Sahm I Am - By Meredith Efken Page 0,31

a very POLITE argument about the best recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Not to mention the ongoing competition to see who is the most popular grandma with the girls!

I can’t do this! It’s bad enough that I’m single-handedly putting Thanksgiving together. I can’t referee my relatives, too!

It’s been a horrible, no-good, very bad week all around. Z, I’m so sorry to hear about things with Tristan. I wish I could give you some good advice or something, but I don’t seem to be able to keep things on an even keel with Tom, so anything I’d say would be the height of hypocrisy. Jocelyn, let me know what you find out about Tyler’s leg. I hope he’s okay. Phyllis, take it from me—stock up on dolls. After their heads get banged off so many times, they don’t snap back on anymore.

I had a church friend call me this evening, just to chat. She griped about her job, her lack of a boyfriend, how lonely she was, etc. Then she said, “Sometimes I just envy you so much! I can’t imagine how awesome it would be to be off the dating-go-round, have a great husband and adorable children, and be able to stay home and play with them all day long. It must be incredibly relaxing not to have to work!”

Yes, my friends, our stress-free life is why there are bags under our eyes and on our thighs, and an entire case of Advil in our medicine cabinets. I chew my fingernails to the quick just for the fun of it, don’t you know?

Dulcie

* * *

From:

VIM

To:

Rosalyn Ebberly

Subject:

Re: Thanksgiving?

* * *

Honey-sis, now don’t go raising a ruckus. We didn’t invite you because y’all always do Thanksgiving with Chad’s family. Why would we think this year would be any different? I don’t get why you’re having a conniption. Bless your sweet little heart, you don’t like how we celebrate Thanksgiving anyway. We actually have FUN—which gets you all whomperjawed. If all y’all want to come, you’re always welcome. You ought to know that, so there ya go.

Ronnie

* * *

From:

Rosalyn Ebberly

To:

SAHM I Am

Subject:

[SAHM I Am] TOTW November 22: Making Thanksgiving Healthier

* * *

Sweet Sisters,

I know we’re all busy this week preparing for the holiday, but in the middle of travel or baking preparations, I thought it would be a good idea to discuss ways we can make Thanksgiving healthier. I’m sure our Pilgrim fathers would have been horrified at the gluttony with which most people celebrate their historic feast. To combat that, this week I will be sending several recipes for healthy Thanksgiving dishes, and I’d love to hear from all of you, too.

But health isn’t only in what we eat. Holidays can be stressful times, at least from what other people tell me. Our family get-togethers are always so peaceful, but I understand this is probably not the case for the rest of you. What can you do to infuse this week with peace and love?

My sister and her new husband, by contrast, are spending the whole weekend entertaining my parents as well as his folks—who are visiting from Italy for the next six weeks—and all their relatives. They have a huge, fancy house with a pool, and a big-screen TV on which they will watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Frank’s mother is making Italian food for the main dinner, and my mom will bake her special turkey and stuffing. We will be the only ones not there, but I’m grateful to escape the chaos and indigestion, not to mention the hassle of traveling all the way to Houston.

Our family has actually done away with the traditional dinner altogether. We get together with all of Chad’s relatives and fast the noon meal. Instead of indulging ourselves, we go to the local rescue mission together and prepare and serve a Thanksgiving dinner to all the homeless people. Then, in the evening, we eat a simple meal together by candlelight. Not only do we prevent overeating this way, but we also have such a heightened sense of gratefulness to God for the food we do have and for all His blessings to us. It will be our third year of doing this,