Thanksgiving

Waking up briefly at five in the morning I realized what day it was. Thanksgiving. Huh. I thought, I hope the food tonight is going to be good and then I rolled back over and fell asleep again, I had another five hours till I had to get up.
At ten o’clock my alarm rang. Time to drag myself out of bed because for the first time in my life Thanksgiving wasn’t an excuse not to do any work. I had a lecture to attend and papers to write; in all honesty this was probably one of my busiest days not to mention my busiest Thanksgiving.
Usual on Thanksgiving I wake up at about twelve, catching up on sleep that I so desperately due to my neglect of it when I have school to attend. I then meander into the kitchen and proceed to pick at whatever it is my mother is making until she kicks me out and I go back into my room and then hop in the shower.

Relaxing and taking my time I pick out an outfit that is usually fall colours based, browns and oranges most likely.

Eventually my mother calls me down and I do something to contribute, usually just taking things out of the oven and then I sit down and play with my dog, Juniper.

While the food is just finishing up in the oven my mother usually pours my siblings and I a glass of wine, progressing in size reflecting age while my dad talks about the history of Thanksgiving and I feed my dog food when he isn’t looking.

Around four the food is finally ready and we all go into the dinning room, which is never used unless we have company or holiday meals. My mother says grace, again a tradition that only occurs on holiday meals despite the fact that she would prefer it preformed before every meal.
We dig in. Now, don’t get me wrong the food is always very good but honestly it isn’t my favourite type of food. All in all, Thanksgiving isn’t my favourite holiday.
After I finish the food on my plate I usually go back into the kitchen to get some more and also slip my dog the bits of turkey that I had picked away.
I go back in and my mother usually remembers that she forgot to have us all say what we are thankful for so we go around the table and each of says about the same thing every year. My sister says something relating to jesus and family, buttering my mother up, my brother something related to food or baseball, my dad family and cranberry sauce in the shape of a can, my mother family and delicious food, and then I usually mention my dog, Juniper.
After we finish eating my mom and sister go on a walk while my bother, dad and I take a nap.
Once they get back, my brother’s mouth watering, we have desert, which tends to very every year, but there is always and apple and a pie thing and sometimes a chocolate thing all topped with ice cream and homemade whipped cream.
It being about ten now we all break up and watch a movie and then promptly fall asleep our stomachs filled.
But being in England I missed all that. To be honest the thing I was most upset about was the fact that I couldn’t see my dog. I had just seen my mom the previous weekend and I skype my dad often enough. I’m not the biggest fan of the food but I also knew I was going to get some turkey later during the meal provided by High Point University, so I wasn’t missing that, what I missed was my dog.
So when I was sitting at the long tables with all twenty-four of the High Point University students, a plate full of turkey and mashed potatoes in front of me I felt sad. I missed the smile on Juniper’s face looking at me with desire as I served myself food. Sitting on the floor with her in the kitchen looking just as full as I was. I felt homesick for my dog. Thanksgiving just isn’t Thanksgiving with out a dog begging for the food on your plate.