Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving. I love that we have a day set aside to gather with loved ones to enjoy and be grateful for the great gifts of life, and I love that it comes so shortly before Christmas, a day that can so easily be swept away by to-do lists and strains and stresses of various sorts. When I take some time (ie, right now) to think about the many blessings I have in my life—my family and my faith forefront among those—I think it helps me refocus and recenter before entering the beautiful season of Christmas.

What do I have to be thankful for this year? For a devoted husband and a healthy daughter, for sisters-in-law (and their families) but three hours away who provide us a home away from home, for parents-in-law who drive 13 hours to make it even more like home, for the constant love and friendship of my own parents, for a cool glass of water whenever I want one, and just to be alive and part of this wonderful thing called life. I could list so many more things, but instead I’ll tell you about these photographs:

The top two are from a tea party Scott's mom arranged with the kids while we were on a bike ride. It was Susanna's first one. When we got back it was already underway, but I got to see her drink out of the little cup, pour milk on the table, and dip her cookie in the milk saying "bop bop," and then fall asleep (yes at the table, and no she did not end up taking a nap-- by the time I got the milk sodden cloths off her she was wide awake). The third is of me and Susanna with my niece Ellie and nephew Sam seeing Christmas lights at the Zoo. Susanna may look stoic in this photograph, but she spent most of the night saying "wow" and making that surprised face I tried to document here.