Thanksgiving snuck up once again in 2012, falling on Thursday, November 22, this time around. I was somewhat ready for it I suppose, feeling good about what I had accomplished this year and ready to begin the big final-month wind-down. Naturally I was off this day, so I spent a somewhat lazy morning watching some TV. Leslie stopped by for a bit to bring some muffins and watch a couple episodes of Police Squad. Then I tuned into Cheers and took a brief nap.
The big family gathering was at Jim and Jan’s house as it had been in 2010. I had missed more than my fair share of Murphy family gatherings this year due to my travel schedule, so I was looking forward to one of our traditional Thanksgiving feasts.
The food doesn’t vary much for Thanksgiving, with the typical fare of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, biscuits, corn, green bean casserole (although there was corn mixed in with it this year), various pies including pumpkin, pecan, and cherry for Ed, soda, and then some different variety snacks and desserts. I brought along my favorite Jarlsberg cheese and pretzels and an additional dip that I picked up at the store on my way over.
It was also the very-standard ‘come at 4, eat at 5’ scenario. What pleased me the most was that when Ashleigh & Stephen and Silas showed up, they had Briana with them, much to my surprise – and it’s always great to see that Little B girl.
In attendance for the holiday were Tom & Diana, Cathy, Debby & Mike and Bradley and Tyler, Mom & Bob, Denise & Aaron and Adam and Megan, me, Ashleigh & Stephen and Silas, Briana, Denise & Aaron and Adam and Megan, Bev & Ed, Susan & Charles and Charley and Sam (coming late after dinner with the Gelms), Chris & Sarah and Livi, Jim & Jan, Nikki & Julius and Jaylynn, Eric, Darlene & Bob, and Brittney & Doug.
Between fawning over Silas and the stuffed animal that he was carrying around, I worked my way up and down the stairs so that I could do a little bit of socializing with everyone. There wasn’t a lot unusual that went on that evening, except for when Susan & Charles and their boys arrived. This was the first time that I had heard Charley play the piano. It’s almost a stereotype of kids with autism that they have some incredible talent that goes far beyond that of a ‘normal’ kid, but to see it in action is nothing short of amazing. He was playing Jingle Bells and other songs with unbelievable flourish, and Susan said that he had pretty much entirely taught himself how to play. It was a welcome sight, and solidified all of the things that we truly have to be thankful for.
Other than that, I’ll let this batch of pictures do the resto of the talking:
Mom cannot wait to sink her teeth into the mashed potatoes
Denise puts forth her Thankgiving best. We didn’t ask what Bob was looking at.
Ed’s quest for the perfect dinner roll continues
Me and my ventriloquist dummy version of Silas
Silas grabs ahold of this unexplained fur phenomenon and won’t let go
But of course, Silas is more interested on what Tyler is doing on the stairs
The game on the stairs continues. No one knows the rules.
Happy to see Little B
Debby & Mike and their young man Tyler
Bev, Darlene, and Diana at the end of a perfect meal
Nikki, Julius, and Jaylynn, whose eyes light up the room
The kid likes pie
I like these kids
Silas resumes control of the unicorn-shaped bath mat
Bob and Megan discuss these odd animal swatches
Meanwhile downstairs, Livi does her ‘Gary Coleman’, Aaron is bemused, and Adam is too busy enjoying his plastic bag
When Sarah flies back into town, she and Chris can’t keep their hands off each other
Brittney and Doug and his new phone holster, otherwise known as his belly
The instructions to Eric and Tom were to look as if they were engaged in an interesting conversation
Darlene falls victim to the proverbial Bob sandwich
Cathy and Jan in their first-ever photo together
Secret Adam Pants and his little cousin Silasaurus
The dog tries desperately to get the food from the dinner table, and Silas tries desperately to give him a hug
Ashleigh didn’t realize she was in the picture
Silas realizes that I have the unicorn
We know what Ashleigh is thankful for
The Bob & Tom Show Stairwell Edition
Charley regales us with his musical talent
Megan and her collection of animal sponges
Megan and Denise as seen in the third attempt of a photo with Denise’s eyes open
Enjoying myself, I hung around until after 8pm, then headed home, leaving behind another fine Thanksgiving gathering with the Murphy clan.
2012 will continue…
My kids have looked at your pics and have read/asked me to read the captions at least three times! 🙂
Denise
December 12th, 2012
Thank you Brad for this wonderful posting, and thank you for acknowledging Charley. He is an amazing little guy and the mystery behind what Charley and Sam are thinking, and what they really know, is forever challening. It feels really good to have my family care and acknowledge them. They need love and attention, just like every child does.
Bev
December 18th, 2012