Fall has always been one of my most favorite times of the year. I love the crisp mornings and the spicy smell of leaves falling. There is no Yankee Candle that can quite match that scent. I love desire to hibernate, slip into some comfy slippers and curl up with a good book. I love all the delicious crock pot recipes and walking through the front door to smells of homemade chili or pot roast. Nothing beats the smell of a neighboring woodstove or a big mug of hot chocolate. I don’t even mind those rainy fall days when everything seems to slow down and people nestle inside.
For me, November is the peak of the fall season. Thanksgiving is probably one of my favorite holidays. It’s not just the amazing food – cause growing up in my mom’s house, great food was an everyday occurrence. Though, I will admit, her Thanksgiving stuffing is the stuffing of legends. No, Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday because it focuses so much on family and being thankful for what one has. It’s not cluttered by gifts or too many silly traditions. It’s just a gathering of those you love and cherish and celebrating that.
I will readily admit that I’m a sentimental sap when it comes to things like Thanksgiving. I love it when my family gathers around the table and my mom gets choked up as she expresses how thankful she is. I love it when my dad bows his head and leads the family in prayer (regardless of my personal beliefs). Even my sister, Diana, who squirms when asked what she’s thankful for and Heather’s quick witted sense of humor. I love the memories that I have of Thanksgivings in the past… Matching my cousin Bryan bite-for-bite so we could finish and go play together. My grandfather’s dilly bread (which is now my yearly charge). Visiting my cousins in Delaware, playing games, and the laughter that fills the home.
I have a lot to be thankful for this year – and always. I am so incredibly thankful for my husband. He’s shown me a love that I believed only existed in fairy tales. There are no words strong enough or deep enough to express how much I love and respect him. He’s given me everything I’ve ever wanted, not just material items (like this amazing house) but a relationship built on love and trust and communication. He sees all sides of me and loves me not in spite of those aspects but because of them. I am grateful for the life that we’re building together. I wake up each day and look forward to it… It sounds simple, maybe. I enjoy even just doing the laundry or washing dishes, yes - those mundane daily household chores, but they represent the lifestyle we’ve chosen to pursue. We might not have the best cars on the block or top-of-the-line stuff, but we upgrade slowly and work hard for everything we have. I find more value in those things and striving to make our home more comfortable in small ways. And I’m so blessed to be able to be home right now, feathering the nest for our future family. I feel as if this were my “calling,” so to speak. Like I belong here doing these things. I might not be Martha Stewart or Paula Dean, but I try. And Richard makes this all possible – for me, for us, and for Lil Pea.
Then there’s Lil Pea. Wow. Now that I feel her moving more and more each day, I find myself in awe that she’s really on her way to us. She is so wanted and so loved already. In the beginning, I felt like she was more of a dream. Even after our first ultrasound and I saw that there was really something in there, it was hard for me to believe that something I’d wanted for so long was really coming to pass. Our hearts must be made of some pretty tough stuff, because I don’t know how one can contain so much love without bursting. I can’t wait to meet her, hold her in my arms, bring her home, and learn all about her. I can’t wait to see what kind of girl she becomes. I can’t wait to learn what her interests will be and what her dreams will be. I can’t wait to help her grow and guide her with the same love that my mother showed to me. I can’t wait to write her a letter when she graduates high school to tell her how proud we are of her. I’m already proud of her and she isn’t even here yet…
I am thankful for my friends. I have always been blessed with really wonderful people in my life. I have friend who has been a part of my life since we were five years old. I have friends who have stood by me during some really difficult times in my life and never judged me. My friends are generous, loving, and understanding. Some of them have been with me on road trips across the country or up and down the east coast. I have friends who have been there through my many moves, the loss of my grandfather, finding love, and all the various stages of growing up. I am grateful for the friends I’ve found through Facebook – new and those from high school that I’ve been able to reconnect with (even if on a small scale). I love them all and feel close to them all.
My mom, my dad, my sisters… How can you take a lifetime of love and memories and sum them up in a few short words? You can’t. My sisters are my best friends and they mean everything to me. My parents… the struggles they went through to provide us with a fantastic childhood… We never really knew that we didn’t have much money, because mom made everything fun. As adults, my parents are STILL there. They listen to our problems and provide advice when they can, help us build furniture and move into new beginnings, give us comfort and courage to try new things or chase our dreams. They are always there, gently guiding us through life through lessons we learned in our youth or through subtle suggestions and support.
This time of the year, I feel especially humbled. I am so lucky to have such an amazing life full of wonderful people. I love that this time of year offers me an excuse to freely ramble on about how thankful I am. So, I’m also thankful for this blog and anyone who might read it. I’ve been able to vent my frustrations, express my joy, and catalog my experiences through this medium. I’ve appreciated every comment and every email I’ve received because of something I’ve said. It means so much to me, the support I’ve gotten from those who have been through similar experiences.
I am just so full of love today!!
As we approach this holiday of gratitude, what are you most thankful for?
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