A Thanksgiving to Remember

We just returned from having Thanksgiving Dinner at Uncle Bill's house.

It was a smaller crowd than usual (since all of my cousins are away), but we still had 13 people - my Grandma and Grandpa, my parents, Aunties, Uncles, Dick, Dick's Father, Christopher and me.

There were still too many people to fit at one table, so we split into two. Traditionally, the "secondary" table would be called "The Kids Table" where I would usually sit with my cousins. This year, however, Grandma and Grandpa insisted that they wanted to sit at the second table with Dick, Christopher, Uncle Wes and me.

Dick told Grandma, "But Grandma, this is the Kid's Table".

to which Grandma replied, "So, I can be a kid, too!"

(I love my Grandma)

We had the BEST time at our table tonight. Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Wes and I told stories about our past trips to China. We're all hoping to go together again in 2008. Grandma and Grandpa told Dick and Christopher about the villages where they grew up, and how they had changed over the years. They told us about their arranged marriage back in 1947. Grandpa was 25, and Grandma was only 15! Dick and I shared stories of our recent trip to Shanghai, and even told them about when I was mistaken as a Chinese Hooker! As I started to tell the story, I could see the look on Dick & Christopher faces: "I can't believe she's going to tell the Chinese Hooker story to her Grandparents!" Sure enough, I did. I figured, we were all having a good time, and laughing.... why not tell them this story! Well, they thought it was hysterical as well! I can't remember laughing so much with my Grandparents!

Later, after dinner, Grandpa enthralled us with stories of his time in World War II. In my lifetime, I can only remember him talking about the war one other time. I had managed to capture just a small bit of it when I did my Family Tree project years ago, but tonight, I heard stories I'd never heard him tell before.

Imagine this: You're a young Chinese man, who just came to the US at the age of 15, having left his small farming village in Southern China. Then, you're drafted to serve in the US Army. He told us a story of how his Commander reminded him to stick close to him during battle so that no one in his own squad would accidentally shoot him, thinking that he was the enemy. (remember, this is World War II, and my Grandpa is Chinese) Fascinating stories. He told so many.

I have so much to be thankful for in my life. This Thanksgiving, I'm especially thankful that I was able to sit down to a Thanksgiving meal with my Grandparents and listen to them share the stories of their extraordinary lives.

Happy Thanksgiving.

PS: Did anyone else see my friend Mykail dancing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?!