Thanks be Given

Tonight was spent talking to my family, and what a joy that was! As always, my family was celebrating Thanksgiving as they know best: by getting together. The last time I got to eat turkey and cranberries and pumpkin pie with them was in 2003, but I still feel part of the whole celebration through our lively phone calls.

I called too early, when it was just my father and Frank in the kitchen, dutifully finishing up the last touches on the feast for twenty-plus. So I went back to putting together my Ikea furniture and before long, Dad called me back, then phone was passed from aunt to cousins to grandmother to Frank and I got to hear their news and to share mine. A few phone calls later and I caught my brother, Jay and his wife Christine on the phone (a rare treat!) They came up from Invemere and I'm sure they will leave with at least three turkey dinners fueling their tummies for the 8hr drive back.

It was a gorgeous day in Alberta- all sunny and crisp, as it was here in London, oddly enough. Sandy, our rotteweiler is birthing today and that added to the general excitement. (I forgot to ask: Save me a puppy please!!) I could hear laughter, loud conversation in the background and the clinking of silverware and those joyful familiar family sounds lifted my spirits.
Here's a Thanksgiving photo from 2003 (that's the back of Frank's head illuminated there). Funny I had no idea here that I would be oceans away for the next three years. Makes my heart ache a bit...

An even sweeter treat was that I caught my mom online, and chatted over messenger. I realised today that I've only talked to her once by phone since moving here, and that msn and blogspace has been a great buffer from loneliness and disconnection for Mom, Michael and me. But tonight that wasn't enough so we had a delightfully long phone conversation afterwards, followed by a much-needed call to my mum's mom, my Babki, who was busy making her own Thanksgiving dinner for her friends. And after that, I was able to message Mom to let her know that I was in touch with Babki. Ahhh... teachnology, it's simply fantastic sometimes. Just wait til I get skype!

So with happy thoughts of my family, I'm off to bed. I can't wait to see my lovely people again, but I know they'll be patient for me and wait while "I do what I gotta do." Thanks folks! Love you.