Thanksgiving ALWAYS has Pumpkin Pie

WOW!  I think I need to make it a rule that I do not blog when tired...that last post was sure....something.  It was like 5 post ideas squeezed into one.  I have a bad tendency to talk to much when I'm overtired...then I get into the giggling stage...then I cry.  The first time Eric witnessed it he thought (outloud) "Whoa!  What did I get myself into?"  SO, sorry that you had to witness that.

So, after all of my midnight rambling, how did our Thanksgiving go?  I can honestly say that this Thanksgiving was our best.  There seemed to be such a sweet spirit.  Sometimes after cooking meals, I feel like NEVER cooking for them again...Ukrainians are hard to cook for...or at least some of ours are.  I think part of it is just that they think everything in America is better, so at least they can say that their cooking is better.  I've learned to take it as a compliment when no one says anything negative.  But not only did they not say anything negative, but they also said they loved everything...Especially the turkey.  You see, this was the first time they had ever eaten turkey.  I wish you could have seen them as I pulled back the tinfoil from the turkey!  There were multiple "Ooooo!"s  and many "Take a picture!"s  Christina even made Yuri come in and take a picture!  It really was a sight!  Some crowding into the kitchen, some standing in the doorways, the rest looking over everyone's shoulders.  The turkey stole the show. 

Another thing that was long looked forward to was the pumpkin pie.  Eric later told me that Dema, Lena's husband, asked for the day off so he could come.  He also spent some time online researching our American Thanksgiving.  (I am SO glad that I did not know that ahead of time, otherwise I would have been Really nervous!)  In the car on the way over, he talked to Eric all about it.  One of the first questions he asked was, 'Will there be pumpkin pie?'  When Eric said yes, Dema matter-of-factly responded, 'Good.  Because Thanksgiving always has pumpkin pie.' 

What a blessing it was to be surrounded by them, our 'second family'.  The day would have been pretty depressing.  Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday and I think it has quickly moved back into my favorite again.  It's funny.  It's almost like I am living a parallel life.  On one side, I have the yearly, family Thanksgiving that I will always cherish and remember...it just seems like Thanksgiving.  But everyone is growing up, moving away, having families...so that Thanksgiving, the one that I remember and cherish, can never really be had again.  If I think about it, yes it's sad.  If I dwell on it, yes I'll be depressed.  But Praise the Lord for giving us new 'family' to make new Thanksgiving memories with.  The memories and traditions may be different, but they are still beautiful.  

And what do the Ukrainians think?

    "Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!"

Yuri

 

Coming up: Ukrainian Thanksgiving tradditions. ;)