Holiday Stress

I can't believe it but here we are, staring down the November holiday of Thanksgiving! A time for thankfulness and family and the kick off to the "overindulgent sprint" to New Year's Day.....

I love Thanksgiving, it's one of my favorite holidays and now even more so. See, it was the last holiday I spent with my Father - it will forever more be remembered that way for me. I'm not sad about it, I'm grateful for it ... one could even say. "Thankful" for it.

However, anytime I am about to have people in my home, I stress a little. I believe it is completely normal, right? I mean, unless you have a housekeeper or something. For me, being inflicted with fibro pain is a far cry from being "Hazel" We aren't filthy but we aren't the Cleaver's either.

*I'm aware how old both of those references make me sound because I am old so let me elaborate a bit; "Hazel" was a TV show that ran from 1961 - 1966 about a maid named Hazel, played by Shirley Booth and the Cleaver's was a reference to the TV show "Leave it to Beaver", that ran from 1957 - 1963 - by the way, I hate pearls so I could never be June Cleaver anyway! lol!

So, yes, I'm stressing but I'm also extremely lucky because my in-laws are who's coming to dinner and they don't judge me about our home. Actually, they are coming for a short stay as they live 400 miles away. They will arrive on Tuesday and leave on Saturday, spending much needed quality time with our children.

Recently I discovered that I like when they visit, it gives us a sense of family that has been missing for a couple of years....yup, that's the last Thanksgiving with my Dad. I find that the older and sicker I get, the more I long for family - weird huh? lol!

Anyway, so today, instead of letting my fever and aches take me down, I'm going to clean house. I opted out of church today because I am feverish and I don't want to spread that kind of love to anyone, especially at the onset of the holiday blitz.....God and I have an understanding, he fortifies me no matter where I am and I'll go to his house when I'm not sick - win, win!

So, as we begin the week that will not end until January 2, 2011 - let's remember to not let holiday stress define us. We "spoonies" need to take time to smell the turkey and not let it gobble us up!

Until next time!