Being Thankful

This year I was not fortunate enough to get my request in early enough to get real time off for Thanksgiving. Someone else beat me to it, and since we're short staffed all the time - when one person is on vacation, everyone else gets to work. So, I still have one more night of work before I can head off to my parents house to put myself into a turkey coma.

However, I wanted to get all kinds of sentimental, considering it is Thanksgiving and all. Basically, I wanted to talk a bit about what I am thankful for.

Of course, first comes my family. I am blessed with a family that I couldn't live without. Now, as with every family, we have drama, conflict, and issues, but even so I love them with all my heart. They are always there for me, even when I'm not sure I deserve it. And with current options sitting in front of me (go here and here or further details), they've been nothing but supportive and only want what makes me happy. Many family members I don't get to see very often due to the physical distance between us, and I thoroughly enjoy any real time I get to spend with them. For instance, my younger cousin who is attending University of Washington will be down for the holiday. She grew up in Georgia, 3000 miles away from all her CA family. Hopefully on Friday she and I can steal a couple hours to ourselves to go see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 1), seeing as we are the only two people in our family who love the series. All in all, however dysfunctional we all are, my family is my world. 

My friends. I am an one of those people that has a few very close friends. People that know me as well as I know them. My bestest is a girl I've known since we were juniors in high school. We clicked on a certain level and have never once looked back. We understand each other and accept each other. Including the flaws.  And she's still willing to hang out with me in public. She's definitely a keeper. We've had many conversations that end with us laughing hard enough to make us cry, and conversations that where each of us were crying on each others shoulders. My other friends, though not labeled as the "bestest" are no less important. One of my friends, whom I have known for about 22 years (and our mothers have been besties for over 40 years!), has come to my aid at the last minute, even via text message. Awhile back I was in tears over something and didn't know who to ask for help. I texted her and she convinced me I wasn't completely insane and fully understood my "issue". After several texts I was feeling better and had she been there in person, I would have hugged her til her eyes popped out. Even if I don't hang out with them all the time, they always make me smile, laugh, and just feel good. Without friends I wouldn't have made it through living with Suzi or several rough nights at work.

As often as it annoys me or downright pisses me off, I am thankful for my job. It's allowed me to be independent. It pays my bills. It has taught me things. Sometimes I think it teaches me to make up new curse words. But especially, in this economy, I am thankful to have a decent paying job that allows me to keep my car and a roof over my head and food in my fridge. Even if it does give me a knot in my shoulder and a skin irritation from the "personal protection equipment" I'm supposed to use.

A bit of the silly here - I'm also thankful for my cat. Even though she cost me a few hundred dollars a few months ago in vet bills, she's my little snuggle-bug of a lap cat. It's nice to come home to have it not be empty. Not that she's great at giving advice or anything, but it's nice to know I'm completely alone in my apartment. On my days off, I enjoy laying on the couch, cat cuddle on my lap or right next to me, purring in my ear.

I am also thankful for opportunities I've had. Usually thanks to help from my family, without whom I wouldn't have been able to have. They helped me afford to go on my internship to Florida and be unemployed for 9 weeks. I would do it again in a heartbeat. They helped me to afford to go on a 3 week back East trip in high school for government. One day I would love to be able to retrace that trip. They helped me afford plane tickets to see my college boyfriend, and I was able to get to see parts of Montana and Colorado. My wonderful trip to the very first Stagecoach Festival in Indio, CA where my good friend and I finally got to see George Strait. The Nickelback concert last year that was probably one of the funnest concerts ever, and I got to go with a large group of great friends. The tribute Santa Rosa did to Charles Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts comic strip, that my mom and I attended on our last mother/daughter trip. The cruise my mom and I took when I was a senior in high school.  Going to Chicago for work. Visiting family in Georgia. Being a bridesmaid in the weddings of two wonderful friends. Things like that.

I'm not only thankful for any or all of these items at Thanksgiving. I'm always thankful for them. I'm always thankful for the people in my life. And what they help me accomplish. For that, I am truly blessed.

Have a happy and wonderful turkey coma everyone. (And if you're vegetarian, have a wonderful tofurkey  coma).