I am also thankful that Joanne's office is closed today(and so is
mine;) and we get to spend the day together. She has worked crazy
hours these last few weeks and deserves some needed rest.
We plan to drive the boys to school, maybe with a stop for coffee on
the way, then I am playing on a team in the "turkey bowl". It's an
embassy organized football tourney which is being held at ISB. I think
it sounds like fun but some of these dudes seem to be taking their
1-day-a-year flag football careers pretty seriously, so more to tell
later I am sure.
Following the games, jojo and I will go by Jenny Wang's grocery store
to shop for today's meal. We are sharing Thanksgiving with some
friends from the neighborhood and collectively we will attempt the
standards: Turkey, stuffing and all the fixins. A friend is making
the turkey, but otherwise, it feels a bit helpless not to have all of
these items filling our pantry and kitchen days in advance, but there
is no rush on it I guess. When I told Li Xiu Lan that she had the day
off she was a bit amused and smiled. When I told her that it was
"Thanksgiving in America", she laughed and said, "bu shi zhong guo".
She meant, not in China, but I am sure she was thankful for the day
off nonetheless.
On days like today I miss all my family and friends back home, and the
memories of how Thanksgiving has been for exactly the other 38 tries
before this, but I'm thankful that my family, friends, and mostly my
wife and sons, have supported me on this journey. While there won't
be any NFL games to watch until early Friday morning, we are going to
eat and be thankful together and it seems like it will be a great day.
I am thankful for my loving wife and family, the opportunity I have to
spend so much time with my boys, the protection provided by those who
serve the United States of America, and the many opportunities that
my God has laid out before me.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sent from the iPhone of
Paul R. Koch
