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I Am Thankful
By Margot | November 27, 2008
Pics from Palm Springs
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The boys were watching Alice in Wonderland this evening over at the Adams’s house. I didn’t have much planned for dinner and I figured that since it’s the night before Thanksgiving, I could have a pass and offer scrambled eggs, grilled cheese and soup, or something equally easy ( though tecnically I’m only bringing an appetizer to the Simpsons, I’m taking the pass anyway). I went over to the Adams to ask the boys what they would like and all three of them were so cute lined up on the couch I wanted to take a picture but was sure by the time I got back with the camera the perfect picture would gone. Anyway, I asked them what they wanted Andy and Charlie picked scrambled eggs and Sam said, “Uh, a sandwich.” Perfect I thought, then he continued, “One of those chicken, avocado and tomoto sandwiches please.” Groan. That would entail me going to Vons on the night before Thanksgiving. It will be a mob scene. I explained this to Sam and was met with a blank stare as if why would I not got to Vons to get him his chicken, avocado and tomato sandwich complete with cibiatta bread that he tried once at a fancy Italian restaurant and continually asks me to make him.   Sam is our gourmet. I could chalk it up to all those hours watching the food channel in the hospital but really he has been that way since he was born.  Grumbling to myself about catering too much to my children (Neil teases me and says “order up” when I make them all different things for a meal – I know a “no no” in every parenting book known to man), I reasoned that I should get some wine to bring to dinner tomorrow night anyway.  As I was walking in to Vons I was trying to remember the name of the type of wine that you are supposed to have at Thanksgiving. I was thinking as I walked towards the avocados that the only fact, aside from the fact that Stag’s Leap is very nice and expensive wine, that I remember from six week wine tasting class I took a long time ago with my friends Kelly and Tracy was that there is a certain type of wine that you should drink on Thanksgiving (we took the class right around Thanksgiving). I hadn’t thought about the wine tasting class in a long time and I was remembering why I didn’t remember much about the class – because after about three “tastings” Kelly and Tracy and I were pleasantly floating through the rest of the class not really noticing the subtlety of each wine as it was paired with certain cheeses and I was smiling to myself at how much fun we had taking it, how I should call Kelly because she would know about the wine, and that it seemed like so long ago that we took the class.  Then, as I reached the avocados in Vons, a thought hit me that nearly took the breath out of me. It was during that wine tasting class that I found out that I was pregnant with Sam. I remember clearly calling the teacher of the course telling her I couldn’t continue it because I was pregnant and how happy I was. She told me I could still take the course and just swish the wine in my mouth and spit it out – that’s really what you are supposed to do anyway in a wine tasting class. I remember laughing and saying I couldn’t see the point of that. It was nine years ago at around this time. It was a lifetime ago and I don’t know why that thought so nearly floored me but I almost cried in the avocados as I thought of the ride we have been on since that time. I came home from the grocery store and made his sandwich just as he liked it and the scrambled eggs for Andy and Charlie and there he came through the door, my little boy, all of eight years old followed by his two brothers all three telling me they were hungry and I was thankful. So thankful.
A week ago I had put Sam and Andy to bed and was going downstairs to get a book for Charlie. I had left the door open a bit the way they like it and I heard from the dark room Andy’s little voice, “Sam, Thanksgiving is coming up and I just want to tell you I appreciate you because you stick up for me. I appreciate my whole family, Mom and Dad and Charlie and you. That’s all we can go to bed now.”  Sam said he appreciated Andy too. It filled me upwith so much love for our little family.  Sam wrote a letter to Neil and I for Back to School night several weeks ago. I thought it would be appropriate to post it for Thanksgiving. The last line is what I cling to and think of when things get hard and I get scared.
“Dear Mom and Dad,
Thank you for taking me to all of my soccer games. Mom, thank you for letting me play all of the sports. Thank you for making me stay out of the hospital. Thank you for playing sports with me. Thank you for my Wii and Gamecube. Thank you for making us happy.”
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.Â
Margot
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P.S. The type of wine is Beaujolais in case you didn’t know
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Topics: Progress Reports | 4 Comments »
November 27th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
happy thanksgiving from michigan
November 27th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Happy Thanksgiving! I am very thankful to have met you and your wonderful family. You are all truly amazing!!!
:)Mrs. Heather
November 29th, 2008 at 5:49 am
I understand, Margot.
I remember, after spending the initial 3 weeks inpatient with my 3 year old son, Jeremiah, when we first found out he had cancer, on the way home from the hospital, when we stopped at Walmart, so I could run in for some quick groceries. It hit me in the cereal isle. Some lady was screaming at her little boy who was Jeremiah’s age to sit down in the buggy, and having a real fit about it. I just wanted to scream something at her like, “lady, you don’t know how lucky you are – my little boy was just diagnosed with cancer!” But instead, I just stood there, doubled over, crying hysterically. I lost it. Everyone around me must have thought I was some crazy lady.
Finally, I regained my composure, and hurriedly grabbed a few things to purchase, and headed home.
But life would never be the same again. My view on it had changed. I, too, am thankful that now, 3 1/2 years later, Jeremiah is still here to do the simple little things – like ride his bike, wrestle with his brothers, wiggle a loose tooth…and celebrate Thanksgiving.
Praying for Sam regularly.
Glad to hear he’s doing well.
Blessings,
Sandi Queen
December 2nd, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Margot-I feel terrible!!! You went to all that trouble to get the perfect wine & we never opened it!!!