Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you are all safe and healthy and enjoying time with your families. In all honesty, this autumn has been a little difficult for my family. After an elective surgery, my mother collapsed and ended up in the ICU for a week; and just a few weeks ago, my grandmother passed away, days away from her 93rd birthday.

Circa 1984 - My grandmother holding my brother Nick,
my brother Ryan in front of her, ME with horrible hair and pink stripes,
my mom beside me, with my sister Jill in front (equally bad hair),
and my grandfather on the far right.
I live on the East Coast with my son, but the rest of my family is out West. So I have traveled back home twice in the last couple months. And while I wish the circumstances for my travels had been different, I realized during both of these trips how much I miss my family and being so far away from them.

Don't get me wrong. I talk to my mother almost every day, and I do text my sister and brothers fairly regularly. It's almost like I'm there... except I'm not. Getting the opportunity to see my adorable nephews, getting the chance to play board games with my siblings, being able to have dinner with my family as a whole... I really have missed that.

I have one sister and two brothers. And you can look long and hard for the rest of your life and you'd be hard pressed to find four more different people on the planet than the four of us. There have been a number of times over the years where I'm not quite sure how any of us are related to the each other.

From our world views to our religious beliefs, none of us are alike. And when we *do* get together, we may be older, but those old sibling rivalries come blazing right back without missing a beat.

Believe it or not, my sister and I are still having the same argument we've been having for the last 35 years. It involves whether or not I told her to "do something" to herself (which ended in her lodging a holly berry up her nose and having to go the emergency room) or whether I told her to "wait in the waiting room" as we were playing doctor's office with my friend Tricia. Specifically, we were playing dentist's office, which I remember clearly as I was concocting fluoride treatment out of Lawry's seasoning salt and water. (Yes, it is disgusting... but as we were playing dentist, there would be no reason for me to tell her to stick a holly berry up her nose, but I digress.) As crazy as that sounds, there's a comfort in that old bickering, a familiarity that can never be experienced with anyone else.

I know their strengths and weaknesses and they know mine. I know which buttons to push to send one of them into orbit and they know the fastest way to make me lose my temper. They know all my childhood secrets and I know theirs. And I love the three of them with all my heart.

So, if you are fortunate enough to see those crazy people who are your siblings this holiday season, give 'em extra tight squeeze. I wish I could be with mine, but no matter how far away I am, I know I'm forever in their hearts and they are forever in mine.

And if you're an only child (which I was for five glorious years until the rest of those people came along) you will not have to argue over who gets the wishbone this week, or why it's not your turn to sit at the kiddie table, or that you did NOT tell your sister to stick a holly berry up her nose for the three millionth time.

No matter how or who you're celebrating Thanksgiving with, I hope it is a most joyous occasion!

With Christmas right around the corner, I am offering an audiobook copy of LADY PATIENCE'S CHRISTMAS KITTEN to be drawn randomly. As Lady Patience knows a thing or two about siblings (she's a triplet with two older half-brothers) I thought her story would make a most appropriate giveaway.

To be eligible for the drawing, tell me about your siblings, if you have them. And if you're an only child (who never had to argue over bathroom time or whose turn it was to put the dishes away) tell me about your favorite Thanksgiving memory!

And if you'd like to subscribe to my newsletter, please click HERE! An additional audiobook will be giveaway to one lucky *new* newsletter subscriber.

*Remember all comments on all of the Turkey Trot Blog Hop blogs will be counted for the grand prize giveaway. The more blogs you visit, and the more comments you make, the better your chances are for winning.

ALL TURKEY TROT BLOG HOP LINKS

47 comments:

  1. Oh too funny about the holly berry! We all have those stories. I have 3 brothers, but all 4 of us are pretty much alike. Crazy stubborn and like to stick together. Family gatherings are always about reminiscing and blaming the others for our foolishness. ;) It's fun. (don't enter me, I can't do audio books)

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    1. It is fun, isn't it, Susan? :)

      Have a great Thanksgiving!

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  2. 2 younger brothers (1 deceased) and 1 younger sister. My brother just became a father again at the age of 50!! My sister (whom we discussed at HRR)- well, let's just say you wouldn't believe what's happened now!

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    1. I *might* believe it! Wow, Dee! I'm so sorry! :(

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  3. So fun hopping around
    judytucker1947@gmail.com

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  4. I find the holly berry story compelling and must side with the younger sister because I'm sure she was so sweet and honest. By the way I'm quite positive it was a juniper berry

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    1. LOL! Are you sure? Did it smell like juniper vs holly? Only you could be certain. ;)

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    2. I'm not sure what you are insinuating

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    3. Ha! I think you know exactly what I'm insinuating. ;)

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  5. Holly Berry oh my goodness. I have so much to be thankful for in this season. My 92 yr old dad and my brother are still with us, thanks be to God. I have a wonderful husband and a church just down the road in which to worship with prayer warrios extraordinaire! I am so grateful for every breathe I draw and every second my dad and brother are with us.

