So Much To Be Thankful For

What a wonderful day! I love having the day the off!!!!

My family does not believe in a traditional turkey dinner. I can't remember what we ate when I was a kid, but Thanksgiving, as with most holidays, were usually at my grandmother's house with the whole gang (aunts/uncles/cousins). But the tradition seems to have changed as everyone got older, and Thanksgiving is at my mom's house each year. It's a small affair. Lunch is cooked by 10 am, and you had better be finished eating by 12:30pm cause the 'kitchen's closed', and we get kicked out. The rest of the day can be spent doing whatever we want to do, at our own houses (lol).

Until I started working at AT&T 6 years ago, I have never experienced a "real" Thanksgiving feast like I read about and see in the movies. A friend of mine, Licia, decided to cook a Thanksgiving meal for me. She started at 3am and by 12pm (what is taking so long) I still had not eaten. After we raided her neighbor's apartment for some of their turkey grub, I decided the whole turkey fiasco was not for me.

This is the Blanchard Family Thanksgiving meal:

Some of my Mom's finest seafood gumbo and potato salad (the potato salad was a bit dry this year - so it may not look that great but it sure tasted good). My niece and I usually are in charge of washing dishes so we love using paper plates instead of the "fine china." You can keep all that meat and mess. I'll stick with the easy fixin' foods.

On this Thanksgiving Day 2008, I have a lot to be thankful for. I have family and friends who love and support me. I have a great critique group and writer's group. My life is full of hobbies and dreams that I get to work toward every day. My first story will be published, hopefully, in 3 days. And I seem to be working toward finishing a novel; a first for sure.

These are two women that show me courage and strength each and every day. Intelligent, beautiful, resilient. They inspire me and make me want to be a better woman, mother, sister, friend, just like they have been every day of their lives. Yvonne (mom) and Belver (grandmother):

Stacey, the world traveler and scrapbooking fanatic, wonderful mother of 2 beautiful kids, photographer, best big sis a girl could ever ask for:

Jason, my fav and only little brother, electrician extraordinaire, dare-devil, hard working, lover of toys (trucks, bikes, 4wheelers, etc)

Lauren, my beautiful niece, honor student, Harry Potter loving, smart alec Jr., lover of music and dancing

Michael, my sweet, sweet nephew, so cute in his new glasses, gameboy playing, soft spoken, I just love his blue eyes and his sweet smile

Paul, my brother-in-law, smart alec Sr., comedian, iPhone lover, motorcycle riding, foosball playing

Today I'm feeling a bit melancholy. Our family is growing and changing and yet for me it feels like my life is standing still. Daddy's birthday just passed on the 22nd, and I miss him more and more every day. How different would our lives have been had that one moment been altered in our pasts? Who would we be? But what happened happened and cannot be changed.

But I miss you, Daddy. I wish you could see us now and see Michael and Lauren grow up. I wish they could know what a wonderful person their grandfather was. I wish I could see your smile and your eyes light up in laughter just one more time.

I'm thankful for the day spent with my wonderful family, and for the fact that we were all together this holiday! Thanks for keeping my family and friends safe and healthy. Thanks for every day that you give us. Thanks for life!