News Trend Around My Thanksgiving Table|Actual

Ten people around my table and so many more present in my heart.

Gathered around my Thanksgiving table this year could be found:

my husband, three of my four full-grown daughters, and my second-born daughter in Ohio who was present through the magic of the internet;

my friend, Aqil, a Malaysian native who grew up in various countries around the world and is now working on his master's degree in astronautical engineering here in Seattle;

Angelo, Aqil's friend and fellow Malaysian who is also studying here at the University of Washington;

Andy, an American-born student at Montana State University who, as the son of an international businessman, has lived here and there around the world and studied at an international school in Kuala Lumpur where he met Antonio;

and Kina and Tiara, two young women from Malaysia and Indonesia, respectively, who are best friends to one another, UW undergraduate students and friends with these three gentlemen.

* * * * *

We feasted upon roasted turkey with all the usual trimmings, ate until our bellies groaned, then summoned up the strength to play a few favorite Streicher after-dinner table games: paper golf and three-part people drawings.

Eventually, we dragged ourselves to the family room and indulged in our classic Thanksgiving movie marathon: the Indiana Jones trilogy. We just got past the big fight in the Moroccan market when we paused for dessert:

spongy trifle

banana cream pie

chocolate pie

tiramisu

and pumpkin cheesecake.

Yum.

* * * * *

Our meal together was, like the best of Thanksgivings, an interesting mix of family and friends, old and new, gathering around the table together to celebrate differences and forge new bonds.

This year as every year, I give thanks for many things, but most especially for the wonderful people who spent this lovely day with me.