NOTE: I wrote this hard copy originally in efforts to not wake the entire house with the beating of the Macbook keys. As I typed it up today, I tried not to edit...so pardon the defects. I can't promise, but I'm sure that this is likely the LONGEST post I would like to make...EVER...but I couldn't afford to miss recapturing a moment of my day...It was worth it...so worth it! Consider yourself cautioned...but I'm sure you'll enjoy it...or skip around if you must.
Love you for reading! ~~ Middy
Pretty FULL...
As I lay in the bed, in the room that my great grandmother slept in, in the house that I grew up in, I AM FULL! I'm overly excited by the day of Thanksgiving and the overwhelming feeling of gratitude is taking over.
I visited 4 different homes today, but within each I goth the same feeling. The feeling that love, family, and dear friends overcome ALL! There was an abundance of food in each house (of course) and though a popular focal point, it was clear that there was so much more going on. As cliche as it sounds, LOVE WAS IN THE AIR! So, I'll give you the play by play...
(rewind to the night before Thanksgiving...)
My Favorite Girls...
I drove for 3 hours in traffic to get to my nanna's house on Wednesday afternoon. I walked in the door to my mom, my nanna, and my dog. We laughed (about my cute...well sexy...but oh so deadly fishnet stockings - long story, will explain later), chatted about the week, and went our separate ways...Mom to Orange, nanna to the kitchen, and me to 106 and Park on BET (had to catch up on my videos!). All Love...
MIDDY loves the kids...
I left home (only about 45 minutes after arriving) to pick up my mentee/little sister so that we could go to New Horizons and see the "kiddies" (check us out online www.joinnhcc.org). After 1.5 hours of college advice and Q&A with the high school babies, college students, and alum...we were off and running again. I dropped my mentee off to our mentor/God-father's house so that she could visit with him, his wife, and their new baby girl, Plummerette (not her real name...but her name in my head...I love her so much already). I came home to kick it with nanna for a bit. All Love...
Because BFF's are important...
My BFF called at about 10:30 PM, and we met up for a night out on the proverbial...but really literal..."town." Plainfield and Rahway (our destinations for the evening) will NEVER equal out to a city like NYC...I don't care how much Goose, Patron, flashing lights, and dj'ing you put out there LOL...but I love my hometown nonetheless! The night was fairly slow! The local "juke joint" was filled with old, married men who drank beer while waiting patiently for their wives to finish cooking dinner at home. And, the Cavalier was packed with youngins. (Sidebar - I had never been there before...beautiful venue, nice staff, management was all over the place...dj was okay...party...NOT MY SCENE!). We stopped for a late night fix and headed home. All Love...
Four Legs and Fur...
I was awakened at 9 AM by my crying dog...(the only child I have right now - thank GOD!). So, I wiped my eyes, grabbed my over-sized Spelman hoodie, and walked towards the door...only to find out that he DID NOT want to go outside, but rather needed me to come into the kitchen and watch him eat his breakfast - 6 slices of perfectly crisped turkey bacon (spoiled, I know). I obliged reluctantly and returned to the bed when he was done! All Love...
Mom and Me...
I turned on the television and was immediately greeted by the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade...a moment of childhood nostalgia kicked in...it was a fabulous day for a parade! Mom heard my excitement and joined me in my bed and we watched like childhood siblings (head to foot in the bed LOL). We talked to my sister and my "favorite" uncle on the phone. I tried to do some "research" for my marketing paper...reading Billboard Magazines...as mom dozed in and out of coherence. Reading was fun, but he large pages and small font got the best of me and I soon joined mom in la-la-land for another 2 hours. Haven't had a mother daughter slumber party in a while. All Love...
By 4:00 PM, mom and I were finally ready to get moving. We played dress up until we found the right outfits...spandex, spandex, and more spandex LOL (not really though...leggings, sweaters, and super tall boots)! It's Thanksgiving, what do you expect?!? Need room to eat but enough style to be dressed for the occasion!
We dressed...I ate my 1 and only "full plate" for the day and headed off to Grandma's house...not to be confused with nanna's house...LOL!
Reunited...and it felt soo good!
We turned onto Bergen Street (the Stembridge version of 2300 Jackson Street) and saw tons of cars (a tell-tell sign of a house full of cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends...or at least we thought so). We walked in and saw that only my dad, my uncle, grandpa, and Gizmo (the dog) were in the living room. Again, a kitchen full of food, a couch full of FULL people! Grandma and Aunt Sistah (yeah, that's her nickname) had gone to visit my cousin/god-brother for dinner. "WORD" is what I said..."let me find out big bro is doing the grown man, holiday entertaining?!?" My divorced but friendly parents and the rest of the family sat, ate, watched tv and laughed togther. No worries...All Love...
I headed upstairs to see my other cousins...video games on the big screen tv, 2 friends watched my cousin as he played...big cuz was Facebook-ing on the PC in the corner of the room, as my 2 barbie doll cousins got pretty for a night out in the other room. We talked through walls, yelled across the room, and laughed ourselves silly. Nothing like a house full of family. All Love...
On to the next one...but was I forgetting something?
I knew that I needed to see my BFF's family, but all day I could feel that something (or someone) was missing. So, I sent a quick text message to a friend and whispered a little prayer to God...I simply said "I miss him..." and moments later I received a message back that he and his mom were about to call. WOW...prayer changes things really LOL...the "thing" that I was missing showed up!
