Holiday Traditions

I guess holidays are the time to "wax poetic", and Thanksgiving is one of the best to do so, right? Yesterday, I asked the Cadet what Xmas traditions he always thinks of relative to the holidays. He came up with several, but given the fact that he has traveled for most of his "holiday life", most of his traditions revoled around happenings with the extended families on both sides. Quite different than the traditions that I remember from my youth.

Yesterday, we spent the entire day at the Oz/Hawley family Thanksgiving. This is the first time we have done so in our entire marriage. In the car on the way back to my MIL's, I said to Mr. Oz - "That was fun" and he responded - "yes it was nice to not have to race off to somewhere else". Wistfully, I responded "I wish we had to though".and he knew exactly what I meant.

It is amazing what can change in a seemlingly short period of time (if you can call 6-7 years short!). Things change, folks change, and yet some things stay the same!

• The cadet took off with his "guy" cousins for a midnight stand at Meijers to obtain some kinda flat panel TV that the world must have. He has become the designated line stander for many of his aunts and uncles at various black friday sites throughout the land. When did he get old enough to be a designated anything?????
• Mr. Oz and my bro and dad are getting ready to take off for their annual Cabela's trip - a tradition that hasn't changed in oh...10 years since Cabela's opened?!
• And me? Well, me and the King will have mucho time on our hands whilst cabelas is occurring. Perhaps we will hit a store or two, perhaps we will visit a friend or two of mine.
  But in years past, this day was always set aside for my Mom, my Aunt Willie and I to hit a craft show. I am not a very crafty type person, but truly did enjoy the time with the ladies - without the black friday shopping. I know, I know, ya "gotta suck it up and move on" - but sometimes it would be nice to have one more stop for a diet coke for Mom, and one more wander around the Rec Center with my Aunt - bringing packages to Mom for "safe keeping" at the tables just inside the door.

Don't think I am not grateful for the here and now...but I have to say - I am also thankful for the done and gone. And while I don't want to miss anything today....I can still miss the yesterdays - right??

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!