A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thanksgiving

We have at least two Thanksgivings each year (three if all the families are in town). Of course we have Thanksgiving with Grandma and all my aunts, uncles and cousins. If they are in town, we also go to William’s parents’ house. And, as I have most years since I was 19, I go over to Mark’s parents’ house. And now William does too.

William sees Mark’s dad, Larry, three days a week to get N after school. William sees my sister-in-law, Abby (who is married to Mark’s older brother), the other two days to get N after school. And we’ve been around them as a family. But this Thanksgiving? This Thanksgiving was awesome. I’m not sure what changed, maybe it was having Tobin with us. Maybe just having a baby crawling around the floor, giggling at everyone and sharing slobbery kisses, caused the shift.

What was the shift, you ask? We were relaxed. There was no awkwardness. There was laughter. There was conversation. There was making fun of my niece’s husband for completely zoning out while watching the Dallas Cowboys play. Could it be that we are becoming one weird extended family? Me, my new husband, my late husband’s family, and my kids from both men?

I think the answer is yes, and I’m happy it is.