After missing my family and reflecting on our many traditions all
morning and then being blessed to hear most of their voices this
afternoon I accepted that Thanksgiving doesn't really mean much when
you're not with your family. I dismissed the holiday and decided that
I would try to never miss another one.
But Jude surprisd us as
she slyly asked us about our traditions over breakfast and spent all
day on the internet researching recipes and cooking a NZ Thanksgiving
in the kitchen. I grew a bit suspicious when I saw a recipe for
pumpkin pie on the counter.
As we set the table for dinner Jude
told us to put out 6 wine glasses and special candels because tonight
we were going to have a Kiwi Thanksgiving and that she had tried to
keep it as traditional as possible. My heart swelled and I loved the
meal before I even saw or tasted it. I loved how much thought, love
and time had been poured into it and I was overjoyed that I wasn't
going to miss out on Thanksgiving after all.
We shared our NZ
Thanksgiving with Roger and Jude and the 2 German guests, Mia and Ernst
who were also delighted to share in a Thanksgiving Feast with us. We
ate a big stuffed chicken, gravy, masheed potatos, brocolli, kumara
(NZ's sweet potatos that I love), salad, home-made bread, a tomato pie
and pumpkin pie and ice cream for dessert. We spoke our thanks to one
another, shared family traditions and ate until we couldn't eat anymore
as the candels flickred and the wind howled outside. I left their home
full not only in my belly, but in my heart. And now we are waiting for
the fire to warm our bath! I am thankful beyond words.
