with gratitude

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. The flavors of the day are totally my jam, and it’s really about family and food and there’s not a whole lot of external pressure to perform otherwise. And a day where you’re nudged in the direction of being reminded of how much you have in abundance, especially on the heels of what has become a consumer orgy of spending little more than a month away, is never a bad thing.

I am thankful for so much this year. For Kid C, our third and final, who scared us to our cores in the weeks after he was born but who is the happiest kid I know, and healthy and doing so, so well. For Kid B, who is in so many ways the stereotypical middle child but has a patented velociraptor shriek that guarantees he will never get lost in a crowd, who is my favorite snuggler and still wants to. For Kid A, who is still trying to find his footing with the world around him but is so scary smart and wise and compassionate.

For the husband, who is my steady rock and partner and best friend.

For my parents, still healthy, and my mom a year cancer-free, for my sister, my family immediate and extended all those amazing people in my life who may not be blood but are in all the ways that count. The best friends I could ever hope for. The Internet, for making it easier to keep those connections and to make new ones.

For jobs that allow us to provide for our family and be present in their lives, for a roof over our heads and always enough food on the table. For amazing childcare providers, a community that is dedicated to its children.

I am grateful for love, and laughter, and compassion, for hope, my faith and the faith of others, for all God’s blessings.

There are people coming later today, and two pounds of green beans to trim and I am grateful for that, too, for the gift of adopted family that leaves you no choice but to call them your own.

I’m grateful to you. Happy Thanksgiving.