And now for a word of thanks

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I love it because it’s the only “religious” holiday we have that isn’t specific to one religion…it unites rather than divides us.  (I also happen to like it because it kicks off the holiday season, which is my second-favorite time of year, after October…I know, it’s kind of random.)

So here’s my partial list of things I’m grateful for this year:

1. I was lucky enough to be born in the U.S., which isn’t perfect, but is better than anywhere else, and which (I believe) is going to start getting better come January 20.

2. We have three healthy, happy, well-adjusted, funny, delightful children who I love to hang out with, and you can’t ask for any more than that.

3. I am healthy, and able to run, which I don’t like while I’m doing it but love the feeling after I’m done (kind of like beating your head against a wall).

5. We have many wonderful, wonderful friends who add joy and depth to our lives, and who will help us if we need it and we ask.

6. Our cute  house is plenty big enough, and the roof doesn’t appear to leak anymore.

7. We live on a block with wonderful neighbors who know and care for each other, and who love to have fun together.

8. I have a job that I find highly rewarding, I work with smart, talented, caring people who I enjoy being with every day, my job is flexible enough that I don’t have to be there at 8:30 9:00 on the dot every day, and I’m in an industry that is relatively recession-resistant (so far, at least.)

9. I was raised in a loving, supportive family by parents who taught me to see the humor in everyday life, and who lived to see, enjoy and impart wisdom to their grandchildren.  (I had my dad for almost 90 years and I still have my mom.)

10. I am married to a wonderful, sweet, kind, caring man, who I love a lot.

11. The kids’ room is done as of today (well, done enough so they can move back into it.) No more dorm room!

12. I married into a wonderful family whose kindness and generosity I will never be able to repay.

13. I got an excellent education (high school social studies notwithstanding).

14. I was raised in a small town full of wonderful, caring people, including a lot of my relatives (with some characters thrown in for good measure) and I had an amazing “second mom” named Marian who thought that I hung the moon.

15. I get to cook Thanksgiving dinner in my brand-new kitchen!

As I said, you can’t ask for any more than that. Happy Thanksgiving, all!