Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Parade, Miracle on 34^th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life, Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, apple pie, family, and so much more…these are just some of the things that make Thanksgiving Day so wonderful for me!  We must not forget what Thanksgiving is all about though…a day to give thanks.  While we should give thanks every day of the year, Thanksgiving is a reminder of what we are thankful for.  I am thankful for so many things…

First and foremost, I am thankful for my amazing family!  I am blessed with a mother I can call my best friend.  She is there for me whenever I need her, even if it’s just as an ear to listen as I cry on the phone.  Thank you mom for being the most amazing woman I have in my life.  I have an amazing stepfather, Steve, who treats me as if I was his own daughter.  I am so blessed to have him there to help me out, even if it’s just to fix my car.  Thank you, Steve for loving me like I was your daughter.

 My father is there for me whenever I need him, and I am so grateful for him because without him, I would not be completing my Master’s Degree this fall.  So, thank you, dad for helping me obtain my Master’s Degree.  I am blessed to have a stepmother who has always treated me with respect and as one of her own family.  Thank you Jean for being a part of my life for so many years.

I am thankful for my brother, Scott.   We may not say it to each other, but I do love my brother.  In his own way, he has been there for me throughout my life, and I am grateful for that.  I am thankful for my sister-in-law.  I’m so grateful that she makes my brother happy.  And of course, I am so thankful that Scott and Cindy have made me an auntie to a handsome nephew, Brayden and a beautiful niece, Aubrey.  I am so blessed to be an Auntie to these two wonderful children.  I look forward to meeting my 2^nd niece, McKenna next April.  I am sure that she will be just as wonderful as Aubrey and Brayden.

I am thankful to have the opportunity to further my education by obtaining my Master’s Degree.  It’s been a stressful semester, but I know that it is almost over, and all that stress will be worth it, when I hopefully receive my Master’s Degree this Spring.

I am thankful, during this time of economic stress, to have a steady job teaching Kindergarten.  I am thankful to have a boss who respects me and allows me to try out so many different techniques in my classroom.  I am grateful for a co-teacher who puts up with my many crazy ideas, and so many other co-workers that I am blessed and thankful to work with.

I am thankful that Hurricane Sandy and the winter storm that followed did not affect me.  I am thankful that my friends and family, for the most part, were unaffected by the storm, aside from power outages.  My thoughts and prayers are with those still cleaning up from the hurricane.  I hope that life will soon return to normal for all those affected.

I think the cheesiest thing I am thankful for is five pretty amazing guys from Boston, Jonathan, Donnie, Jordan, Danny, and Joe.  It is because of these five guys that I have had the most AMAZING past few years.  I have experienced some of the most incredible moments, and met the most wonderful people because of these 5 guys.  Five Brother’s and a million sisters!  Forever a proud Blockhead!  

Of course I am thankful for the friends I can call my family!  Many of these friends have only been in my life for a few years, but it feels like we've known each other our entire lives.  Far and near, old and new, I am so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.  Whether we are enjoying a concert, wandering the streets of New York City, taking a cruise, road trips to wherever, or simply hanging out at someone’s house, it is always a blast!  It doesn't matter what we are doing, we always have an amazing time.  Thank you for all being a part of my life.  I am blessed to know each and every one of you!  I truly have the best family and friends in the world!

Today, I will be enjoying my Thanksgiving with my best friend, my roommate, Jillian.  Five Thanksgivings of living together and we will be having our first Thanksgiving at our apartment, just the two of us.  It will be a mix of relaxing, watching some holiday movies, and for me, working on my final project for my Master’s Degree.  We plan to put the Christmas tree up today, and then we’ll be hitting up some early Black Friday shopping tonight.  I hope that no matter where you are, and what you are doing today, give thanks for everything you have in your life.  I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving, and a blessed start to this holiday season.  Let us always remember to give thanks for everything in our lives.  Thank you!