A Midwestern Thanksgiving

On the eve of Thanksgiving I share with you this poignant essay by my husband in memory of Juanita Bell Betty June Smith who passed away on this day in 2012. I miss her so much as she was so loving and accepting of the blended family that John and I built together for our eight children. This weekend she would want us to celebrate family, unity, and being a "good egg".

My name is John Smith and tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is such a uniquely special American holiday. My wife, our family and I love this day. I grew up celebrating the day at my grandparents house where we kids were banished to the card tables set up in the basement. But now we celebrate with a family that does not look on the outside like anything we would have recognized back in western Ohio. I am a Catholic, my wife is Muslim. I am an Irish-American she is Iranian-American. I like toast, she likes tahdig.

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