Thanksgiving

How could you not look at this picture and be grateful for such a full and happy life?  When I look at my family I feel so much love, happiness, pride and gratitude.  If you would have told me 40 years ago that this is where I would be in life I would not have been able to envision it.

Much of my time today is spent being mindful and focusing on living in the moment.  I am extemely conscious of how I spend my time and who I spend it with.  I have many great friends who inspire me and support me and while I find they truly enrich my life they don't hold a candle to my family.  As I look at these faces I know only some of the stuggles and joys they have had in their lives.  As it should be, their husbands and wife are their "go-to" people now.  I do know however that they have all faced challenges and stood by each other to overcome them. I know when they have good news that sharing it with each other is important to all of them.  I know they have hopes and dreams for their futures and the futures of their children but somehow, in a way I never did, they also know how to enjoy life each day as it comes.  They look at their children and each other and are so aware of time passing as they hold on to each moment in their hearts and their minds.  They don't live in the past and they don't live in the future, they truly know how to live in the moment.

As we gather this weekend around our traditional turkey dinner we will once again talk about all of the things that enriched the year that is quickly passing but more importantly, we will take a moment to share with each other one or two things that make our lives more full at this time.

Before the year ends we will have two new little individuals among us.  They too will bring something to our lives that no one before them has brought.  We will meet them and get to know them and make sure that each and every day they know they have a large and loving family who will think they are the center of the universe (which, of course, they will be).  While Elizabeth turned 8 this year and Kai turned 4, it seems we have never been without them.  The sparkle in their eyes, the smiles on their faces and their off-beat senses of humour have enriched our lives in ways we can't even describe.  They are clearly as different as night and day in some ways and as similar as brother and sister in other ways.  They have their own unique personalities, stengths and gifts.  They live life to the fullest and when they are with us their laughter and noise fill our house and our hearts.

This sense of family that is bringing tears to my eyes as I write often comes together at our house because it is large and it is "home".  What we have all learned over the last couple of years though is that "home" is wherever we are, whenever we are together.  Home will change in the next couple of years as we all shift and change with new jobs (or, in my case, no job:), new family members and perhaps, new communities.  Wherever we go, whatever we're doing will not change that we are family.  While I have so many things in life to be thankful for, my family will always top the list.

Wishing you all a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving weekend.  I know ours will add more memories to our already full memory "banks".   So grateful for so much!