Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving.  It is my favorite holiday.  There is nothing materialistic - just a group of friends and family getting together to give thanks and eat.  And it is purely American. 

Thanksgiving this year was AWESOME.  We had two of our favorite American families over - twenty people in all.  If you don't remember, last year I had quite the dilemma in finding ingredients.  Refresh your memory here.  This year, I knew what to expect.  It was a great day with friends and food.  Emily and Sarah were the little artists who made the turkey place cards.  (Thanks for the idea, Family Fun magazine.)

Thanksgiving in Australia involves a few differences in tradition.  First, we ate dinner al fresco.  Second, between the meal and the pie, the kids swam.  (Third, the turkey had really long legs - I swear someone slipped me a young emu instead!)

While the kids swam and the men played life guard/dishwasher, the ladies and I did what we do best (besides cook) - we talked.  

Did I mention that Becky (there on the love seat) had a baby 5 days before Thanksgiving! What a trooper to give up her nap to make rolls and come eat turkey.  Becky is awesome . . . it's a long story.  Ok, if you insist, I'll tell you:

Becky and I grew up in Idaho, a mile (2k) apart from each other.  We were in the same ward at church.  We took lessons from the same piano teachers.  We both came from large families and happen to be the second oldest with an older sister named Kim (my older sister being one of her best friends.)  We have the same accent.  Now she happens to live around the corner.  In Australia. We have been leading parallel lives.  Like us, this is their second international assignment.  We also have children roughly the same ages.  (I have 5, she had 5 until last week - now she's got me beat with 6.  You go girl.)  I feel at home with Becky.  That makes her awesome.

Yes, I still miss my family in Idaho - especially at Christmas time, but being with friends who are in the same boat we are makes it fun.