Post Thanksgiving

As it is with most that cook Thanksgiving dinner, we began early yesterday. The first turkey was on by 5:00. Dressing, sweet potatoes, and macaroni and cheese were done at my house. Mashed potatoes, salad, guacamole, corn, beans and I am not sure what else was done at Casa. I know they were scurrying up there until the last minute, just as we were in my house.

Fitto(Antonio) came down to help me. We started with the dressing. We added ingredients and stirred. Added ingredients and stirred. We were finally ready to make the first taste test. It had to have more sage. When we got it just right, it took both of us to carry that big dressing pan to the oven.

Pamela showed up to price some necklaces for the store. With that task completed, she gladly stayed and helped with the cooking. I started her on the macaroni. My thought was she would do one thing and Fitto another. They wanted to work together. If it was stirring, she stirred for 60 seconds and then he stirred for 60 seconds. With both of them helping, I was able to do dishes as we went and keep things fairly done up.

After we added the brown sugar and butter and syrup to the sweet potatoes, we all three taste-tested. They thought it was perfect. I knew it needed more brown sugar and syrup. We added, stirred and tasted again. Both Pamela and Fitto agreed, it was much better the second time.

As these huge pans of food were done, Dennis would come down to the house and carry them up to Casa for us.

Karen had the other children, sweeping and cleaning and setting up the tables and chairs on the soccer field, a great place to have Thanksgiving dinner. The kids were so excited and out of control, Karen sent them all to bed at 11:30. They could read. They didn't even have to go to sleep, just calm down. I don't think anyone went to sleep, but Karen did succeed in calming them.

At 1:30, they were allowed to get up from their beds. Many of them were running to my house seeing if any thing needed done. They were eager to carry the bread or any little chore that needed done.

We were ready start about five minutes after 2:00. There were 50 people here, including a very special guest, the director of IHFNA. IHFNA is the agency we work with to get our children. The director is the person that gives us our license to operate this home. His daughter was with him. They are delightful people.

All the children lined up and told at least one thing for which they are thankful. Brayan led us in prayer. Then the feeding frenzy began. This is the one day of the year the children can choose what they want and eat as much as they want. Karen had only two rules: that the children not pile their first helping too high before everyone had been through the line one time and that they not eat dessert first. Both reasonable requests. Everyone ate to their heart's desire. Jackson proudly claimed he had six plates. And some of the dessert plates were piled pretty high.

It was a wonderful day enjoyed by the children, our staff and the group that is here.

Terri