Thanksgiving on the Home Front

Karen H. Whiting

“I can’t see Daddy! where is he?” Rebecca cried. She stared at the ship’s deck then jumped up and down. “It’s all right. Daddy has a special goodbye for you that he’s taking care of so he’s not standing on deck. You’ve been in the engine room. That’s where he went. Watch the top of the ship. See the tower-that’s the smoke stack. Keep your eyes on it!” I encouraged my daughter.

Out to Sea

My husband, the engineering officer on a Coast Guard cutter, had descended to the engine room for his first trip at sea since our two children had been born. Michael sat in the stroller watching while Becky peered into the sky, keeping her eyes fastened on the stack.

Suddenly we heard the ship’s whistle blow. “Mommy, look! Balloons! Did Daddy send them?” “Yes. That’s his goodbye. Run and catch one as it comes to shore.” Jim had instructed his men to blow up bags of balloons and stuff them into the stack to send a farewell to our children and to the rest of the crew’s children. “Will Daddy be home soon?” “No, dear.” “You said my birthday comes before Christmas. Will Daddy come for my birthday?” “Grandma and Papa will come for your birthday. Daddy will be at sea.”

We gathered that evening for a potluck with the rest of the families. I laughed as I overheard a teenager point to Michael and exclaim, “Why he’s the man of the family until his Dad comes homes!”

Each week I placed a parcel in the mailbox for the children to find. It contained a book and tape recording of Jim reading the book and chatting about the pictures. He even told them when to turn the pages. We had been unsure of the mail so we decided this would be the best way to give our little ones surprises from Jim. Each night I put the children to bed and played the latest tape. Jim’s voice settled the children down. It comforted me, too. It seemed like he was there and I could take a break and let Jim finish the bedtime routine.

As Thanksgiving drew near the children opened a book about the Mayflower. Becky felt sure the book described the life on her Dad’s ship, too. She noticed that Thanksgiving did not happen until after the ship landed. It was hard to explain that the Mayflower journey occurred long ago and that we still remembered that famous safe arrival. I suggested that we would have two Thanksgivings, one with her grandparents and one with her father when the ship returned. We made pinecone turkeys to decorate our home.

My parents arrived and we celebrated Becky’s third birthday a few days before Thanksgiving. Judy, the Captain’s wife, called and invited us to her home to celebrate Thanksgiving. She invited all the officer’s families. I offered to bring pies, my mother’s specialty. Mom and I cooked pumpkin, lemon meringue, and apple, but we did not make Jim’s favorite, pecan. His grandmother in Georgia had sent pecans from her trees, but I wanted to save them for Jim’s homecoming.

Sadness and Celebration

Thanksgiving day the families gathered at Judy’s home. We played games and talked until dinner. When it was time for dinner, Judy looked around and announced to my father, “John, you’re the only man here. Will you carve the turkey?”

My Dad grinned and took the knife Judy held out and said, “This is a pleasure to be surrounded by so much beauty.” Before we ate, we held hands and prayed. We thanked the Lord for our freedom and asked Him to keep the men and women aboard the USCGC Mellon safe. The women, from all over the United States, had brought their regional specialties. Dinner included fluffy southern biscuits, Boston baked beans, an Idaho potato dish, and a Tex-Mex casserole.

I missed Jim, and just didn’t have a big appetite, but the children dug into the meal. My dad told stories and jokes to lift our spirits. He mentioned part of a letter I had read to him. We all began sharing news from the one mail delivery we had a few weeks earlier. Judy reminded us of the group package we had sent in care of her husband. He had been asked to open it at the noon meal on Thanksgiving Day. We chatted about the contents and how our husbands would react.

We happily exchanged plans about the ship’s return, still a month away. We set up a babysitting exchange so all us moms could finish Christmas shopping.

Awaiting His Return

My parents left the next week. To pass the days remaining until Jim’s return I set up a small tree and helped Becky and Michael make an ornament every day to decorate it. I told them by the time it was filled, Daddy would come home. I designed new creations during the children’s naptime and also chose a Bible verse to match. I used the craft time for daily devotions.

Becky had kept her pinecone turkey from Thanksgiving to show Jim. She hung hers on a branch, saying, “Daddy missed Thanksgiving so I put my turkey on our Christmas tree.”

when he returned, Jim enjoyed Becky’s description of each decoration, telling how she made each one. Michael danced around the tree and pointed to ones he had helped make. Becky pointed out the turkey and described how papa was the only man at Thanksgiving, so he had to carve the turkey. She added, “But I was sad you were gone.” Jim picked her up and said, “Well I’m thankful I’m home now.” Becky exclaimed, “That makes it Thanksgiving again. We are having a second Thanksgiving! Mommy was right.”

Thanksgivings have come and gone and many times we have invited people who live far from family to join us. But we will always recall that year, and our lesson that Thanksgiving is not just one day, but every day that we stop to be thankful.