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Awkward Thanksgiving Stories
(I thought I posted this earlier but it isn't showing up??)
So we had 3 Thanksgiving celebrations to attend this year. My parents are in the process of getting separated (they literally decided this within the last 2 weeks) so we knew this year would be really uncomfortable. My sis, DH, and I ate dinner with my dad last night. Today for lunch, we went to my aunt's house to celebrate with my mom & others. When DH, sis, & I walked in, my mom ignored us....so we ignored her. We all ate lunch. Then DH took a picture of me & sis and my mom busted out crying. She went into a bedroom with her stepmom and stayed for 2 hours. The rest of us sat around awkwardly. Then my aunt yelled at me & sis for "not being there" for our mom during this "difficult time", etc etc etc and we yelled back while the other guests (who I had just met) pretended that everything was normal. Then I dropped ALL OF THE LEFTOVER TURKEY ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR and we went home. I didn't say a word to my mom the entire time and we didn't see her after lunch since she was hiding in the bedroom.
Anybody else have any awkward Thanksgiving stories? 
Please?? I hope I'm not the only one....
Matt & Ashley
5.08.10
Re: Awkward Thanksgiving Stories
Ash, I'm really sorry that you're going through this. I don't have any awkward Thanksgiving stories to share because we don't really celebrate Thanksgiving in a big way, but I'm sure I have awkward family stories...I'll try and think of some to share!
But it really sounds like your mom isn't handling this whole situation very well. I understand that seperating from your spouse (of what I'm assuming is a very long time...roughly 25 years would be my guess?) is a really hard thing to do, but she really needs to remember that what is happening is between her and your dad. Not her kids. YOU are not seperating from either of your parents, so she can't expect you to take sides.
My parents seperated for a while when I was a kid, and my mom really leaned on my oldest sister for support and venting. It was a REALLY tough position to put my sister in, because she ended up hearing a lot of negative stuff about our dad. Stuff that was really blown out of proportion because my mom was upset, but once my sister heard it, she couldn't UNhear it. My parents were seperated for about 10 months, and then they got back together. You can imagine how my sister felt about it when all she'd heard was all this bad stuff...it took her a long time to trust my dad again, when he hadn't even done anything that bad (there was no cheating or anything...they were just fighting a lot).
So whatever you do, don't let your mom put you in that position - if it means that she throws fits in front of company and hides from you, then let her...it's better than the alternative, and I'm sure that she will eventually come around and realize that that isn't healthy for you or for her.
I'm sorry, Ash!
I don't have any for you yet, but I'm sure I will soon. Matt called MIL to confirm plans for tomorrow, and he was listening to the phone for about half an hour (She has mastered the art of circular breathing, like a trumpet player, and she literally does not pause for breath-- ever. It's a truly unbelievable thing to hear.). I guess she was going off the deep end about how SIL has to work tomorrow and won't be there. Or something.
Matt and I agreed weeks ago that we needed a definite "yes" or "no" from SIL by Monday of this week at the very latest and that there would be none of her "I'll show if I can make it" crap tolerated. He just told her today to show up whenever she can if she's able to make it and that we'll save food for her. I get that she has to work, but it went directly against our agreement and I'm annoyed.
Sorry Ash...no Thanksgiving stories for you but I do have plenty of divorce stories and sympathy. My parents' divorce was finalized one month before our wedding and it was the most drama filled situation I have ever seen. Highlights include me screaming/swearing at my grandma sitting in a car outside my cousin's (on the other side) baby shower, my other grandma blaming me for my broken relationship with my father (her son). Every time I bring up my dad to my mom I hear nothing but a wrath of sh!t.
As a matter of fact I got a text from my dad today and made the mistake of telling my mom, who proceeded to text my dad something nasty. Dad proceeded to text me back asking why I even told her he sent me a message. Call mom to confront her and get her screaming at me that it had nothing to do with me. Well clearly it did because you mentioned me and his text. This is really draining on me, so I can sympathize 100% with you.
And seriously...if you need someone to talk to, feel free to PM me. As you can tell from this post, I've been dealing with similar situations for over a year now. *hugs*
I'm so sorry your having to go through that! I do have an awkward story though.
Last night my mom, myself, and my 2 sisters went to my grandparents house to spend the night and help my grandma start cooking (HH and my dad were hunting, they came up for dinner at noon). Everything was gong great until this morning. My aunt calls at 9:30am wanting to know what time dinner is, and my mom tells her noon. My aunt gets mad because she doesn't think she will have enough time to get everything she needs to do done, and get to my grandmas on time. We couldn't push dinner back because HH and I had two other houses to visit. So my aunt and her daughter show up at 11:30am. Right after she arrives my other aunt and her son show up. Within 15 minutes of everyone arriving my two aunts start fighting with eachother and everyone else.
For some reason anytime my mom's side of the family gets together anymore everyone's fighting. I hate going to family functions on that side because of it. Needless to say we got out of there as fast as we could today. Next Saturday aunt #1 is having a Christmas party at her house. Its also a surprise birthday party for my grandpa so I have to attend, especially since they asked me to make his cake. I am NOT looking forward to it at all.
I'm so sorry Ash. I unfortunately don't have any awkward stories to share. My mom did seperate from my dad when i was was 10 or so and it lasted about a week. She took me and my brother with her one night after a fight and we stayed in a hotel. It lasted for about 4 or 5 days and then she went home.
Like all parents, mine fought a lot when we were kids and they still do. I can't tell you how many times my mom has said she was going to leave my dad. But fortunately, 36 years later they are still together.
I really hope ( like the other girls said ) that your mom realizes that it's not about you and your sister and that it's not about you two picking sides.
Don't you hate it when you don't do anything wrong and they act you're bringing the world to an end? My mom does that sometimes too. Yes it's a hard time she's going through, but she needs to still be your mom.
I'm sorry you're having to go through this, Ash!!! I can't even imagine what that must feel like!!
Not so much awkward story, but here's an example of why my clumsy non-cooking self should never be allowed in a kitchen.... So Adam and I ended up inviting my parents over for dinner because their plans fell through (they were going to go eat dinner with the soldiers that are stationed here). So Adam is doing all of the cooking and he went to go get dressed and asked me to make the gravy and watch the stove. Well, he neglected to mention that there were rolls in the oven. He comes out and starts screaming "Have you been watching the rolls???" Um, no I have not, because you didn't tell me to....
Well, he flings open the oven door (those rolls were totally NOT burnt at all) but he's all panicky and grabs the pan but apparently wasn't holding the pot holder properly and burnt his hand, drops the pan on the open oven door sending rolls flying all over the kitchen. So then I pick up the pan to wash it really quickly so we can cook more rolls and while I'm doing that, I let the gravy boil all over the stove. Not fun.