I know some of you are waiting for an update.
We made it.
The one hiccup was a lovely text I received from a family member that I don't ever hear/see/talk to. I haven't seen them in several years and we just aren't close, even remotely. And suddenly, as if by magic, they have my cell number and send me this obnoxious text yesterday morning:
"Hi! Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all have an awesome day. I so miss being with my family and wish I had been blessed with parents like yours to spend this once a year holiday with. Please give my love to your mother. I love you all."
Excuse me for just a sec but.... 
Well it seems you're all clued into the family drama, you're obviously in very close contact with Mother. Send her your own dang love. We all know you talked to her before sending this text and that you told her my response. Which was simply, "Happy Thanksgiving. Love you too."
Nice game. I'm not playing.
Ya know, just when I start thinking, "Hmm...maybe I'll text Mother today just to be nice and say hi", something like this happens and I'm like, "Mmmmm yeah, better not."
ANYWAY!
Us four displaced orphans trekked to BIL's kinfolk's place. It was interesting to sit in a chair, in the middle of another family's Thanksgiving. To watch their traditions. To watch the women in the kitchen preparing the meal. (I swear it was like a constant episode of the Golden Girls.) To watch the guys talk hunting and figuring out a game plan for recovering Uncle Lou's gun from a mining shaft he dropped it down that morning.
We were accepted with open arms. They were kind, were hospitable, and they were sad when we left. They wanted us to stay the night to spare us the 2 1/2 hour ride home. Invited us back any old time, there's always a room available.
It was a different experience. But it was cool. QS had a wonderful time. He was relaxed. Which put me more at ease.
I came home knowing that we did the best we could. We did our own thing. And it was totally ok. And it's not the end of the world.