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    1. I'm so glad to heart you have so much to be grateful for! I do too. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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  6. Ava,
    Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving from The Book Review

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  7. I am the oldest of 3 sisters. We are close in age and live close to each other. A fond memory I have is my young nephew surprising us with an orange wedge smile as he ate. So cute and so funny.

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  8. I am the oldest of 12 siblings and my favorite thanksgiving was when my mom and I had a butter war in front of my younger siblings. We all laughed and had fun. Valeri9354@yahoo.com.

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    1. OMG! The oldest of 12?!? I thought I had rough being the oldest of 4. :)

      And a butter war sounds hilarious!

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    2. I am the youngest- their is my brother and myself. We really started getting along after our parents and our spouses passed. right now he is sitting across the table from me. He and and my special needs niece are on the last week of a 3 week visit.

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  9. I have 2 sisters and 2 brothers. I remember one Christmas Eve we were coming back from my grandparents and my dad had us all convinced that Santa was flying over us.
    sstrode at scrtc dot com

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  10. I have 2 sisters and a brother and we had lots of fun growing up. rc12d@yahoo.com

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  11. I have one sister who is four years younger. We are very different and fought like cats and dogs when we were little. We're pretty good friends now, though, and I wouldn't trade her for anybody else. :)

    1mad at marktwain dot net

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    1. My sister and I fought like that too. There is 5 years between us. :)

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  12. I have two older brothers, one is 5 years the other is 3 years older than me. I know what you mean about tempers. My oldest brother always rubs me the wrong way if we're around each other for too long. I think it has something to do with his sarcastic personality and disdain for my choice of reading material. He's mellowed in recent years, though. My other brother and I rarely argue. We get along much better. Although he does like to pun and tease me a bit, that's just his sense of humor though, and his desire for you to laugh too. Funnily enough, we were each born the year an original Star Wars movie came out (1978, 1980, and 1983).

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    1. Forgot the email! blueirishmoon at hotmail dot com

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    2. I love that story. And what a cool fun fact about the Star Wars release years. :)

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  13. i have one younger brother. we are great friends and still live under the same roof. six years ago we lost our parents six years ago and i am glad i have a brother...i would be far lonlier if i didn't have him around to make me laugh and to be able to hang out with him

    parisfan_ca@yahoo.com

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  14. Wishing you a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving, Lady Ava!!! ;)

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  15. Wishing you a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving, Lady Ava!!! ;)

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  16. I have one younger brother that is 4 years younger. We still live under the same roof and are total opposites in everything, but we support each other in everything we do.

    kellysnyder588@gmail.com

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    1. And from your pics, you two get along amazingly! :)

      Happy Thanksgiving, Kelly!

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  17. Only child, but we always had great Thanksgiving, celebrating with friends and extended family.

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    1. So many argument you've missed over the years, Jean. ;)

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  18. I've got one brother almost 7 years younger than me. We don't spend Thanksgiving together as we're too far away but we do Christmas every year.

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  19. No one can push our buttons like our siblings. I love the dentist playing thing. My sister and I never thought of that one, but it would have been fun. :)

    No need to enter me. I just wanted stop over and say hi since I'm the Turkey Trot Blog Hop, too.

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  20. I am the middle child. The eldest was a girl and the youngest was the wanted boy. I was lost. Luckily I married a man with 7 siblings all married before we were. I instantly had 14 new friends, not even counting my inlaws. Thanksgiving was the one time all got together at the parents farm from all over the United States. My children were the youngest of 23. They were totally spoiled by their older cousins. We had over 60 people, family, extra guests and extended family. Now that grandma, grandpa, a few others are gone, the adults, their children, and their children try to get together at another farm. Sometimes even the ones living outside the states fly in. A wonderful tradition. Bless to all

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  21. We all know which buttons to push for our siblings, but as we get older, hopefully we have learned to hug more and push buttons less. Celebrating with my SIL today. Happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. We push buttons now just for the reactions. ;)

      Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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  22. I have one younger brother who live hours away--I'm in Northern CA while he is in So Cal. Since we only stay in contact via the phone and internet, we can't fight that much!

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  23. I have 2 sisters and 2 brothers. The order goes Jake, Manda, Jess, Me ..... Then 5 years later Bryan AKA the kid.

    I hated my little brother when I was little. I had a doll named Bryan Henry... That poor doll went though a lot. I didn't like "the kid". But now I would do anything for my little brother who is 6'9" to my 5'4". He can pick me up and set me some place.

    He calls and I go what do you need kid, I got you .

    Kid will always be that to me but I love him and he is truly a kind hearted giant my little brother. I don't know what my mom fed him but I know for a fact I got the short end of the stick :)

    Thanks for being part of the hop.

    j.m.platt83@gmail.com

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  24. WINNERS!!

    Valeri Dedich is the winner of the audiobook version of Lady Patience's Christmas Kitten! (winner selected via random.org)

    And Rose Gordon has announced Laurie as the Grand Prize winner over at https://roseunscripted.com/2016/11/25/blog-hop-winner-some-sales-to-reward-yourself-with-for-putting-up-with-that-relative-yesterday/

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