I have been thinking about this blog and what I wanted to write for almost a full month. At the beginning of the month I made some really good changes in my life. I made some choices that were hard but I now feel great with them. I was taking "baby steps" towards change. But, every time I decided to write about it I decided it was to personal or boring or not worth writing about. So now I am writing my Thanksgiving "I Am Thankful" Blog... and these will be listed in no apparent order and some things I am thankful for will be left out because I forgot.
This year there will be only 3 of us sitting around the Thanksgiving (kitchen) table. In the past we have joined or been joined by others and have gone around the table saying what we are thankful for. NOT sure if that will happen this year. A couple of years ago we were at a friend's house for Thanksgiving and I remember waiting as each person said the ONE thing they were thankful for, what was I going to say? I didn't want it to be corny or cliched. I said "my house" and started tearing up. My house? Really? At the time, yes, I was grateful that we were in our own house. Now we are in a wonderful house at Camp Echo and the house I was so grateful for is a rental in town that we can't sell. I mention this to say that things that we are thankful for one year may not be the #1 shout out in coming years! I also mention this so that it can be understood that THIS YEAR I am thankful for:
- Brian, for being a wonderful husband and a great friend that I get to hang out with all of the time. I am glad that after 20+ years we are still such good friends. I love him
- Zach, for being a really great son. I feel like he has matured and "grown into" himself over the last couple of months and I really like what I see and hear. I am so proud of him and I love him.
- Sarah, for taking the risk and changing her whole life by moving to Germany for a year. I have one independent, mature daughter. We chat often so she knows how proud I am of her and I love her.
Those are the big three in my life. I, of course have many more people that I am thankful for: my parents, who are always just a phone call away. They have helped me and my family in so many ways over so many years, being thankful for them doesn't really describe it! I have a great family, we all get along and see each other when time and proximity allows. My friends: man, I am SO lucky to have some of the best friends in the world. Talk about having people you can always depend on, I've got them and I am so thankful!
I am thankful:
- that my 13 year old dog gets up every morning and still enjoys a good walk
- that I have animals in my life
- that I gave up all but 1 Diet Coke a day (maybe 2 on a sleepy day)
- that I have a job that I like
- that I live where I live
- that I have stopped drinking wine
- that I can cook
- that I have started making decisions based on what I want
- that MSU accepted Zach and Zach accepted back
- for Rotary International
- for SKYPE and Facebook
- that I am happy and content
I think that is a small sampling of what I am thankful for this year. It is a lot more then I would have said if I was asked around this year's Thanksgiving dinner table. I know that it doesn't matter year to year who I am eating with at the "big holiday meals". I will always be more thankful for the Who's in my life rather then the What's. Happy Thanksgiving family and friends!
