I did it....

After one too many disasters at Thanksgiving dinner, I swore off ever cooking another turkey.  I hung my head in defeat and passed the spatula to my daughter to host Thanksgiving dinner at her house.  After a couple of years shared efforts between different children I decided I wanted to try again.  My kids worried.  My husband volunteered to work Thanksgiving.  I planned.  I eliminated other activities.  I planned.  I shopped 3 times in advance.  I planned. 

Thanksgiving Eve I started cleaning and then cooked a cherry pie.  Thanksgiving morning I slept in.  Yup.  2 hours more sleep than usual.  Sweet.  I started working through my plan.  I allowed myself to switch between projects but kept an eye on my timetable.  Certain things had to be done by a certain time.  I turned on the Macy's day parade.  Kept to my schedule and rested in between tasks.  One of my daughters showed up about 2 hours before dinner.  She walked in the door.  I was showing her what I was up to in my activities and she went back outside.  Her behavior puzzled me but I was in the time frame of needing to focus on certain dishes to have them ready in time.  DD (darling daughter) came back in the house laughing with boyfriend.  She confessed that she had warned BF (boyfriend) that her mother would be a bit (read: very) stressed out.  She was shocked by my calm behavior and stunned when she listened to me humming while I was cooking something at the stove.  The turkey turned out wonderfully, rolls were delicious, and food was plenty.  Everyone that came brought something to add to the groaning tables.  There was so much delicious food.  Company was delightful.  I felt it was one of the best Thanksgiving dinners I had done in years.  I am blessed by many hands that helped with other dishes, washing dishes, and generally adding to a delightful day.  

I compared today to a Thanksgiving from before I started counseling.  I've come a long way, baby, to get where I have gotten today.  A real milestone.  I cooked a turkey.