Hallelujah! We have so much to be thankful for! It was fun to shake things up a bit this year by having our traditional turkey day feast here in Norway. I made turkey, garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, yams, beets, asparagus, cauliflower, cornbread, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and apple cake, (plus some appetizers). Everything was yummy. I must say, except for the turkey and pumpkin pie, it didn’t feel much like Thanksgiving at all though– for a variety of reasons – but we still can thank God for all our blessings.
The biggest “difference” in this day is that both Kaleb and I had to go to school and tomorrow is not a day off either. But on the upside, all the stores were open for those last minute things we needed. We did miss our hand-picked “family” back home as they make this holiday our favorite one all year (normally it lasts for more than just the meal… as some sleep over and the fun and games last well into the night.) But on the upside, all the guests at our table this year were actually related to us, so that was a new twist. We made them all say two things they were thankful for. It took some of them a while to come up with something, as giving thanks isn’t really a Norwegian thing (but cousin Odd did say he was thankful we are here!). It was also fun to watch their expressions as they tasted foods they’ve never even heard of, like stuffing and yams with marshmallows. The pumpkin pie didn’t go over too well, but we were glad for that - all the more for us. (I was worried we wouldn’t have enough.) The pecan pie was a hit. Good thing I made them both.
Last night I used a knife to test the pumpkin pie to see if it was done. I let Kaleb lick it afterwards and he said, with a dreamy lilt in his voice, “Ahhhh, it tastes like home.” And I guess that is what was missing this day for me. Thanksgiving is more about traditions than it is about the menu, so it just wasn’t the same. Kory really liked it though as he felt like it's more about the food than anything else. (Why am I not surprised by that.)
It was a great day, nonetheless, even if I did have to go to school and hurry home to get the turkey in the oven. Kory helped a lot with preparations, so that limited my stress but I was still concerned that everything would turn out OK and on time. And at the last minute some sickness affected plans for two guests so Kory was on the phone to several other relatives and neighbors trying to fill the would-be empty seats at the table. Sickness was rampant so many couldn’t come, but we did fine – Kaleb’s third cousin just down the street wanted the experience of an American meal, so he gladly came over and ate with us, as did the son of another cousin. I was glad for Kaleb to have a kid in the house, otherwise he would have just sat in the corner and read a book all night instead of playing hide and seek and slow motion kung-fu with Tobias. Then after dinner several neighbors and a few cousins came over for coffee and dessert. The party lasted until ten and the last ones to go were the parents of the kids, so Kaleb had a great time running around – outside and in the pouring rain. (He’s turned into such a Norwegian, as they don’t let anything stop them from playing outside.)
As I was putting Kaleb to bed tonight he sounded so confused and befuddled when he said, “I just don’t know what I’m going to do.” I asked what he was talking about and he said, “Stay here, or go back to America. I just love having all the relatives so close to us and being with all the friend’s I’ve made here. I don’t know if I want to go back to America.”
Uh oh.
It was a great day, nonetheless, even if I did have to go to school and hurry home to get the turkey in the oven. Kory helped a lot with preparations, so that limited my stress but I was still concerned that everything would turn out OK and on time. And at the last minute some sickness affected plans for two guests so Kory was on the phone to several other relatives and neighbors trying to fill the would-be empty seats at the table. Sickness was rampant so many couldn’t come, but we did fine – Kaleb’s third cousin just down the street wanted the experience of an American meal, so he gladly came over and ate with us, as did the son of another cousin. I was glad for Kaleb to have a kid in the house, otherwise he would have just sat in the corner and read a book all night instead of playing hide and seek and slow motion kung-fu with Tobias. Then after dinner several neighbors and a few cousins came over for coffee and dessert. The party lasted until ten and the last ones to go were the parents of the kids, so Kaleb had a great time running around – outside and in the pouring rain. (He’s turned into such a Norwegian, as they don’t let anything stop them from playing outside.)
As I was putting Kaleb to bed tonight he sounded so confused and befuddled when he said, “I just don’t know what I’m going to do.” I asked what he was talking about and he said, “Stay here, or go back to America. I just love having all the relatives so close to us and being with all the friend’s I’ve made here. I don’t know if I want to go back to America.”
Uh oh.
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