Family Thanksgivgs 2011

What a difference a year makes, one year ago today, I, Paul and two of our best friends were driving from South Florida to Southeast Missouri to move my Father from one house to another.  In 48 hours, we packed, moved and totally set him up in a new location.  Granted it was only about a mile from each location but it was the fact that not one thing was prepared to make the move.

Today, I am sitting in Tennessee, only after moving three weeks ago and I can tell you it took a lot longer than 48 hours to make this move from South Florida to Middle Tennessee.  This year is very special for I am spending it with my Dad and Sister, no rushing around to pack anything, no stress of moving, flying or driving and everyone in good health. This is what the day should be about and it is priceless to me.

Growing up it in Southeast Missouri, Thanksgiving was always a family event, I am fortunate enough to remember everyone meeting at our Great Grandparents house for the day. The Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins all gathering for a day of home cooking, games and just being together as a family.

Those were special times; the extended family unit was together as one clan. As our society moved forward, it seems to have lost this one important aspect of the family.  The family unit is more nuclear in nature today than in the past.  We move further from the family to pursue careers and then everyone becomes so involved with their own lives that taking the time to be with extended family does not seem as important.

This happen to our family clan, as the great and grandparents passed on, my generation was the one that moved further away from the homestead. We were the ones that pursued those careers and just never seem to have any time to make it home for the holidays. I, for one, realized this but only after the passing of my Mother.

Thanksgiving was always a special holiday for her. She called it her mid holiday.  Halloween was the first because of my birth, then Thanksgiving and ending with Christmas. She always wanted the family together for the holiday and for so many years it was just never possible for all of us to be in on location for this weekend.

Okay, I admit, my sister and I were too involved in our own lives at the time to think it to be a big deal.  You always think next year, I will take time off to be with family and next year you say okay next year.  I finally decided it was this year; I had to be with my Father and Sister. I had to be home with family for the holidays.

 I tell you now, as I sit typing this, my Dad reading a novel, and my sister watching the Dolphins/Cowboys game, it is the most relaxing, stress free Thanksgiving that I can remember in many years.  My Mother would be so proud to see her family finally together for Thanksgiving.  I can hear her now, saying “I would love another cup of coffee but I have babies (dogs) on my lap” and of course, I or Paul would be the ones getting that cup of coffee.     So this Thanksgiving, I am thankful to be back home with the family.   Now it is time for a cup of coffee in honor of Mom...  Happy Thanksgiving 2011.

Till Next time   LB

This Year I have a lot to be Thankful for..

Yes, tucked between the two monster sized holidays of Halloween and Christmas, Thanksgiving receives far less attention. But Thanksgiving is a very important holiday, especially in the busy lives of Americans. It is a time to kick back and relax, watch a football game or go to a movie, and enjoy a huge feast. There is no nation in the world that has more to be thankful for than the USA.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated between the Pilgrims and the Indians in 1621.That first feast was a three day affair. The fall harvest was time for celebration. The Pilgrims and the Indians created a huge feast including a wide variety of animals and fowl, as well as fruits and vegetables from the fall harvest. This early celebration was the start of today's holiday celebration. Like then, we celebrate with a huge feast.

After the first Thanksgiving, the observance was sporadic and almost forgotten until the early 1800's. It was usually celebrated in late September or October. In 1941, Congress made it a national holiday and set the date as the fourth Thursday in November.

Today, most of us enjoy Turkey with "all the trimming". The "trimming" include a wide variety of foods that are a tradition for your family. Those traditional foods often replicate the foods at the first Thanksgiving feast. While others, are traditional ethnic or religious group’s recipe, or a special food item that your family always serves at Thanksgiving dinner. Then, to top it off, pumpkin pies, apple pies, an even mince meat pies are bountiful around the table.

With our busy lives, it is not always possible to spend Thanksgiving with all your family and loved ones. This Thanksgiving is going to be very special and important one for my family.  My Sister and I have not spent Thanksgiving together in over 20 plus years. This year, we will not only be together,  but our Father will be with us as well.  Sure, I have to put up with Football all day but I think this one day is worth the sacrifice.

Our Mother would be so proud to see the family together for the holiday and she is dearly missed.  Not only is this Thanksgiving special but I am also starting out this holiday season in a new home and location.  Yes, we miss our friends/family back in South Florida but they know they are still in our thoughts, it just this year they will be the ones getting the phone call and not our feast.. .

 Did you know? Potatoes were not part of the first Thanksgiving. Irish immigrants had not yet brought them to North America.

Till next week. LB

Remebering a Dedicated Soldier

Thank you, Cousin Charles Ray.

I was going through an old photo album and came across a memorial clipping of my cousin, Charles Ray Humble. Charles Ray was a cousin on my Mother’s side of the family who was in the armed services during the Vietnam Era.

Charles Ray was a good Arkansas boy that served our country. I never got to meet my cousin for he was killed while saving others during a conflict at an air base. My family always talked with high praise of how Charles Ray served our country and died doing his job of saving others.

My Mom always spoke of him with words like special, dedicated, courageous and good hearted. I only saw pictures of Charles Ray in uniform growing up and as a young man in Southeast Missouri farm country; I wanted to be like my cousin.

I learned that Charles Ray’s name was on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC and the first chance I got to go there I made sure to find his name and photographed it for my mom. As I stated, I had wanted to be like my cousin but as I got ready to enlist, I realized I was not service material. I did not like anyone telling me what to do and when to do it. So instead, I went to college and majored in two areas that I would be able help others, Speech Disorders and Nursing, my own way of honoring my cousin, Charles Ray.

Charles Ray was just one of several of our family’s members that served our country over the years prior and past. We are very proud of each and every one of them for the service they provided to our country. I know this year as in years past, family members will be placing special arrangements at the grave of Charles Ray and several others in the next few weeks in remembrance of their service to us and our country.

While thinking of Charles Ray, I also started thinking of the many men and women currently serving our country in the many branches of the armed services. Many are far away from their loved ones and even though it is hard to say many may never see their loved ones again. That is the reality they all face when they join to serve our country.

So how can you show your appreciation to those that are serving in the armed forces? One way is to send a Care Package to your loved one currently serving. Make up a box of items that you know they love and are probably missing right about now, now matter where they are stationed. There are many Care Packages on the market that also fit this unique way of showing you are thinking of them.
Even if you don’t have a loved one currently serving in the Armed Forces, contact your local veteran’s organization and see what you can do to show your appreciation this Thanksgiving, Christmas or on Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day. Many have programs that you can join to assist with those currently serving or a veteran who is in need of some companionship.

It really does not matter what you do as long as you do something to show those that serve in the Armed Forces, you appreciate their dedication and service to protect you and this country. Thank you to all the men and women of our Armed Services and God Bless the United States. LB