This year, Thanksgiving was very different for my family. My memories of Thanksgiving Day include a house full of family and friends and plenty of delicious food. I would wake up on Thanksgiving Day with our home filled with the aroma of the turkey mom roasted overnight.

After a great Thanksgiving meal complete with mom’s legendary stuffing, I would rest. Later in the afternoon, family members and some friends would venture outside to compete in the annual Thanksgiving Day football game organized by my uncle Bob. This year, my daughter did not have school the week of Thanksgiving. So, I had the bright idea to do a short family vacation to an indoor waterpark in Ohio for a few days.

The first two days were full of family fun. My daughter’s favorites were the wave pool and floating on an inner-tube on the lazy river. She also really enjoyed the arcade with all of the claw machines. By the end of the second day, I was thinking we should stay longer next time. Then day three happened. During our first two days, the waterpark was not very crowded. That all changed on our third day. The waterpark was packed with people. The lazy river turned into a bunch of rapids with people seeing how fast they could go through it. My daughter commented that she “did not think the lazy river is supposed to be this loud.”

Our last day at the park was Thanksgiving Day. My wife and I had experienced all of the fun we could handle. We were both tired from the trip and just wanted to get home. My daughter, of course, did not want to leave and wanted to play in the arcade longer. We finally managed to get her away from the arcade using ice cream as a bribe, and we left for home.

Once my daughter finished her ice cream (within five minutes of leaving the waterpark), she informed us she was starving. Now, it being Thanksgiving Day, nothing was open. Halfway home, I was very happy to find a Bob Evans that was open.

We all ordered a bunch of food. We sat at the table for about an hour and a half. We had a delicious meal. We each told stories about our trip to the waterpark. We laughed about both the good times and frustrating times during our trip. I got out my phone and we enjoyed looking through our pictures from the last year, and we talked about the many things we are thankful for. This was not the Thanksgiving of my youth waking to the smell of a roasting turkey and a house full of family and friends for the meal. However, it was a great Thanksgiving meal with my family. After we got home I went for a long walk with my daughter. We were again talking about how we are very blessed and everything for which we are thankful.

As we walked, my daughter told me she was thankful for her family and for our trip to the waterpark. She then said this “was the best Thanksgiving ever!” While it was not the Thanksgiving Day I had planned, I think she is correct.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. And, I look forward to watching “The Game” and The Ohio State University beating that team up north! Go Bucks!

Randall D. Fuller is judge of the Domestic Relations Division of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas. Judge Fuller is a life-long resident of Delaware County.

Randall D. Fuller is judge of the Domestic Relations Division of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas. Judge Fuller is a life-long resident of Delaware County.