This time of year always gets me thinking about how lucky I am to have so much fortune in my life. Sure Thanksgiving these days is mostly about stuffing our faces until our bellies are so full they nearly pop, watching football and spending time with family and friends. But do we take at least a moment or two to be truly thankful for all the important things we have in our lives?
The company I work for closes on both Thanksgiving and Black Friday so I had a 4 day weekend. But it shocked me to find out that Chris would be off both Thursday and Friday as well. Due to our work schedules it’s been nearly a year since we’ve seen each other 4 days in row let alone spent them all together. Being able to just go out to dinner on a Friday night date is something most of our friends take for granted, but we were really excited to have the chance to do that. And as we were sitting there eating dinner on Thanksgiving with my family I realized this was the last Thanksgiving meal I would eat with my current last name because next Thanksgiving we will be married. So I am thankful for my fiancé.
I have one sister and she lives in Nashville, TN where she goes to graduate school. Although it’s not too far that we can’t visit on a weekend, it’s hard to get back and forth very often with everything else going on in our lives. Having a long weekend off school meant she got to come home and have Thanksgiving dinner with us, hit the mall on Black Friday and generously help address Save the Date cards for the wedding. When someone you care about doesn’t live nearby it makes that time you do get to spend together that much more meaningful. So I am thankful for my sister.
I haven’t really shared this yet because it’s just something I’ve been dabbling in, but I’ve been reading up on going Vegetarian or Vegan. The past couple months I’ve been trying mostly Vegan recipes and finding that I really like the food combinations I’ve been tasting and haven’t really missed things I used to eat all the time. While my mom might not be on the same path as me, it didn’t stop her from being considerate enough to make some Vegan adjustments to her Thanksgiving menu. I really appreciated the thoughtfulness and everything was delicious! And although my dad stays out of the kitchen during meal preparations, he was quick to start the cleanup process so everyone else could relax after dinner. He even tried my Vegan sweet potato casserole just because I made it, something he normally would not eat, and liked it! So I am thankful for my parents.
On Thanksgiving day I received some text messages wishing me a happy holiday from several different friends. It was nice of them to think of me while they were spending time with their families and enjoying the day. And when I got to work after the weekend there were e-mails from other friends asking how my Thanksgiving was. Sometimes when we become really good friends with people we forget that a simple text message or e-mail keeps the friendship fresh. There have been a lot of milestones lately for many of my close friends that I’ve been honored to be a part of and next year I will be grateful to have them by my side as Chris and I celebrate our marriage. So I am thankful for my friends.
Don’t worry, I didn’t forget the important creatures who inspired this blog. I see my furbabies the most out of anyone else in my life. They make me laugh, irritate the crap out of me, melt my heart and piss me off but I wouldn’t trade any of it. There is nothing else like Piper coming to sit in my lap while I write a post at night before bed, just like she’s done for the past 11 years. Or Ares smushing his face against my leg and looking up at me with big bug eyes silently asking me to rub his ears. I can’t think of many things better than Chaos snuggling his huge head into my chest and falling asleep when he’s allowed to have couch time. Or Little O curling his body into the crook of my knees while I’m watching TV. Sometimes being responsible for four furry lives and trying to make sure all their needs and wants are met can be overwhelming and frustrating. But it’s always worth it for all the sweet and funny little moments that happen the rest of the time. So I am thankful for my dogs and my cats.
Who are you thankful for?
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