Sometimes, I miss the excitement of my youth, but tonight I do not. Tonight, I realize that I have exchanged it for something even better.

We realized that we really didn't want to spend the holiday in the kitchen. I get cranky when I cook. Just ask my family. I even get moody when my husband cooks; there is the anticipation of all that pot washing after the meal. So we decided to start our own family tradition, to have our own Thanksgiving story.

I am slowly learning that the skills required for being a parent of grown children are quite different from those required to parent younger children. The early days seem easy now. These days require more: listen closely, practice restraint... not my strong suit.

It wasn't always like this. I welcomed you into our home, made you part of our family. Soon you were the go-to source of fun, intoxicating, always on, ready. Still, I had my doubts about your influence and your stability.