A Milam Thanksgiving

Every fourth Thursday in November, the Swendimans sit around the dining room table and pray. We all hold hands; the meal is blessed. But, before we can partake in a delicious meal whipped up by Aunt Kathy, each of us must say one thing for which we are thankful. Now, as a child, I always wanted to be one of the first ones to be called upon. When you’re seven, what else is there to be thankful for, other than "family," "friends," and "Jesus?" So, if I wasn't one of the first three kids to state my thanks, I would have to get creative (I think one year I said my elementary school teacher, and I had to suffer 365 days of jeers before redeeming myself). No one wants to be put on the spot, especially when the rest of the family is drooling over the homemade cranberry sauce. One pause, one stutter, and the whole family would jump all over you. So every year I took the easy way out… "Friends!" That’s what I’m thankful for! "Friends" was my go-to.

This Thanksgiving was the first ever in which I didn’t go home for break. Living in Asheville, I just wasn’t willing to make the 12 hour drive back on Sunday, around I-495 and down 95 through Virginia. I can think of other ways of raising my blood pressure. I would have been only able to spend 2 days with the fam, and I just didn’t have enough books on tape for a round trip. So, as a vagabond in North Carolina, I was picked up by my second mother, Millie "Misdemeanor" Milam, and I spent Thanksgiving at the Milam Manor with Ronald and the Fam.

It was sad being away from home, but I couldn't have spent the day with better company. The food was absolutely delicious, and all the neighbors and extended family gathered for the festivities. As we chowed down on turkey and hominy (my favorite!), I realized that until then I hadn't truly appreciated how much I was thankful for my friends. All those years of screaming out "FRIENDS!" before Thanksgiving dinner, simply to get it over with and start the meal, was foreshadowing the years later in life when I wouldn't be able to spend the holidays at home. Sometimes we forget how lucky we are to have people we can trust and rely on, people who will take us into their homes on a family holiday and treat us like their own. There are so many people in America who either don't have a place to call home, or don't have close friends willing to take them in. While I wasn't home in DC with my immediate family, in Charlotte, I felt like I was still part of a family.

Friends. For them I am thankful.

So, there was no fighting over the baseball this year (we'll save that for Christmas), and no tipsy Mom after a half a glass of wine, but there was food, family, and Catch-Phrase. Ronnie has told me that I'm not allowed to write Thank You notes to the Milams anymore, but old habits die hard. So here is my Thank You for such a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. Just a quick post of appreciation for making me a Milam at such a special time of year. I had a great time; I hope I can return the favor sometime in the future. Just know that every Milam is an honorary Swendiman, and Alan and Kathy would be more than happy to switch me for young Ronald, at least for a year or so. Thank you again.

On that note: Happy Thanksgiving everyone!