Thanksgiving 2010

This week's FS Weekly Roundup is being hosted by Melissa over at Just Us. The theme is "I'm Thankful I Have Learned..." Be sure to click over on Friday to check it out.

I am sure there are a ton of things I have learned that I am thankful for. Today what comes to mind is cooking. I am so glad my mom insisted that I learn to cook, and even how to can jellies, fruits, and vegetables. Thanks Mom! It is a skill that comes in very handy when you are living a long way from the nearest Taco Cabana or Olive Garden.

And on that note another turkey dinner has been served. Everything came out pretty well, although the turkey was sort of icky, like maybe it had been in that freezer case for a long long time before I bought it. I think next year we will just have chicken.

I am so entirely grateful for the internet. Not only does it bring me great friends all over the world, some of whom I may actually meet in person someday, it lets me find recipes to replace all the ones in my cookbooks which disappeared three moves ago. I have no idea what I would have done if this had been twenty years ago. Can you imagine living this crazy life with out all the wonders of the internet?

This Thanksgiving is a bittersweet one. It is Dakota's last Thanksgiving at home, and probably his last one with us for a good number of years. He is joining the military and leaves for Navy boot camp in just days. He will be heading off to his own adventures, while we will continue to be world wide available.

I think the military is a wonderful opportunity. He will be assured of a steady job, a paycheck, food to eat, and place to live for the next six years. He will get training and experience. He will have time to grow, explore, and decide what he wants to do long term. Even better he will have the Post 9/11 GI Bill to pay for college when he is done. This will open up the world to him.

I am thankful he got into the program he wanted. The nuclear training program is highly competitive, and offers the chance to go from enlisted to officer. It also came with a substantial signing bonus as well as rank. He will become an E3 upon completion of boot camp and an E5 upon completion of nuclear training school, after which he will serve on a submarine. I am beyond thankful that he chose to go Navy subs rather than Marine or Army infantry. No one has been shot on a submarine for a long time. Yes I realize that is a selfish attitude with so many of our service men and women in harm's way, but I am his Mom and it is an honest emotion. I am sure I will worry about him no matter what he does.

I am thankful I made it through dinner today without bursting into tears at the table. I was fine until we were done eating and it was time to clear. Then while carrying dirty dishes I suddenly burst into tears. It came out of nowhere. I had no idea it was coming, it wasn't like I was fighting tears or anything. I've had a really good day cooking and making everything just perfect, then suddenly I'm crying. Can you imagine what a basket case I am going to be in a few weeks when he gets on plane to leave for good?

Now we are watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and eating chocolate and pumpkin pies. Of course dessert is my favorite part of Thanksgiving Day. On what other day is it OK to eat more than one dessert? What a great way to end the day. I hope everyone out there is having a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!