As mom and I said our farewells and left Grandma's house, the phone rang...HAPPY...it was his mom. We exchanged hello's, how you doin's, and extended holiday wishes. She invited me over for dinner...HAPPY. I smiled, super wide, and immediately (in my mind) committed to honoring the invitation. All Love...
Check on Big Bro...
Astonished by the fact that my big (God) brother was having Thanksgiving at his house, mom and I rolled through to crash the party. I stop in, only for a moment, but long enough to see that hip hop really does grow up! The place was gorgeous (my first time visiting since the big move)...the turkey day spread was immaculate...and the house was filled with family and friends. Bright lights, big screens, chunky comfy couches filled with FULL people. All Love...
Eat (CHECK)...Drink (TO BE COMPLETED)...Be Merry (ALL DAY)!
Mom dropped me off to my car (at nanna's) and I headed off into the moonlight...simply happy...very thankful! I headed straight to the liquor store to grab a few bottles of wine. I'm no Betty Crocker, but I never go anywhere empty handed. I made my purchases and received several compliments along the way..."cute outfit...love the scarf...hot boots"...I had done it again...and wasn't even trying. I digress...Off to the BFF's!
I walk in the door, hit by the aromas of all the Thanksgiving fix-ins. I give hugs, say my hello's, lose the coat and the purse! I grab a drink, and a seat and we laugh the time away. All Love...
A Welcomed Interruption...
(Ring...Ring...Well, Jay-Z & Mr. Hudson's Forever Young)
It's my babe!!! (Wide smile...excuses herself from the table...retires to BFF's room to talk to my love...I know I might be the most gushy girl in the world...I know...I love hard!) "I love you" are the first words he sings...my face turns super chocolate red! We talk family, the most recent letter I wrote, my sister's wedding, and how much we miss each other. At the same time, we gush about how happy we are to have each other...it's real...we make a GREAT team! I love him...and I'm happy...unapologetic-ly so! The operator says 60 seconds left...so we end the conversation the same way we started..."I love you" and part ways. All Love...
Okay...I'm back...
In the midst of the call more family and friends stop by. Cousin came in to admire my suede, over the knee boots, and my lil boyfriend pops in to say hey! I rejoin the crowd. We eat dessert, sip fine wine, and enjoy each other's company...kids are running around...adults are scattered in pockets around the house...we're happy and of course its All Love...
"I want the money...money and the cars...cars and the clothes...the hoes" (Sorry...Successful is my alarm...and I don't really believe in the edited versions LOL). That was my cue to head out to stop #4. I say my "see you later's" and hit the door.
What is old becomes new again...
After a 5 minute sprint around a few blocks and corners, I arrive...park, and call babe's sister to come and get me. Time to meet the (new) family...though I've known them since I was a kid. I came in, gave hugs, sat down, watched football, and relaxed. I felt at home...more family, more friends, more kids, more food...All Love...
As we stood and held hands for grace, (as the guest) I started the circle of thanks! Life and family were the two most popular responses...and for me, that's generally all there is! No talks about jobs, degrees, cars, clothes, or money...it was the real things that mattered most. As we got to the last person, the phone rings...so the final thank you went to Global Tel-Link...for making the call come through...It was my babe!
The phone changed hands every 30 to 60 seconds as he talked to all of his family members. When the phone gets to me he says again..."I love you!" and I smiled. We chatted for a bit before I handed the phone over to his mom. Again, we finished the conversation the same way it started..."I love you"...All Love!
Babe and mom talk for a bit longer...after which she invites me in for a few words. We discuss, cry, laugh, and rejoin the group...All Love...
Dinner #4 is served...
Of course, I have to eat a little bit more...whipped sweet potatoes with marshmallow fluff was my item of choice (I just couldn't do another whole plate)! As the Giants lost the game, the family filled up..laughed, talked, children played...nothing but happiness, even with the prior weeks of sadness still fresh in our minds. We exhaled together...it was All Love...
The Road Home...
3 hours, dinner, dessert, and a glass of wine later...I departed! I stopped by the BFF's (again) for a minute, and then home. I took the long way because I just couldn't let the night end without digesting the soul food and the "soul's food" that I had taken in over the course of the day. I was and am FULL! So as "The Lady in My Life" (MJ), "I Wanna Be Where You Are" (MJ), and "Always on My Mind" (Brandy) blared from my speakers...I cried! I couldn't believe my life. I've never been this light before and it feels so good! So happy, so full, so loved...All Love!
I popped in Ghostface for a quick round of "Paragraphs of Love" featuring Estelle and Vaughn Anthony, but 12 minutes and 2 to 3 spins later I still wasn't home. I cried some more and wasted a bit more gas, but it was worth it! I regained my composure and jammed home to "She's a Killa." Why? Because I am...LOL! And of course...it's All Love...self love!
Fast-forward to the NOW!
I parked, came in the house, washed off my make-up, changed clothes, brushed my teeth, and hopped in the bed. Texas (my dog) heard me, so he came to join me in my bed. I started writing. And now, 10 journal pages later, I'm wrapping up. I'm so FULL...still FULL...FULL of Love...All Love...
"Thank You!"
(Looks up...closes eyes...drops pen...closes book...FULL!)
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