thank you.

I realize it's the time of night on thanksgiving where everyone is cuddled up in sweats watching movies on the couch, promising to never eat a bit of food again. And maybe everyone is over the whole holiday in general. But if you have an ounce of thanksgivingness (yes, Mom, I know that's not a word) left in you, this blog is for you.

This is my favorite holiday. I love that it's about family, friendship, and gratitude. I'll admit this year I wasn't feeling it too much at first. I just haven't been in the holiday mood lately. And I'm surrounded by people who are celebrating love. So I gave myself about 30 minutes today of self pity, and then I dusted myself off and turned that into positivity. Because I really truly believe that if you are gracious and thankful, good things will come to you. So there's no need to sit around and be sad about the things you don't have. That's not what this day is about. It's about being thankful for what is in your life, not what's missing. So for us single folks let us have hope and faith that God is ready to introduce us to that special someone at the perfect moment.

In other news, I do have a lot to be grateful for this year. First, foremost and always I am thankful for my sweet family who make me laugh, protect me, guide me, teach me, and support me through it all. Lord knows this year has not been easy, but they have been there for me at each step. I am thankful for my friends who do the same, and who know exactly what to do when I am in crisis mode. I am thankful for the coworkers who keep me sane, who understand me with a simple look and who have taught me to be a more confident me and a more passionate me. I am thankful for the Sisters of Mercy who have enriched my spiritual life and given me hope and purpose. I am thankful for Melinda and the backups for being an open, compassionate group of people who love music as much as I do and who support each other from a distance. I am thankful for music, as it is the one thing that is constant in my life, the one thing that brings me through each day. I am thankful for my love of writing as it fuels and energizes me. I am thankful for my freedom, for a job, a house, the hope for a better future. I am thankful that my doctors figured out why I was so tired and that they took care of me during my tonsillectomy. I am thankful for sunshine and bright skies, laughter, hugs, white wine, my dog Seamus, and for pumpkin spice lattes.

Above all of these things I am thankful for my baby nephew Ryan Michael. If you haven't already heard, he's the cutest, sweetest little boy in the whole wide world. He has brought so much joy to my life and to my family and now I can't imagine life without him. I am thankful for the opportunity to see him grow, to love him unconditionally.

I am thankful that I took tomorrow off and can sleep all day.

Love love love.