A Goddess in a Cave in the Woods

Our dear friends Maggie and Kirk gifted us with a huge honor this week. They asked Aaron and I to be godparents for their son Jackson! We were thrilled and amazed and so grateful to be asked, and of course we accepted! Yippee!

And, lest you think that my overuse of exclamation points means that I don’t take this honor seriously, I’ll have you know that I absolutely cherish the role of godparents. I looked it up online, and especially liked this definition:

“The (particularly) modern definition of godparent is an individual chosen by the parents to take a vested interest in raising a more complete human being.”
– Wikipedia’s entry on godparents

That really speaks to me.

I have a wonderful, close relationship with my godmother, my Aunt CC. She’s been a trusted confidant and friend to me, as well as a surrogate parent at times. I’m so thankful for her role in my life.

I’m actually the Nouna (Greek for godmother) of Aunt CC’s son, my cousin Jonathan. I am honored to fill that role for him, and I hope I’ve done a good job. I became his godmother when I was about 16, and it is a very meaningful relationship to me.

And now all of my magical fairy godmother powers are going to be unleashed on sweet little Jackson! Boy, he doesn’t know what’s coming.

Tonight I’m making a pie while I watch one of my new favorite shows about a pie maker, Pushing Daisies. Ironic, isn’t it?

I’m amazed how much my cooking has improved over the last year – I’m making four things for Thanksgiving at Dad and Nancy’s house tomorrow and I haven’t panicked once. I haven’t even had to call my cooking hotline. In fact, the cooking hotline had to call ME to check on me and make sure everything was going alright. (My cooking hotline is my friend Jenny, and I seriously lit up the phone lines last year calling her literally every five minutes, maybe every two minutes. I think she was feeling lonely this year.)

OK, OK, FINE. I did have to call my mom one little insignificant time. But how was I supposed to know when eggs were officially beaten? They don’t teach this stuff in school anymore, people.

Enjoy Thanksgiving with your family tomorrow. Or your friends. Or your significant other. Or your in-laws. Or whoever happens to be nearby – dog, cat, fish, whatever. Give someone a big hug and say “I’m thankful for you.” (Please don’t hug the fish too hard.) And while you’re at it, take a long look at yourself and say “I’m thankful for you too.” I will be counting my blessings and spreading the love tomorrow, and I’m starting with myself.

I love you Jenny Rebecca Spiliotis Wadley. You’re a good person. Thanks for being you and thanks for buying the expensive, comfortable underwear instead of the cheap stuff. You rock.