Mothers and Thanksgiving!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving — hope all of you had a wonderful, satisfying day full of food, family & gratitude!  For me, it’s one of my favorite days of the year and definitely the BEST holiday! In some ways, it’s my beginning each year — I try and reflect on my blessings and assess my challenges as I whirl around the kitchen in a frenzy of baking, roasting, rising and smashing…  This year. Wow! So much to delve into and delight in! First blessing, my in-laws celebrated their 50th anniversary this past weekend. 50 years, that’s a lifetime of joys, challenges, delights and disappointments! Confession time: for the first 5 or 6 years of marriage, I was terrified of my mother-in-law. My own mother died when I was young and I’ve really never been sure how to relate to “mom” figures since. I’ve had one role model/”mom-ish” person in my adult life and she was and is one of the coolest, most interesting women I’ve ever met. But, she is completely and totally a Southern lady. While definitely a lady, Barbara (my mother-in-law) is not Southern. There’s a difference — in attitude, approach, and ferocity. Early in my marriage I found myself seeking approval and babbling incoherently — combine that with housekeeping not being one of my priorities and I thought I was judged a flaky disaster for her son.   As the years passed, I’ve realized a few things — 1) mothers all love their children fiercely, and no one can give them enough, 2) she raised 5 kids successfully, and any eccentricities she has pale in light of that, and 3) she has a wicked sense of humor (passed on to her son), and finally) shows her kids and the world what a strong marriage/strong woman looks like!    So this year, one of the things I’m thankful for is the women of my life that teach me and my daughters the lessons of strength, love and loyalty.  Mom Music: Keb Mo’ “Isn’t she Lovely,” Madness “Our House,” Maria McKee & Lone Justice “Dixie Storms,” and Maria Muldaur “Cooking Breakfast for the Ones I Love.“

 A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. –> Mignon McLaughlin

If you judge people, you have no time to love them. –> Mother Teresa