Normally the thought of not going back home to Illinois for Thanksgiving would put me in a tail spin. It's that embracing of family and familiar that sums up this holiday for me. Amazing how when you live away from your core family that new stand-in's emerge. It happened in Minnesota and it's happening here...even if they are a state away;)
Without a doubt this weekend was one of my top favorite's of all time. Sounds dramatic doesn't it? Well I'm not exaggerating. Alicia and her family swooped into our home and from the minute they got there it just felt right. We stayed in our jammies most of the time and didn't bother to put on make-up.
The kids bonded instantly and just had a ball...IN THE BASEMENT!
This allowed for a whole lot of adult conversation and bonding of our own which is a luxury as we all know it. How often can we actually talk and not get interrupted?? It's just a fact. I can't even tell you how therapeutic that was for Honey and I. We drank in the friendship as if we had been stranded on a deserted island. It was wonderful.
Honey and I split that wishbone, and I wished with every fiber of my being for ________...can you guess??? He got the bigger end. I don't think he even got that we were supposed to be making a secret wish. It was all lost on him. I'm taking his wish!
Thanksgiving day was relaxed and easy. I didn't stress. It wasn't ackward with both of us in the kitchen. It was just really really nice.
Later in the day we took a walk, then the guys napped and watched football. Alicia and I hunkered in and watched New in Town. Remember that movie with Renee Zellweger...where she goes to Minnesota and falls in love with Harry Connick Jr?? Seeing the snow and cold made us so grateful to be here with an almost 70 degree Thanksgiving!
I'll never forget discovering via comment last year that we both longed to move out of the cold. She's from South Dakota, and we just bonded immediately over that little nugget of info. I secretly told her about the head hunter call to move us to Virginia, and she told me North Carolina was on their radar. Now here we are almost a year later. It's surreal how your life can change.
Black Friday was surprisingly fun. We stayed up too late the night before to get up early, so we got going around 9. In the car we said a little prayer for God to lead and guide us...to give us discernment and wisdom with our finances and then off we went. The crowds and traffic weren't too bad. We got some really amazing deals and I'm completely done. YES...I am DONE, and it's not even December yet. Yee Haw!!! Oh and I took her to Trader Joe's for the first time. It had to be done;)
So a big giant check mark gets placed in that "first holiday in Virginia" box. We both did it. We celebrated it up big and we made it through just fine. This new little stand-in family was just what we didn't know we needed...ha!
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving too.
Have a blessed day.
264. dusting off the Christmas decorations today
265. sharing heart and soul with friends
266. belly laughs
267. new traditions
268. that my jeans still sorta fit
269. not shopping alone
270. trusting for big wishes to come true
