Better Late Than Never

Phew!  The last couple of weeks have been an absolute whirlwind - I have:  made a quick weekend trip home to deposit Nellie at my mom's house, travelled to New Orleans for an anthropology conference, driven home again to spend Thanksgiving week writing a paper, getting a cold, running a 5K Turkey Trot, baking 3 pies, spending time with Aaron, friends, and the fam, including TWO back-to-back Thanksgiving dinners. My goodness.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it.  And frankly, seeing as how I'm about to be launched into the three busiest weeks of the semester, I don't see things calming down any time soon.

So...  Before things get too hectic, I'm taking this evening to relax a little (Wizard of Oz, anyone?), regroup, and make a quick list of the things I've been most thankful for over the last year.  So, in the spirit of Thanksgivings past, I decided to share that list with you...

1.  I am thankful for the slightly new path my life has taken, which allows me to continue to go after my goals and dreams every day.  It wasn't easy last year, it's not easy this year, and it won't be easy for a long time to come.  But going after one's dreams isn't supposed to be easy.  If it were, it wouldn't mean as much.  Moving to a new town, all by myself, has presented all sorts of new challenges to me, but I am thankful for them because they make me stronger.

2.  I am thankful for my family and friends who continue to support me every step of the way.  No questions asked.  Ever.  They (YOU) believe in me and remind me to believe in myself, even when the going gets really tough.  And they celebrate with me when I have success.

3.  I am so very thankful for the new little addition to our family.  While we all know it was a bumpy road at times, his presence in our lives has brought the three of us (my mom, sister, and I) closer together than we've ever been.  A good friend told me once before he was born, "You may not be able to imagine a life with him in it right now, but once he's born, you won't be able to imagine your life without him."  Truer words never spoken.

I could honestly go on for quite some time, but it's getting close to my bedtime.  Thanks to each and every one of you for the ways in which you have touched my life.  I am a better person for it.

Happy (late) Thanksgiving!