A Very Happy Thanksgiving

I kept up my tradition of creating my own holiday in Stockholm by taking Thursday off and spending the day focused on Thanksgiving. This is the one day of the year when being in sync with what's happening in the US means a lot to me. So while it's a normal work day and we can't eat until evening, it's well worth the effort to have Thanksgiving dinner on the actual Thanksgiving day! That this will be our last celebrated in Stockholm perhaps made the whole occasion that much special. While I will miss the memorable gatherings we have shared around our dining room table, I won't miss worrying about finding all of the ingredients to make the meal in the way I like it! Fortunately a friend went to the US in October so brought back a cache of goodies including corn bread mix from Trader Joe's, canned cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, and pumpkin pie filling. I farmed out the pies but supplied the pumpkin! I also won't miss paying a staggering $4.00 a pound for my turkey! I did dig through the very small freezer compartment at my local grocery store to find the biggest one...4.6 kilos or just tipping in at 10 pounds! Small as it was, it was tasty in the end!
I had a blast decorating the table this year. A friend and one of the guests invited for dinner had receive the center cloth from her mom and it provided the base inspiration for all that followed. I was very happy how it all turned out and it proved to be a beautiful setting for a memorable meal.
Around our table this year we had a family from India (joke was that we had real Indians at our Thanksgiving!) who had never experienced the American Thanksgiving tradition or food before, a woman from Ghana, a Swiss/American couple and one of their kids, and one other American along with me and Doug. The gathered group are all quite close to one another having shared in each other's lives in significant and heartfelt ways through the years.
The food was delicious, if I say so myself! My roasted sweet potatoes in a maple/cayenne glaze were a big hit. In the end, we had plenty of food and even a lot of leftovers!

In keeping with the Thankfulness theme, as people came in, each drew a name. Later in the evening, we had the Thanksgiving round where we each shared one thing that we were thankful for about the person whose name we had drawn. It was a special time, filled with laughter and tears. There was an abiding sense of family around our table that night. We finished off the evening while watching an incredible video of Ed Dobson, a pastor in the US whose journey is now laced with his struggle with ALS. See his story here.  At last, over pies, we enjoyed our annual Thanksgiving day quiz.
I was tired when my Thanksgiving day ended but full, content and overflowing with joy. I missed my folks throughout the day. I missed talking to my mom about the food and showing her the table. The gravy always gave me angst and I must say, my mom would be proud of how I've now mastered it! I I missed talking to my dad about the food and football. But there was certain comfort in knowing that my dad wasn't having to struggle through another holiday season without my mom.
Our church family has been just that...family. The heartfelt sentiment expressed around that table that night was one of deep connection and appreciation for all who shared in our tradition together.
I will miss my family at Immanuel International as we transition back to the US in January. But the depth of thanks I feel for having shared these years with them will never fade. I guess that makes me the most thankful of all. 

Early Thanksgiving

Today I enjoyed an early Thanksgiving lunch thanks to the American Women's Club in Stockholm and the Sheraton Hotel.  What a lovely way to spend a gray November day!  It's pretty fun to walk away from work, head downtown and indulge in this uniquely American treat of turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, and of course pie!  (I know our Canadian neighbors celebrate Thanksgiving in October...is the menu the same?)  A special taste of America awaited me in the Sheraton dining room.  The beautiful table decorations and delicious food that followed delighted my senses. The turkey was beautifully cooked and I was seriously tempted to dive head first into the bowl that held the mashed sweet potatoes.  In fact, I was first one to completely polish off my plate at my table!  You would think that I was satisfied, but oh no, they were about the begin the pie course! I made my way to the desert table and located the beautiful apple pies and initially what we all thought were pecan pies.  Turns out that they were caramel pies with pecan garnishes.  Oh my...it was like eating a big 'ol bowl of delicious melted caramel.  It was so tasty that I "had" to return for a bit more.  Positively gluttonous.  There is just no other way to say it.
Between the main course and dessert the host of the event read some fun facts about Thanksgiving and revealed the lucky guest at each table who would receive a nice gift.  I happened to be seated in the right place and in addition to the amazing food, I received a fun little gift bag with a film, a Thanksgiving potholder and kitchen towel and some cranberry jell-o which I will use when I make my own feast on the day when the rest of my country celebrates this special and enduring American tradition! 
I had hoped to get some work done in the afternoon but the compelling urge to nap was too powerful.  This evening, I'm savoring the flavors of the food and the joy of being gathered with friends around a bountiful table.