is always harder because of you.

I am thankful for not only meeting Adelpha but also having her live just three floors down. No one understands the joys of living with a work crazed Doctor Cheapo quite as well as you. Sanity, thy name is Adelpha.

I am very thankful for being able to live the expat lifestyle. I know that I often come across as a bit of a brat in this blog but I really do appreciate how lucky I am.

I am thankful for my health. I have seen up close what a life without the comforts I take for granted is like. I have never had to rummage through the trash to feed myself, or huddle under a cardboard roof to keep myself dry at night. Poverty is a word I simply didn’t understand or appreciate fully until I lived in the developing world. I am thankful for that knowledge and the ability to help change the lives of people who are not as fortunate as I.

I am thankful for my wonderful husband who never forgets to point out my annual zit or tease me about my foibles. When I keep the reading light on until three in the morning on nights he as to be up at five, Hubby never pouts complains too loudly. And when I’m at my lowest, he always brings me back up with a hug, a funny song, a chuckle at my expense, and encouragement to always follow my dreams.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. Happy Thursday. Happy life.

26 comments:

etrich said...

Well don't feel to bad. We were only invited once to a Thanksgiving dinner when we lived outside the state our in-laws lived in. That was the only holiday we were ever invited to.

euclid said...

Hi, Typo and Hubby. Happy Thanksgiving. We are all gathering at my house tomorrow. Wish you were here. We'd just take a couple boosters off the chairs and have you join us at the table. We're having pork roast since some of the participants are not into turkey but the triplets like both. You will be counted among our blessings. You are always welcome, holiday or not.
Don't worry about being uninvited to Thanksgiving. In all the Thanksgivings that I spent with your in laws, I cannot think of one that was not spent at my house. My fondest is the last one before your father-in-law died. Because of the new dog (bad choice), he stayed home and ate with me and my friends. We had a wonderful time.
Enjoy.

Aunt B

MaricrisG said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you! I just want to say that I'm thankful for you. You are such a good bloggy friend!

theUngourmet said...

I enjoyed reading your thankful post! Happy Thanksgiving to you! Wii Sport Resort is a great way to work of all of that great grub! :D

PaisleyJade said...

Lovely things to be thankful for... we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in NZ... but sometimes I wish we did!

Zuzana said...

A very Happy (belated) Thanksgiving my dear friend, what a lovely post! And the turkey looks yummy.;)
I used to celebrate this holiday during my years in the US, I missed it so much when I moved back to Europe.;)
Lovey sentiments behind your thanks.;)
Have a great day,
xo
Zuzana

LadyFi said...

We Brits don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but it is still a good reminder to be thankful for the blessings in our lives. Like having shelter and food and laughter...

Have a great Thursday!

Betty Manousos said...

Typo i'm so glad for you. For all those reasons you 've said above and you are thankful for.
Just wanted to say i feel lucky that i 've met you my sweet friend and i'm thankful for that.
That turkey sounds yummy!!
love to ya and as always
hugs hugs

Anonymous said...

Be happy, be healthy and be thankful.
We are always thankful for you--and for BBS and BBA and the offspring.
merthyrmum

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Thanksgiving; a lovely post.

Christine Gram said...

I really really need to do this. It's funny how I really can't get into any sort of Christmas spirit until I've had my Thanksgiving. Years of ritual, I suppose.

cat said...

Well, happy thanksgiving to you too! (Although of course I am not American too).So great to have a close friend living really near - mine was just one door on (until she moved to Canada )

Betty W said...

And I am thankful for you, letting us in your life!
A friend, a few doors down, is definitely a blessing!

N said...

Although I don't celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving, I still wish you a very good one with your hubby and friends.

injaynesworld said...

Sounds like you have the perfect Thanksgiving. I will be donning my elastic waistband and heading over to be with friends later. Look forward to reading more about your fascinating life in Cairo!

Jayne

Lydia said...

Aww, glad you had a great Thanksgiving. In my time zone, we are watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade (family tradition) and then the dinner later in the afternoon! Yum yum yummo

sprinkles said...

I'm glad you had a nice Thanksgiving celebration with your husband and friends.

You said Canadian's don't really celebrate Thanksgiving like American's do but do you still celebrate the Canadian Thanksgiving with a big dinner? Just wondering.

Sturgmom said...

Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings to you in the year to come!

Melissa B. said...

A Thanksgiving Limerick, DC-style:

I just heard that two turkeys’ demise
Was avoided, to their great surprise.
The big turkey in power,
In the eleventh hour,
Gave them pardon, along with the pies.

Hope you and yours have the Happiest!

Pseudo said...

Your thanksgiving feast from the hotel sounds wonderful.

I think I wold enjoy being a wandering expat. Good thing I have you to live vicariously through.

Pop and Ice said...

As far as I'm concerned, any day you have a gorgeous, crisp and brown turkey is a day to be thankful for!

Holly Lefevre said...

Your list of reasons to be thankful is wonderful. I have always anted to try living abroad, but I am kind of a chicken (or more appropriately...a turkey)! I enjoy your stories..I'll be following you.

Holly

BLOGitse said...

We Finns don't celebrate Thanksgiving but my hubby and me have similar tradition at xmas time: we write letters to each others...

Anonymous said...

So glad to see that you had a great dinner!!Nothing better than sharing your dinner with your hubs and good friends:)

cheatymoon said...

What a lovely post.

I have fond memories of spending T-day with a handful of random Americans when I lived overseas. Good stuff.

Unknown said...

Awwwww. :( Sniffle Sniffle. :) Come Baaaaacccck!

Ok whining over.

"Annual zit" = bitch ;)

Love the post babe.
xoxoxo