Thanksgiving was lovely. Spent a great day with my family cooking and cleaning and then eating. Made banana bread with no nuts (yay!) and a splash of mandarin orange essence yum!). Dinner was lamb, turkey, steamed green beans, diet coke jello salad, roasted potatoes, cauliflower and candied something I didn’t eat. Stupid stomach made me sick (mmmm, pie!) and I ended up crashing at about 8 but otherwise it was an awesome day. And I found that I didn’t miss Chapin’s presence once, which surprised me since I thought it would be a hard day. Probably helped that we were at my mother’s house (versus my aunt’s house, where we always do family events and where they are still recovering from Ike).
Anyway, I wanted to take time to do a post on the things for which I am grateful:
1. My beautiful, healthy, kind, considerate, sweet, cuddly, tender-hearted son
2. My mother, who is alive after a very challenging year health-wise and who helps me in so many ways every day. Even when she’s driving me INSANE, I am so thankful to have her near.
3. My father, who is trying, even if it doesn’t always seem like it, and who loves me
4. Blue Eyes, who makes me feel content and peaceful and is very wise
5. My friend, Ashante, who, after reading about my crap year last week, immediately booked a plane ticket and flew down for Thanksgiving. She has always been there when it counts.
6. My amazing Mommy friends who have been there since we were all pregnant and who are such intelligent, special, giving women. (Elicia, Wendy, Katy, who don’t blog, are also counted in this list).
7. My friend, Ada, who is sweet and fun and a little naughty!
8. My blog-world friends who tell it like it is, support me when I’m down and offer a great sounding board. Especially for those who call me on my insecurity and occasional stupidity. 
9. An interesting, challenging, exciting job with kind coworkers, great potential and excellent opportunities
10. God, my DivorceCare group, my therapist and my friend, Fred, who have gotten me through the worst year of my life with their compassion, faith and hope.
Please consider visiting Compassion today and supporting an AIDS orphan or child otherwise affected by HIV/AIDS. We are so blessed here and there are so many children living in unimaginable conditions that could use our help.
