Our Thanksgiving Table Cloth

I think I am ready to face a new post. I am having to really gear myself up for this because until I am caught up almost all my posts are just really really sad.
A few years back I saw this idea on Studio 5 and I really liked it. I decided to try to get my family on board. Wasn't sure they would fall for it because we are not the most sentimental family out there. I was really worried about the boys ( My hubby , Sons and Dad ) participation but, I decided I would give it a try. When the kids were little we would have a special Family Night and make "We are Grateful for.." lists. Then of course the great rebellion happens and they grow up and don't care. Some families sit around the table and hold hands and go around while everyone crys and says what they are grateful for that year and so on and so on and this is TOTALLY not us.
Anyway back to the idea I thought they might fall for. It was you get a huge tablecloth and have everyone trace their hand on it and write their name and two things they are thankful for with the year under it. I just happened to have a huge (but hideous) tablecloth that my Mother in law generously gave me when she realized I didn't own a tablecloth (gasp) . It is a lovely peach but somwhat fall colorish and so we started with that. Now of course I wish I would have gone and invested in a nicer better looking one but, I was sceptical about the idea at first. The lady on the show used a permanent marker for hers but, I could see that getting out of hand fast so we used a pencil and then I got an even crazier idea to stitch over them after we were done. I was blown away that everyone and I mean every family member complied without much urging I might add and I was thrilled!
Some of us took it more seriously than others but it was fun to read and all and all it was pretty painless. After Thanksgiving and into the Christmas rush I started stitching away at night in front of the T.V. and when I finally got done I sent a picture to all the girls who were in shock that I really did it.
Fast forward to this year...Thanksgivng was November 22nd. Just 2 days after My Mom passed away. Kind of hard to care but, of course we had to have our Thankgiving meal. My Parents and Mike were coming to our house this year. My Brother and his family were leaving town and even though they cancelled their trip my Dad and Mike decided to come down here anyway.
I was kind of dreading the whole day because it was all very fresh. Losing my Mom and waiting for the funeral to follow. Lindsey and her family were here for the week but, Jamie and Kaden and their family's were both going to their spouses this year. Callie and Lindsey were trying to be cheerful and having the little ones here helped us all be a little happier. It is Callies birthday on November 25th and as always it was going to get lost in the shuffle of the Holiday and this year the funeral so, we decided to celebrate with everyone later in the evening when the others could come over too.
Jeff was outside doing 'Trash Can Turkey" Our kind of "new tradition." It is moist and delicous and the does it all outside so whats not to love? ( yes the can is clean ) . Us girls were all inside and I was hesitant to pull out the tablecloth. It just seemed like it might be too much to ask this year. Callie and Lindsey both said Yes do it it's our new tradition and we shouldn't not do it because it's a sad year. We noticed that most everyone is Thankful for the same thing from year to year ..Family, Friends , the Gospel so, some of us were trying to mix it up a little.
I started crying when I read my Mom and Dads. Last year my Mom said she was thankful for my Dad and to be Alive. That was really hard to read. My Dad said he was thankful for Evelyn 1st and Cows 2nd. We all laughed because he actually worded it with the numbers too. Anyone who knows my Dad at all knows it is the family joke that Dad love his Cows more than anyone or anything so it was kind of cute that he actually admitted he loved her 1st. She of course loved it too.
I asked my Dad to trace his hand. He just shook his head and walked off. I understood and left it at that. Then in my head I decided I would figure out a way to do a little memory tracing of some kind in honor of her and them together. Later it worked out perfectly which are in the pictures to follow.
Next we were a little surprised to see Kaden and Michon show up with cute little Karver. My Dad and Kaden have always been really close and he had asked if Grandpa would be here. He hadn't seen or talked to him since Mom died and wanted to stop in case my Dad left before they got back.
I was happy because we loved having them a few minutes and it meant they could trace their hands before we put the cloth up. We got Karver done. Doing babies is HARD! They don't like to lay their hands flat. Reese was super hard this year. Kenna did better so that was good. Karver talks non stop about backhoes and dump trucks so his was easy. Michon did hers. I was busy cooking and visiting and Kaden and the guys were all outside. Then Lindsey piped up and asked if I had read Michons. I said no and she blurted out that it said she was thankful for Kaden and their "2" kids! I was a little mad that Lindsey told us instead of letting Callie and I read it but, the news was So exciting I just hugged Michon and we all jumped for joy! She said she wondering how long it would take me to notice. Jeff happend to walk in so I took him over to read it too. We were all happy and excited and grateful for a little joy in all our sorrow. I went out to tell Kaden Congrats and had a little moment and then He came in to trace his hand. I was feeling pretty excited that he did it without glaring at me. He wrote he was thankful for his family and the movie Cars which is the only thing Karver will sit still for so he really is thankful for that!
 After they left we had a quiet somewhat awkward dinner. My Mom had always sat at the end of our very long table in her wheelchair. None of us put a chair there to sit on. None of us sat at that end of the table. None of us said a word about it. But, we all knew why. It was her spot and we saved it for her. We played with Lindseys kid after Dad and Mike took off.  We had wrapped up some final details of the funeral before they left and the mood had been pretty somber.
We were all still pretty excited about the baby for the rest of the day and when all the kids came back we celebrated Callies birthay. We played a really fun game that Kaden bowed out of quickly and Jeff was soon to follow. The kids were distracting any way so we gave up. Braxton and Kash are at the age that they want to be with the adults but, the game was over their heads. Grahm had waited all day to  play with them so he was upset they wouldn't play so it was kind of like a tornado hit! Braxton and Kash wanted to play "heads up 7up" None of us had played that for years so we did a few rounds to calm them down which actually was kind of fun. We told the boys to go play and we got birthday cake ready and sang when they came back. We did the presents talked for awhile and everyone headed out.
 It turned out pretty good for a hard day. I am always sad when it's not everyones turn to be together but, we have to share I guess. (dang it) The Baby news made the day so much better than I was expecting and in the end, I was looking forward to all of us being here for Christmas and things were looking up. After all was said and done. I ended up being grateful Michon and Kaden had spent Thanksgiving with her family. But, before we knew all that I had to prepare myself for my Moms funeral.
Of course that was the last Holiday we spent with Michon and as heartbreaking as it has been. I am truly Thankful we have " The Tablecloth" even though it now has two Memory tributes on it. One that made sense in the end and one that makes no sense at all.