My Thanksgiving Was Way More Interesting Than Yours

I have so much to be thankful for.

I'm particularly thankful this year for the friendship of Nicolas Smoot.

Poor Nick. He was going to be alone for the holiday, so I offered to bring him along to my family. I've gone to the Kochers' Thanksgiving nearly every year for the past fifteen. We don't share blood, but they are absolutely my relatives. We fight, laugh, make barbed remarks, and eat together. Was I concerned about bringing Nick into the middle of all of this? Of course! Especially considering the fact that I married the only other person I've ever brought to dinner, with our families finding out a week after.

They seemed a bit put out by that. Funny how that works.

Nick also showed up a good half hour before my mother and I did. See, I started out the day... ill. After a distressing period worshipping at the porcelain throne, Mom and I seriously discussed dinner and decided to bravely soldier on. We arrived at my aunt and uncles' house without further incident. From me, at least.

The real excitement started right after grace was said, around six pm. I noticed Mom wasn't there to lead the singing, which she always does. I went in search of her.

I found her collapsed on my sister's bathroom floor.

She was conscious, more or less, but not very capable of speech. We went back and forth about what we should do, but my wish to call the paramedics won out in the end.

As it happens, one of said paramedics was an ex's father, because my day just hadn't been interesting enough. I had thought he didn't like me, but he just didn't like my taste in men.

At least my mother could agree on that mark.

So Nick, bless him, spent four hours in the ER with me. Dinner was a box of Goldfish crackers and a bottle of iced tea. We watched YouTube videos and discussed movies and history and actually had a pretty good time, considering the circumstances.

Mom's diagnoses was sudden onset vertigo. She got some awesome drugs for her trouble. I did not. She has been resting, but is otherwise fine.

In closing, I am thankful for-

• Nick <3
• Auntie Cindy, for taking care of the dog and helping us carry Mom into the house.
• Goldfish crackers
• Arnold Palmer
• Chocolate peanut butter swirl ice cream
• Gin
• Internet
• Indoor plumbing(!!!!)
• Mom
• The fact that Mom didn't die on Thanksgiving, unlike some other parent I could name.
• Chris, my bestest friend
• Katherine, my little sister, who was the most upset and worried of all of us.
• My roommate, who hasn't lit anything on fire (that I know of) in my absence
• Anyone who has ever read this blog

Much love, kids. <3