Giving Thanks

From Wikipedia: Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a traditional North American holiday to give thanks for the things that one has at the conclusion of the harvest season.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I think I posted last year the reasons why. The biggest one being that I love thinking about all that I have to be thankful for and finding out from other people what they are thankful for. This year, we were all together for Thanksgiving at my mom and dad’s house. Unfortunately, my in-laws did not join us until dessert but it was still an awesome day. I don’t have the big group picture yet (it is an unbelievable picture) so I should probably clarify what all together means so here is the guest list:
Mom
Dad
Dianna – sister
Rob – brother-in-law
Kathy – Dianna’s mother-in-law
Bobby – Dianna’s father-in-law
Michael – Rob’s brother
Shelly – Michael’s girlfriend
Jim – brother
Sandra – sister-in-law
Jake – nephew
Felicia – Jim’s mother-in-law
Juan – Sandra’s brother
Keith – husband
Cecilia – daughter
Sophia – daughter
Joanne – mother-in-law
Ernie – father-in-law
Kyle – brother-in-law
Kristin – sister-in-law
Norbert – co-worker of Ernie’s
Jeanne – Dianna’s friend
Andy – Jeanne’s husband
Abby – Jeanne’s daughter
Ella – Jeanne’s daughter


There was lots of food and drink. It was loud and possibly even slightly rowdy (to some at least). It was wonderful. I always try to quietly look into a room and “catch” people getting along. It makes me so happy to see my mom and mother-in-law holding hands huddled close talking, my two brothers-in-law talking business, my sister-in-law swinging Sophia into the air, my sister engrossed in a conversation with our sister-in-law’s mother, my brother’s brother-in-law and my husband playing that stupid Guitar Heros game in the living room, Cecilia showing off her gameboy to my brother-in-law’s brother. Having had a pretty rough week before Thanksgiving and spending a lot of time questioning God (I will share that in another post) I think, “This is what it is all about.” Here we are 20 some odd people, different and similar, linked by so many different relationships making one day the single best day of the year (at least for me personally). We all have one thing in common, despite everything, we love each other if not for the individual we are then for the individual who loves us. This day will nourish me for a long time.

Quick Update

I am supposed to be doing laundry and cooking/preparing for Thanksgiving Day. I got on the computer to quickly look at something my friend Laura recommended and got caught up in Nancy's and Angelique's blogs, which has motivated me to finally post. I have been writing with the intention of posting but everything I have started writing I have not finished therefore have not posted. So instead of trying to finish some of the deeper things that have been on my mind I will give a quick update:

Cecilia:
Cecilia is in first grade this year and loving it. She has adjusted so well and I am so proud of her. She is reading at close to a third grade level. Her writing has improved and she has such confidence. We recently went to a fall festival held at her school and my little social butterfly walked through the halls saying hello to children and teachers alike. I marvel at how comfortable she is in her own skin and pray that she hangs on to that throughout the years to come. She is just such a wonder!

Sophia:
My little tornado. For me, being around Sophia is like sitting in the warm sun with an occasional cool breeze washing over me. She is such a joy. She has such a sense humor. I have so many stories about her I don't which one to choose. She sings all the time and is the queen of imitation. The other day I was standing in the kitchen talking to Keith who was leaning with one arm against the counter with one foot crossed in front of him. Sophia comes over and quietly leans one arm on the cabinet and is trying to balance on one foot long enough to cross her other foot in front of her. Having finally accomplished the stance she looks up at me with a little glint in her eye and I know what she wants so I too lean on the counter and cross one foot in front. I steal a look at her and she is starting to giggle and once I look in her eyes she dissolves into a full belly laugh, which is contagious. She loves her big sister and wants to do everything just like Cecilia. She also wants Cecilia to do everything and lets us know by saying, "Celia do it."

Keith:
Keith started a new job in July and loves it. He is working for a company out of New York who opened a new office down here in Kernersville. He loves that things actually get accomplished without a meeting to schedule a meeting to discuss when there will be a meeting to problem solve an issue. I love that he comes home in a good mood.

Me:
I left my permanent position at the hospital. I still work there but instead of having the weekend shift I work as needed filling in here and there. I made this move so I could work a full time, five-day a week job transcribing again. That job lasted two months for several reasons. First of all, I worked for the most evil woman walking the earth. I mean the devil is this lady's minion she is so awful. I actually got in trouble for talking to my coworkers despite the fact I was producing 1000 to 1500 lines a day. Second, transcribing is physically taxing, especially when you do not have the freedom to get up and stretch for 10 minutes. Third, it was really difficult working five days a week and it made me pretty miserable. I really missed being home and having time with the girls and Keith. I honestly think the only word that left my mouth for two months was hurry as in "hurry, get in the car we have to go to school. Hurry, get in the house we have to eat dinner. Hurry, finish up in the shower we have homework to do." It was terrible. Also, and my apologies to the feminist in anyone who will read this, I truly felt like less of a wife. Keith has always done his share of everything and I appreciate that. But I hated not being the one to make phone calls regarding our children or the other things I was doing when I was home during the week. I enjoy being a wife (I suck at it but I am a work in progress). I like cooking dinner and picking up the girls and doing laundry and having things done for when Keith comes home. I like being home when Keith comes home from work. I missed that. So, when it became increasingly obvious that things were not going to improve at my job, Keith encouraged me to quit. Now, I am picking up shifts at the hospital and gearing up to enroll in the nursing assistant program at the community college near my house. After that I may enroll in the phlebotomy course because it is more money and I will need to make extra money while I am attending school to get my nursing degree. This is a huge step for me. Over the last year I have talked myself in and out of going back to school to become a nurse at least three times. So now I am telling people that I am going to do it in the hopes that the more people who know the less likely it is for me to back out of it. I am scared but also pretty excited.