Thankfulness

Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving with the traditional feasting on roast meats and potatoes smothered in gravy. Today I laid in bed enjoying the holiday and extra day of weekend, and although it's overdone, decided I needed to document all the great things in my life I am thankful for. 'Cause there is a lot. and heaven knows we don't take enough time at all in our normal lives to really sit down and think about it. That is, after all, why this whole holiday exists, isn't it? Actually, now that I think of it, it's one of the few holidays left that isn't over commercialized and exaggerated to make us spend money on worthless crap. Other than turkey's that is, and turkey's really are delicious.

So to start off, I am thankful for mornings like this. Mornings I can spend lazily in bed til I choose to get up, surrounded by my furry family. Nothing beats snoozing a few more minutes listening to the purring of my cat Dave. He had respiratory issues as a kitten and now has the loudest purr I've ever heard on a cat. Then there is Niko who loves to be cuddled. She obviously has abandonment issues that now make her needy and she loves to feel protected. Also she is queen of making biscuits, that kneading action cats make when they are super happy and content. And then there is Cuddles, with her soft puppy ears that are so soothing to pet, and how she stretches out beside me, long dogging it up. This morning we were minus Derek, who had to work, so we stretched out extra exaggerated and between the four of us took up the entire king sized bed. Until someone has to pee, and then we get started with the day.

 It's hard to find photos off all three napping together, but there are plenty of Dave and Niko

This is a great example of Long Dog. Long Cat is well known on the interwebs and in real life, but long dog is quite a bit rarer.

I am also thankful of my loving husband. He has a great job and contributes way more to the financial well being of the household than the other four of us combined (the animals clearly have income, how else do you explain the gifts they give each Christmas?). He puts up with all of my quirks and crazy, and he knows how to fix just about anything. Also he always has a project, or an idea, and he actually follows through on it, successfully or not. I also enjoy his arms. 'Nuff said.

Getting married in front of the liquor cabinet

I am thankful for the rest of my family, near and far, and my in-laws which I completely lucked out on. I am thankful for having a handful of really great friends from high school and university who I know will always be there, and for a handful of newer friends here in GP, who like us somehow ended up in Northern Alberta away from everyone back east. Adult friends are definitely harder to meet and maintain, and so when you find them they are a rare treat. 

I am thankful for all my stuff. Not in a shallow way hopefully, but in a way that I appreciate what I have and realize how much easier it makes my life. I am proud of what Derek and I have accomplished, our home, our lifestyle, and what we've surrounded ourselves with. I'm thankful that we are both healthy, have stable jobs we enjoy, and that we work schedules that somewhat align to allow us time together. 

Well, at risk of this going on forever, I will cut it off here. I am definitely thankful. Right now, most of all about this day off of work which I can now spend with a friend I haven't had time to catch up with in the past two weeks, eating sushi and boot shopping. Which is an amazing way to spend a holiday, ooo, now that I am not in retail I am thankful for holiday shopping :) I am also thankful for leftovers, I think hot turkey sandwiches are almost better than the original meal...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!