Random Thoughts of Thanksgiving

Sometime in the next few hours, I will head to Midland to share another turkey day with my three favorite people in the WORLD. It's our first holiday season in a house NOT on Fairfax Court...my parents moved to a new house last March. But there will still be turkey and mashed potatoes and rolls (that's all Betsy eats at Thanksgiving dinner), and green bean casserole and Jell-O with whole cranberries and my mom's famous sweet potato casserole-ish stuff with brown sugar and pecans on top. (No marshmallows and caramel for us, thank you.) It's almost like dessert in itself. And there will be football, and an after-meal walk, and lots of taste-testing and laughing and fun. I am the independent daughter with a stubborn streak, but I do love my family - SO MUCH.

As a post-college person, my outlook on life is slightly different this year, and while I'm thankful for many of the same things, a few things have changed. So here's a random list of things and people I'm thankful for (old and new):

-The sunrise outside my window at 7-ish a.m. every morning. When I finally roll out of bed and pull the shade up, the lovely eastern sky is always there to greet me.

-My adorable flat, with its becabineted kitchen, Paris prints and Oxford map on the walls, cozy bathroom, spacious deck and half-dozen windows.

-Emails and calls and occasional cards from college friends who are now very far away. If you're reading this, and you're one of them, I miss you.

-My blogosphere friends...who are an increasingly important part of my life. Much love and many hugs to all of you. You're a huge blessing.

-Glenn, Carlene and my office full of cheerful and quirky co-workers, who keep life pleasant, entertaining and always interesting.

-Come As You Are rehearsals, of which I still get to be a part although I am technically an alumna, not a member.

-Time to write, whether that's a page or two in the mornings or a long date with myself on a chilly dark evening.

-Ladies' coffee on Monday nights at Mezamiz...so much more fun than I could have ever imagined.

-Our sweet and wonderful Lifeteam, which is growing by leaps and bounds, and which surrounds Jeremiah and me with support and love, individually and as a couple.

-And (you knew it was coming) my sweet Jeremiah, with whom I will celebrate three years of mostly blissful dating tomorrow. Well, I can't really celebrate with him...he'll be in Dallas and I'll be in Midland. But we had a lazy evening of cooking and movie-watching together last night, and we have a dress-up date scheduled for next weekend. He is more wonderful to me than ever...loving, understanding, steadfast, romantic, worshipful, goofy and lots of other happy things. I have much, much, much to be thankful for.

So eat some turkey (or Tofurkey if you're my vegetarian friend Anne), savor your other favorite holiday dishes, watch some football, take a walk, and love on your family or friends or whoever's around you that you love. Happy Thanksgiving, all. Much love.