there isn't a person in this world that loves thanksgiving more than me. throughout the year, my belly prepares for this feasting day. the amount of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie i can consume is disgusting. but no matter how hard i try to pace myself, i just can't. the thought of gravy on everything puts me in attack-mode.

thanksgiving has always been THE big holiday for my family. it's a huge spread of two turkeys, a ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, all the other fixings, AND korean food. i remember waking up to the smell of roasting turkeys and hearing my mom's squirrel-like motions as she prepared her biggest dinner. there was always so much to do. all i wanted to do was spend my day sitting by the oven, but we had to clean for the masses. usually about 50 people. that was thanksgiving. any smaller and it felt weird.

when it was time to try out zachary's thanksgiving for the first time, i was a bit nervous. i'd never missed a thanksgiving at my parent's. i knew it would be hard not to see my cousins. not to see my mom run around. and not to hear my uncle's 45-minute prayer that always included uncomfortable, hilarious moments (a favorite: he was telling us the importance of being thankful...thankful for even one grain of rice...and proceeded to stick his finger in the mashed potatoes). but i should've known that if any family would have an equally exciting thanksgiving, it would be the greenwoods...susan cooking up an incredible spread (best turkey! don't tell my mom), people coming in and out of the kitchen trying to sneak rolls while susan wasn't looking, others singing and banging into each other while setting up the main table and the kid's table, grandma saying not to make a place for her at the main table...that she prefers sitting in the corner, and everyone slowly feeling the effects of triptophan during the second round of cribbage.

bottom line: i miss family. i miss family the most when i think about these memories. but, as much as i wish i could still hear my mom scampering around in the early morning, time moves, we move, traditions change.

on a saturday in korea, it still felt like thanksgiving. we managed to have a mighty fine feast of our own....with arrow and pete and tyler and all our good friends here. and though there weren't 50 people, it sure felt like it.

thanks tyler...for taking all these pics and extending your stay to be with us.

and family...we miss you. all of you. and we hope we can make a visit soon.