Giving Thanks

As Thanksgiving looms, and amid all the "Days of Thanks" postings on Facebook, I am thankful for so much: my family and friends, my health, a home and a job, and I could go on and on. But suffice it to say I AM THANKFUL. For everything.

My sister and I had a safe, quick but yet long trip to Ohio last weekend to get my grandmother's furniture. It was nice to have sister-time to visit and we definitely took advantage of it. We talked about our families, our jobs, and probably everything else under the sun. We agree to disagree on some things but that doesn't make our visits any less fun.

There was also some emotional stuff going on.  We visited the cemeteries and drove around town, checking out how our old neighborhoods - and the town in general - have changed. Everything looks so small now, and we found ourselves wondering where we would be in our lives if we had never moved away. We know we wouldn't be where we are now, so in a roundabout way, we are thankful we DID move.

I visited with mom and dad on Friday before we went. They took it better than I expected them to. Mom wished I'd told her earlier so she could write a letter for my aunt, and dad asked why I was telling him about the trip.  He said I'm an adult and that I'm not accountable to him for what I do. I told him I didn't want him to be upset that we were going and not taking them, and that we were staying with his sister.  He seemed fine with that.

When we returned, I emailed my real-dad's wife and thanked her again for sharing the furniture with us. She insisted again that it was important to keep things within the family. While I still sometimes don't quite know what to make of her, I am grateful (again) that she has given us these things. They mean a lot to us. And when I think about that, I get emotional.  It was a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride this week for me, thinking about my grandma, my real-dad, my life and what is and what is not. No, I can not change the past - I only wish I could find answers. But I also realize - and accept - that I probably never will.

So I leave you with this: regardless of the state of your family affairs, be thankful that you HAVE family. Yes, they may drive you crazy at times but in the end, they are your family and that's what counts.

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!