I feel like such a Thanksgiving slacker

I know most of the country is going crazy right now - either out shopping for tomorrow's feast or busy cooking and cleaning and preparing. I feel like such a slacker because I'm off the hook. I'm not hosting Thanksgiving. I'll be heading to my sisters for Thanksgiving dinner and then visiting my sister-in-law for dessert at her place.

Yesterday a friend asked if I was cooking a big dinner. I was almost embarrassed to say "no." Then I admitted that I've never once hosted Thanksgiving for my large family that includes not just my husband and children, but my 5 siblings and their spouses, several nieces and nephews and my parents. Thanksgiving is not my holiday. I've done Christmas. I've done Easter. I do lots of summer barbecues.

It's just that I do not have good mojo with turkeys. I've actually only had one experience with a big full-blown turkey and it was a bad one. I'd just gotten married and had everyone over for Christmas. I luckily had a ham as well because the turkey was a disaster. How was I supposed to know you had to defrost the darn thing for days and remove a bag of gizzards from inside the bird? Ewww! I was a naive newlywed who had always eaten my mother's home cooked turkey for the holiday. I had no clue what I was doing. I've never been brave enough to try again. I've been lucky that it's always been hosted by someone else in my family, usually my sister Pam. On a couple occasions it's been at my brother's. This year my sister, Becky, is having it at her place.

I do, however, usually cook a turkey breast with all the trimmings the weekend after Thanksgiving at home so there are some leftovers to enjoy. So, I'm not a total slacker. I'll just be doing it on a smaller scale a couple days after the fact. And I do contribute to my sister's meal, so she's not doing all the work. Everyone always brings a dish. I'll be bringing at least one and some dessert and some beverages, so I'm pitching in in that respect.

However, I feel like I should be stressing like everyone else who is preparing for tomorrow. I'm not. The kids got home from school early. I've got lots to do, but I have that wave of relief that the work can be put on hold since no one else is working tomorrow and it's not a totally pressing thing. I don't have to worry about homework or packing lunches tomorrow. I don't even have to get up early. The kids are all playing peacefully and it feels like the Thanksgiving holiday should...relaxing with my family and counting all the blessings that are all around me and staring me in the face. Blessings to you all for a wonderful holiday!