Thanksgiving marks the start of the "Holiday Season" - traveling, visitors in and out, coma-inducing food extravaganzas, shopping, colder blustery weather . . . Thanksgiving is also my favorite holiday - one that I usually take the time to reflect upon before hand, gear up the gratitude so to speak. Don't get me wrong, this past week was wonderful; we got to see loads of family and the fridge is still stuffed with several rounds of leftovers. It's just that I let it slip by without really acknowledging the people, places, and things I am grateful for. So, it is time to fix that!
First and foremost I am thankful for my family -- for the ones that brave loooonnnggg car trips for too brief a visit, for keeping us stocked with favorite foods that bring up warm fuzzy feelings no matter how many times we've eaten them, for pitching in wherever needed with an attitude of love, humor, and "many hands make light work", for being equally happy with getting out and about to explore and hunkering down for a snuggle fest on the couch. I am thankful for my growing family -- for my husband who works his butt off every day to take care of us, yes, but also to better himself, to keep pushing himself to embrace new challenges. Jesse inspires me to value change and steadiness, lightness and responsibility, fun and day to day simplicity. I am thankful for my DooodleBug with her small hands and big blue eyes, that big toothless smile that makes my heart happy. I never thought that motherhood would make me a better person, but it has - more playful, more in-the-moment, I'm singing around the house again . . .
I'm thankful for Syracuse, to live in a place where we can walk to the co-op, our favorite restaurant, a dance studio; where we are getting to know our neighbors and they recognize us on the street and wave to us at the regional farmer's market. We're learning what it is to eat local, to consider the journey our food has taken from seed to ground to truck to table. We're setting down some roots - though we won't be staying forever, maybe we'll be leaving a bit of a mark when we finally are able to move closer to family. In the meantime, we're working on gathering a family together up here :)
I'm thankful for Autumn, for the crunchy leaves on the sidewalks and that the sun still shines even though the temperature has plummeted; for winter gardens in hibernation, for the colors of Fall that will always make me think of my wedding day. 
I am thankful to get bounced out of complacency every now and then. I am thankful to have friends I can be proud of, who inspire me. I'm thankful that Jesse, Eddy, and I are healthy (I've discovered I'm a bit of a wuss when I'm sick!). I'm thankful for people who vex me - they teach me patience. I'm thankful for those who try to put me down because "my courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me." I'm thankful that I've accepted the fact that making mistakes is how 99% of the population learns - and that includes me! 
I'm thankful for all of you. May we remember to be thankful and feel it fully when we do!
