For me, it happened in the middle of Miss Amanda’s Music Garden class last Tuesday. Blais was enjoying playing sticks and singing a song with the rest of his toddler classmates, when all of a sudden I felt dizzy and my heart started racing. Miss Amanda had announced that we will still have the class next week (meaning today) even though it was Thanksgiving week…

Thanksgiving!? Surely she was just trying to be funny.

You would think that with two boys in school I would be better at keeping track of the calendar. It’s not like I don’t have a few Planners, computer Calendars, even an good old wall calendar right next to my desk…

Somehow I thought I still had a few (like three) weeks before Thanksgiving and our Advent Tour. I was still in my I-deserve-a-little-break-after-our-October-Tour mode.

Immediately I thanked God for my Mother-in-Law’s invitation to spend Thanksgiving at her house, just like last year. To think that I tried to talk her into coming to our house instead, because I craved domestic things after being on the road… I was REALLY glad she was persistent.

I took a big breath, paused my thoughts for a long moment and pulled out my To-Do list. I crossed out a bunch of things I really wanted to do (like getting some pottery for my parsley plants so I could bring them in for the winter) and got to work.

Now it’s “next week”. I got a lot done. And still there is much more to do. I’ve always struggled with knowing when to stop. I like work, I like challenge and I like to have things done well.

But I also like holidays. I like to party and have a good time with my family and friends. I like the tradition, significance and all the love that goes into preparing a Thanksgiving meal. I am going to enjoy my Mother-in-Law’s dinner and my boys playing chess with their Grandfather (yes, even Blais likes to sit by the board and follow the game). I will miss my Dad. I will call my Mom to hear her voice. I will relax for a day and forget about all that’s left on my list.

And then it’s back on the road for us. But that’s already another entry… For now, let’s have a great Thanksgiving. Grateful, joyous and peaceful (you know the “inner” peacefull)!