Thanksgiving Memories

All the food in my refrigerator spoiled with the heat, and sleeping at night was impossible.

July in Houston is searing under the best of circumstances, but Hurricane Beryl had cut through the city, causing extraordinary damage and widespread power outages.

Millions of homes and businesses had no electricity for days that turned into weeks for some, with a daily heat index of 110 degrees. Yes, it was dangerous and gruesome.

A week later, I flew to Seattle…

The last time my whole family was together was at Mom’s funeral, two years ago. We have group gatherings on Zoom many times a year, but my niece and I conspired to plan our next reunion.

Last Thanksgiving, I wrote about our epic hat exchange at our first reunion without Dad. Meeting in Seattle would be our first reunion without Mom.

I think we all felt like this gathering would be a tribute to Mom, who always worked hard to ensure the siblings and our children had strong relationships, even when living far away. This reunion would include all 21 of us, with the partners of the adult cousins.

We had t-shirts made in Mom’s favorite color (turquoise) and loved our time together. The weather was glorious (and cool!) and it seemed everything could wait – even recovery from the hurricane.

There is so much to be grateful for and I am filled with love for my family, my clients, my friends, and my colleagues.

I wish you and your family a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving, making memories that live in your heart!