Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday in the USA when people give thanks, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Normally, the Americans eat turkey on this day.

The First Thanksgiving
The pilgrims invited their two key Indian helpers, Squanto, Samoset, plus Chief Massasoit, to share in their Thanksgiving since they had been so instrumental in the pilgrims´ successes that summer. The Indians brought their families, numbering over 90 people. The pilgrims were overwhelmed, and didn´t have enough food, so the Indians brought along their own supplies for the feast. The Wampanoags brought turkey, deer, berries, squash, cornbread, and beans - things that they'd farmed and that they'd shown the Pilgrims how to care for.
The first Thanksgiving had nothing to do with Pilgrims or Indians sharing meals. Much of the credit for the adoption of a later ANNUAL national Thanksgiving Day may be attributed to Mrs. Sarah Joseph Hale, the editor of Godey's Lady's Book. For thirty years, she promoted the idea of a national Thanksgiving Day, contacting President after President until President Abraham Lincoln responded in 1863 by setting aside the last Thursday of November as a national Day of Thanksgiving. Over the next seventy-five years, Presidents followed Lincoln's precedent, annually declaring a national Thanksgiving Day. Then, in 1941, Congress permanently established the fourth Thursday of each November as a national holiday.


We had a nice Thanksgiving meal. Doug was up at 5:30am getting the turkey ready. He had to leave for work at 1:30pm so that meant we had to get an early start so we could have an early dinner. It was just Doug, Ellie, Teela and I. We bought a small 10lb turkey that Doug prepared and cooked. We also had roasted potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and asparagus, artichokes and stuffing. For dessert we had cheesecake from TJ's (yum). Ellie was begging to eat turkey, it was so cute and so weird that a child of MINE could look at a dead bird carcass and think of food (yuck.) She ate a lot of turkey and also ate a whole artichoke (they were very large artichokes too.) I guess she gest the loving meat part of her from Doug and the loving vegetables from me.

Turducken Anyone?

It's a turkey! It's a duck! It's a chicken! It's ... turducken!
Turducken - Chicken Stuffed Duck Stuffed Turkey

Why would two people who know me very well, in the SAME day ask me if I have heard of Turducken?

I don't eat much meat, I never eat meat on the bone (ewww.) I sometimes eat processed turkey (I know not great for you..) and I will hardly eat chicken, if it's saucy and I like the sauce I will eat it some. I would Never Never eat duck.. So why in the world would I have heard of this nasty dish?

Ewwwwww.....

All-Knowing

Today Doug worked 11 hours of overtime so he was away from home all day (about 14 hours with the commute.) When he got home Ellie was so happy to see him, she missed her Daddy so much.

When she told him: "I missed you!"
He said teasing her: "Oh so you want me to go back to work right now?"
And she said: "NOOOOO!!! Her belly is hurt!" and pointed to me. It was like a quick excuse to get him to stay. It was too sweet.


Later in the evening he asked her if she was ready for bed and if she wanted to watch Madagascar. She always watched a movie at bedtime. She said "I've watched it for 3 days!" Which is true, she has watched if for three days straight at bedtime.. I am just astonished that a 2 year old could remember that she had watched it for 3 days straight and then put it into the correct words.

She simply amazes me everyday.


jumpin' on the bed

My clone

Today I realized that Ellie really is MY child, mine.


I never questioned it, but today as soon as we got home, from our weekly Monday trip to story time at the library followed by McDonalds and playing in the play land, she stripped down her clothes and wanted to put on a nightgown.


Then it clicked, she must be my clone.

Inconsolable

Today Ellie really scared me. She first threw a fit when we told her Cas had to go back to her mom's house and go to school. The poor thing only sees her sister 4 days a month and it's really taking a toll on her.

Then about 2 hours after she left we were sitting on the bed playing with a unicorn and a doll and having a great time. Then she left she broke out in a screaching inconsolable desperate cry. She was pretty much incoherent and wouldn't stop crying. She would only say sister and cry. At first I begged her to stop crying and then I realized she needed to cry, so I told her "It's ok to cry, kick scream, whatever she wanted." She kept buring her face in her pillow like she didn't want me to watch her cry. When I would look into her eyes they were so desperate, it was so sad and heartbreaking. This went on for about 20 minutes and I just rubbed her back and talked softly to her. I thought she was going to go to sleep but she finally snapped out of it.

Now when the doll (aka me playing with the doll) asks her what mad her so sad and cry and she says "Mama." I am not even sure she understands what happened. I know I didn't make her cry and I am not sure why she says that. When the doll asks her if Mama was mean she says no.

My poor baby is going to go through this for the rest of her life and I have NO way of protecting her from it.

Now I am heartbroken.

Desolation

For the past week I have been working at home while healing from surgery. I missed a call that came in around 11:00am from the Director of my department. I didn't get his voicemail until 1:00pm because I was in the office and my phone was upstairs. Anyway, I called him right back and apologized profusely that I missed his call.

He was calling to tell me that he had resigned. What?!?! Resigned? No, this can not be happening to us. This man is a wonderful leader, one whom we all not only learned to trust but in a sense we have loved him (I am speaking for everyone.) Several weeks ago the man who founded the company passed away, and although sad, we knew it would happen as he was in his 80's. But now this is far worse. I don't think he understands how horrible this is for us. Not only do we not have a leader, but it feels like we have lost a good friend as well. I am in shock.

He has lead us through huge battles, he's been there for the good and the bad times. He has been there for us on a professional and personal level. He's compassionate, fearless, wise... I could go on with the adjectives but I think you get my point.

This is the same man I personally hated (I'm not the only one) when he first came around, of-course you always hate the new guy right? I just hope the 'new guy' whoever that may be, can be 50% of the leader he was.

Life marches on.

Battle Wounds

So yesterday was a wonderful occassion. 13 days after my hernia surgery I had yet another follow up visit, where the surgeon removed the staples and then pulled my incision apart.

How was that you ask? Oh...so enjoyable. of-course!! NO, it hurt like hell. Why leave the staples in and then tear it all back open... well there was an explanation, whether or not I liked it.

Apparently she was concerned because it was still draining alot of fluid. She wanted it to be open and heal from the inside out, she said this will help it avoid infection and also let it properly drain. She said showering is good, not sure how I am going to feel about water going inside this open gaping hole, that's why I have yet to shower today.

So want to see pictures? Sure, I'm not shy. I'm linking them for those who don't want to look.
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My belly has had enough already. I am convinced that the tape gunk all over it will always be there, and the tape itself is irritating my skin beyond belief. I have sensitive skin anyway, never mind add and removing tape in the same areas for 2 weeks now.

Doug and I get to change the gauze every few hours, how fun is that. It hurts so bad when it's pulled out, it sticks to the tissue inside, then it kinda suction cups when it is pulled out. The gauze is bloody and yellow from the fluid. The hold looks so scary when open. Then pushing clean gauze back in is the highlight. I think Doug is going to faint when he does it, poor guy. I have changed it myself as well, it was a bit odd sticking a finger inside of your belly when there is not supposed to be a hole there. When it's pulled out and put in it shoots 'feeling' all the way to my toes, not pain, just a weird feeling.

Ellie tells me "I don't like your belly." Yeah, thanks sweetie, I don't either. Even before the surgery (hehe). But she has been taking care of me, my little peaches.