Our Thanksgiving is Looking a Little Different This Year

Last week was one of those quieter weeks that still managed to feel full. Nothing major happened, but a lot of little things added up and gave me a chance to slow down and pay attention to how I was actually feeling. And truthfully, somewhere in the middle of everything, I ended up catching a small cold. It wasn’t anything dramatic, but it was enough to remind me to listen to my body.

I first noticed it during my workouts. They were getting harder than usual, and not in the “this is a good challenge” way, but more in the “my body doesn’t want to do this today” way. Everything felt heavy. I wasn’t sleeping great. I was waking up around 4 a.m. for no good reason. On top of that, Georgia is deep into autumn right now, which means allergy season is in full swing. The weather can’t pick a lane. It gets cold, then warms back up, then drops again, and that always affects me.

Add in the fact that the week before, I’d been traveling in Miami for medical appointments and a business conference, and my body was probably overdue for a little crash. Whenever I travel for more than a couple of days, especially when there are long meetings, early mornings, and constant movement, it’s easy for me to get run down. I think the momentum of that trip carried over into this past week and finally hit me.

Because of the cold, I pushed through my big lifts but had to cancel the smaller sessions and skipped the cardio completely. Even though I hate canceling anything workout-related, it felt like the right move. A couple of days of rest helped, though I’m still not completely back to normal. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this worn down, and I really didn’t expect it heading into Thanksgiving season. But strangely, I’d rather get sick now than be sick on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Usually I get hit right after Christmas and right before New Year, so maybe I’m just getting it out of the way early this year.

Even with all that, we still made progress on the house we’re designing. We met with the architect again, and every meeting shows me just how complex the whole process really is. I had no idea how many decisions go into designing a house from scratch. Every room, every angle, every space has to be thought through. But slowly and steadily, it’s coming together. The plans for my in-laws’ residence are also looking close to final, so we’re expecting completed drawings soon.

Normally, Thursday nights are reserved for line dancing lessons for Holly and me. We’ve really enjoyed learning something new together. But this week, I had to cancel. Between the cold, the fatigue, and just not feeling like myself, it didn’t make sense to push it. I hated skipping it, but sometimes rest just has to win.

Luna, on the other hand, has been thriving. She’s still getting her twice-a-day walks, and she absolutely lives for them. Even if I’m tired, she’s ready to go. It’s funny how dogs have routines of their own and expect us to stick to them.

Saturday, we tried to get a jump on Christmas shopping and headed to Lenox Mall. We also had to return some shoes we bought while in Miami. They felt perfect in the store, but once they arrived at home, they didn’t fit right at all. The heels were way too slippery, and it just felt off. Holly returned hers too, since she had only bought them because they matched mine. So now we’re back to the drawing board on shoe shopping.

Thanksgiving prep is officially underway in our house. The boys will be in town next week, and we’re excited to have them home. They plan to get in on Tuesday night since Sam has classes on Monday and Tuesday. The undergraduate, graduate, and law school programs at High Point all run on slightly different calendars, so coordinating their schedules can be an adventure, but they’ll get here as soon as they can.

One thing we still haven’t figured out is whether Sam is going to take Luna back to school with him during exam season. He misses her a lot, and I know he’d love to have her there, but I warned him that she now expects her morning and evening walks without fail. I think she’d also enjoy hanging around with the campus cats, so we’ll see what he decides.

Mr. Ted is doing great. After everything he went through with his eyes, he’s pretty much fully recovered. He moves around well, and aside from bumping into a wall now and then, you wouldn’t know he had any issues. A couple of weeks ago, while Holly and I were out of town, he fell into the pool, and our house sitter had to jump in to save him. Thankfully, he was fine, and since then, he’s had zero problems.

Overall, last week was slower and much lighter than usual. I didn’t feel up to doing a lot, but in a way, that forced me to reset. Now with Thanksgiving right around the corner, we’re getting excited.

At our house, we do both turkey and ham every year. Holly is in charge of the turkey this time. My mother normally cooks most of the Thanksgiving meal on her side of the family, but she had surgery recently and can’t take on the cooking this year. So Holly and my sister-in-law are stepping in. It’ll be the first time in a long time that my mom hasn’t run the show in the kitchen. On Holly’s side, we’ll be going to her mother’s house to see everyone and celebrate there, too.

We’re looking forward to family time, good meals, and taking a moment to reflect on what we’re thankful for. This season always reminds me to slow down and appreciate the people in my life, the memories we’re making, and even the quiet weeks like this one that don’t feel exciting but end up creating space to breathe.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, enjoys plenty of food, and takes a moment to think about all the things they’re grateful for.

Until next week,
Shane

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