Giving Thanks

This year's Day of Thanks brought on a "first" for me. Well, maybe a couple of "firsts." Never have I felt inclined to bring a boy along to my family's Thanksgiving gatherings. Never have I asked a boy to take time away from his own family to be with mine. I imagine it's mainly because I never wanted to return the favor and be with his family which would take away time with my own. There was probably a little bit of not really liking/loving the boy enough to bring him along. This year, though, I wanted a boy to be with me and my family, and I was more than willing to return the favor and be with his. I think that says a lot. So A and I drove a few hours to my aunt and uncle's house where everyone was gathering. I was stressed because we left later than we should have, and this here people-pleaser could already imagine phone calls and texts wondering why I wasn't there at the time promised. Poor A had to deal with that stress, and once again, this here people-pleaser kept apologizing to him and thanking him for going with me. We had some good music playing, griped at some East Texas drivers, and then we finally pulled up to the house. As soon as we walked in, I started hugging family, A started introducing himself, and about 15 min. later we blessed the food and made our plates. I'm not sure why I inhaled my food. Maybe nerves. Maybe that people-pleasing stress wanted to be resolved. Maybe just because everything was AMAZING this year! Regardless, when I saw that my plate was empty I was sad that I didn't savor every bite more. Of course I never get too carried away no matter how much I want seconds of the potatoes and casseroles because I always make sure I save room for dessert, and the dessert was even better than the meal. Now that stuff, I was sure to savor, and I still have a few bites of pie left in my refrigerator.

As the ladies were in the kitchen cleaning up, my Mamaw and one of my aunts came up to me in hushed voices bouncing questions and comments my way, "Do you like this boy?" "He's very friendly and very handsome." "Does his like you?" "He seems really nice." I knew he'd be a hit because of all that charm that just oozes from him. It's a bit irresistible. I watched him talking with my Mamaw, I watched him sit down on the front porch and talk with my dad, and I watched him, the only one over the age of 10, play soccer in the front yard with the little cousins.

So I'd say my "first" went pretty well. Oh yeah, that other "first." Well, as my Mamaw put it when I gave her a hug, "I don't think I've ever seen you this thin before." She's right. Well, maybe when I was 10, but I was shorter then. It was nice to hear the positive comments from my family that I haven't seen since April. When people don't see you daily or weekly or even monthly, they're pretty good at noticing changes.

Oh wait, one more "first." Since my waist has gotten much smaller than it has been in the past 10 years, for the first time I rocked a sweater with a belt. Never have I felt comfortable with a belt around my natural waist putting my love handles on display, but this time I thought I could make it work. Maybe I changed out of the sweater a couple of times that morning, but I finally sucked it up, made a few comments to the mirror in my room, and just believed that I looked great in it. I really need to work on my inner voice, I think. It tends to get in the way.