Thankful Thoughts

Here on Thanksgiving Eve, I'm sure it's reasonable to think this would be a post about things I am thankful for.  To that I ask:

Did you people learn nothing from my 40th birthday post?

I won't bore you with the fact that I am of course thankful for my husband and kids and various extended family members.  And you already know I am thankful for all my fabulous friends, who at this point in my life are spread over a great many states but thanks to the power of the Internet and free long-distance don't seem any further that just down the street.

Health has been tricky here for us the last few months, so let's just settle for I'm thankful for the degree of health we currently enjoy and hope that by this time next year, we can remember where we are now and be glad this is all behind us.  I am well aware that many, many people have health problems far worse that what we have/are currently experiencing and I think of people like this often.  A daughter who who has some deposits on her brain that don't interfere with her daily life is indeed a blessing after you've spent any time at all in a pediatric hospital and have seen what others are going through.  And Mitch's swelling face is still a mystery but as long as it doesn't explode all together, we're good.

Even though I'm not spending the holiday with family, I am thankful to know that they are all safe wherever they are celebrating, when there are many, many servicemen and women who are spending their Thanksgiving far away from everyone they love in places that are not the safest.  I am thankful for those men and women as well and do not forget what they are sacrificing that allows me to sit in my house peacefully and gorge myself on fudge and turkey.  (Okay, well maybe just fudge.)

And while many of you are surely shocked to find out I am working in a school - around CHILDREN, no less - and even though I'm only 3 days in, I am thankful to be there.  Jobs aren't easy to come by and despite my reckless disregard of the first one I had here, I do know that.  That this one allows me to be close to my kids in case Sara needs me and understands when I have to call in on my third day because my husband is in the emergency room is something to be thankful for indeed.  And I really like those 2nd graders, let me tell you.  The rest of them are pretty awesome too.  It's maybe not what I had planned on doing here, and it's not what I'm used to at all, but it's perfect for me right now.  So I'm thankful for that.

I am thankful for you, dear readers and Internet stalkers, whether you be friend or family or random stranger.  Whether you read this because I bullied you into it or because you think I'm slightly crazy or because you're slightly crazy or because you are truly interested in my little life here, I always love to look and see how many people have stopped by.  I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving wherever you are.