I'm home in Sacramento. My dad is on his way home from the airport with my little/big brother who just flew in from LA. Frank Sinatra is on the CD player. I have two loaves of bread to bake and (what else?) Brussels sprouts to make. There is more than enough coffee to go around. I am so thankful for all of the above.
It's just going to be the four of us this Thanksgiving. And it's probably the last "just the four of us" Thanksgiving we will ever have. Paul is scheduled to be home the next few Novembers (I'm also thankful for that) and someday, when he is out of the country again, there will hopefully be a little E or a little P thrown into the mix.
So I am savoring this last holiday of just the Blaha's. We'll eat roasted turkey and drink red wine. We'll watch football and start Modern Family season one on DVD (which somehow, no one has seen but me). We'll reminisce about the big USC game last Saturday and catch up on stories.
I wish so much that Paul was home. I wish so much that this deployment was over. But he isn't. And it isn't. And so we make do. We'll be toasting him and praying for him.
To my American friends, happy, happy Thanksgiving. To everyone, hug your loved ones tight today.