In 2021, Theo and I were so excited for Archer to have his first MAJOR holiday. We picked out outfits, including a ‘My First Thanksgiving’ and an ‘Everyone Should Be Thankful For Me’ for him to wear as he visited family.
This year, we went for a more ‘untraditional’ Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving day, we headed to the Fireside with some of our family for a Thanksgiving buffet and watched the musical, White Christmas. The musical was excellent and a time for us to transport into a different time/world.
We spent Black Friday staying home and keeping ourselves busy around the house. That ranged from cleaning, laundry, painting, and catching up on TV shows. It was nice not to leave the house and avoid the holiday hustle and bustle outside our house walls.
Saturday, we were planning to head over to Theo’s family. Honestly, I was nervous because this was the first day that was supposed to feel like a ‘traditional’ Thanksgiving. We decided to take Archer with us. We ate dinner, played games, talked, laughed, and even teared up a bit.
As we pulled out to head home, the tears came. Not because we had a bad day at all. It’s because we saw all the houses with their Christmas lights on. Archer loved lights, so this reminded us of what we were missing.
Sunday, we were planning to head over with my family. I was less nervous because of how great of a time we had with Theo’s family. We brought Archer and a plaque we had made for his ‘seat’ at the table. My siblings were so kind to have a little spot already set up for him and his memory before we even got there. We ate dinner, played games, talked, laughed, teared up, and played with my niece and nephew.
The family and people God blessed us with made the Thanksgiving holiday memorable this year. They remembered Archer, loved on us and helped us make new memories, which still included him. The holiday would have been so much more difficult without them.
I’m thankful for Theo.
I’m thankful for both of our families.
I’m thankful for Archer.
I’m thankful we will see Archer again in heaven.
P.S. Continuing Bonds – This is when you continue to include your loved one in your life by bringing them places, writing to them, talking about them, etc. It is said that Continuing Bonds can help through the grief process.
Theo and I have chosen to have a continuing bond with Archer.
