Thankful

Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday. It encompasses all of my favorite things: cooking, eating, family, gathering, hubby getting the day off to be with us. While I sit here and reflect on 2014 I am near tears. This year was not my favorite. It was one of the worst years of my almost 37 to date. And still...there is more than enough to be truly thankful for.

So what am I thankful for? My family. My kids are healthy and the ones in school are doing well. The flu recently hit our house and it wasn't so bad. Everyone made it through without incident. My kids are well behaved and kind and respectful. My husband is still my best friend. We have been together for over 12 years and I know in my heart that we will grow old together and have a big pile of grandbabies someday. (Hopefully not for a long, long time, though.) He works hard and provides for us which allows me to be a stay at home mom. A fact that I am grateful for every single day. There are not good enough words to thank him for this. It is a blessing to say the least. My Mother-In-Law. She has helped us so much and comes over to give me a break sometimes. That is pretty priceless. My Mom. I won't get into all the reasons here in this post or we would be here all day and I'm sure you all have plenty to do. And my Dad. Not my story to tell but I hope he knows that I think about him everyday and am wishing him the best.

My home. We moved this year and with the help of our amazing realtors we were able to find exactly what our family needed. With the help of our family and friends we were able to move a household of 7 people and 3 pets and I was dreading it. It all worked out.

My friends. I have some of the best friends a woman could ask for. They are so much fun and are wonderful listeners. Calgon take me away! Right, Nikki?

I have a roof over my head and plenty of food to prepare for all my peeps. We don't live extravagantly or anything but we have what we need and that is good. Real good.

I am thankful for Ashlyne's current condition. The cancer that had spread to her spine, lungs and throat are now gone and all that is left is the original tumor in her leg, which her family is hoping to find out asap is operable. (Ewing's Sarcoma)

I am thankful for my blog. I haven't been able to write in a couple of months because life has been so very busy. but I know it is here waiting for me whenever I need it.

I am thankful for my contributors so far to my Food With Love project. The generosity of others allows me to do what I love, which is cooking for others. I don't have the funds to buy groceries for another family on a regular basis so donations are very important to the cause. I have the time to cook and appreciate the help I have received so far. It means the world to me and the family that I cook for.

I am thankful today for a couple local ladies who have decided to feed the homeless kids of Anoka today. A whole Thanksgiving feast. And I love that they are allowing me to cook a few things and bring them by. Women after my own heart. I am really hoping this turns into an annual thing. I think it is a wonderful way to spend Thanksgiving. In my home we celebrate the Saturday before so this is exactly the kind of things I would like to do with my own kids on a day like today.

And there it is. I am looking forward to 2015 very much. I am ready to put 2014 behind me but am thankful for a day like today where I can look back and find the good in the bad. Today is a day of perspective for me. Hope yours is wonderful, too. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.