Because today is Thanksgiving…

Thanksgiving was always a special holiday growing up. If my mom had found out that someone was spending the holiday alone, they’d be invited over. She was big on that. No one should ever spend the holiday alone, eating some lame TV dinner. When it was time for dinner, we’d all sit down. Before we were allowed to eat, we would have to say one thing that we were most thankful for. When I was a kid, that was easy. I was usually thankful for friends and family, and those sweet potatoes with their marshmallow topping, crunch and gooey at the same time; pure magic that dish. As I got older, though, I learned a bit more about how cruel the world can be, and learned how grateful I really ought to be that I had a warm home, great family, and was never short of food to eat.

This year, will be the hardest yet, not because I can’t think of something to be thankful for, but because I have been blessed in so many ways. I have too much to be thankful for to put it into one short and sweet little comment. This year, I have learned to be thankful for every day. All of the little things that I usually take for granted. The fact that I wake up every morning, have food to eat. I am thankful that I live in a country where I am free to wear what I choose (without being stoned to death), where I can leave my house and go anywhere I please (without a male escort, because my one year old son can go out without an escort, but some women aren’t allowed out without a man).

I am thankful that I have a wonderful, loving husband who has given up so much and worked so hard to provide the life that we have been able to live. He works more hours in one week than most people do in a month. I take him for granted every day. Everyone says to me “oh, it must be hard having your husband gone.” The truth is, that he has it harder than we do. I am thankful that he will be home soon, that we can restart our lives together after eighteen months apart. I am thankful that his career, while some may not agree, has allowed us to have all that we do, our rights, our privileges, and firstly, our freedom.

I am thankful for my beautiful, healthy baby boy. He is alive, with 10 fingers, 10 toes, says Moma and means it. He blows kisses, says good girl and gives GREAT snuggly hugs. I am thankful that he is able to remove all of my books from the cabinet, unfold an entire basket of laundry, dump a glass of water and try to eat a battery all in 30 seconds, because, while it may be aggravating, it means he is healthy, with full use of his body. The baby is thankful that he has learned where his nose is, and that it contains two holes just big enough for his finger. He finds those holes with his fingers often, and usually makes a honk sound to let us know exactly what he is doing.

I am thankful for my family; my wonderful family who has been there for the baby and I over the last year. Without you all, I don’t know if we would have made it through the separation from the husband. You have made the past eighteen months go by more quickly than I could have imagined. I am thankful for all of you, Mom, Dad, Mom R, Dad R, close family friends, brothers, sisters, Waterski Family, friends, and internet buddies. Family to me isn’t defined by marriage or blood, but rather who is important to you. I have learned in the last year that I have a much larger family than I ever imagined.

I am thankful for so much that my heart swells and feels like it is going to burst. I simply cannot list everything that I have to be thankful for, because I have SO MUCH. I am so privileged that my life has become more than I had imagined it would be.