Danke Schoen Day

Ah, Thanksgiving. The official start of the big winter holiday season. The beginning of the friends & family end-of-year extravaganza. The day we take a moment to pause, give thanks, and eat way too much food. I train all year long to gear my stomach & metabolism up for the holiday feasts to come. This year, I feel prepared. Bring on the food!

Of course, I am thankful for the ability to have such a bountiful feast each year, and to be blessed with such amazing friends and family. Here is a list of just a few key items I will be giving thanks to this year:

• coffee and my coffee makers that work tirelessly each morning without fail
• the ability to hear my kids singing all day and night
• surprise snuggles from my 4 yo son, whom I sometimes fear will one day soon say "no more snuggles mama!"
  
• sloppy kisses from my 19 month old daughter
  
• my husband's unconditional love & support
• my kids, for their spirit, hope, unconditional love, and inspiration
  
• incredible girlfriends
• living close to my brother and his family so our kids can grow up together, just like me and my cousins did
• my crazy parents
• my mom's new love of texting. it makes me smile.
• my office & new office mate. may she never tire of my crazy kids playing in the office sassmouthing me while she works.
• President-Elect Obama and his beautiful family. thank you, America.
• American voters, for reinstating my faith in the intelligence & compassion of the people
• authors, for their talent & ability to transport me to new worlds and open my eyes to experiences I may never have
  
• the incredible doctors and scientists committed to stem cell research. keep on keeping on, good people.
  
• Facebook, you clever dog you, for reconnecting me with friends & family all over the globe and from lives past
• Twitter, you cunning conversationalist you, for connecting me with new friends all over the globe
• the makers of fine chocolate everywhere
• vintners, for bringing the beauty of fine wine to the comfort of my living room
• local business owners, for their passion, creativity and perseverance during a tough economy
• my MIL, FIL, BILs and SILs, for being the coolest group of in-laws ever
• Etsy artists, for bringing handcrafted beauty and delight to the world
• did I mention chocolate already?
• all the amazing people who make beautiful music that fills my soul
  
• cozy jammies
• bacon. I am sorry little piggies, but I do love meat candy so.
• my workhorse KitchenAid mixer and food processor
• online photo galleries
• our Lab Retriever/Husky, even though he's getting cranky in his old age
  
• my son's teachers, for the care and love and learning they bring to my son's days
• all the new babies in our lives, and those new babies to come in the next year. we're so excited!
• the beautiful beaches of the Oregon coast
  
• Portland, this gorgeous city that keeps on giving
  
• kind strangers who return smiles and especially those who offer an exchange of kind words on drizzly days
• the opportunity to live my days with the most incredible kidlets in the world
  

And thanks to all of you, for reading my words and allowing me to know that sometimes, even just for a moment, they might matter to someone else in the world :)

May you all enjoy a lovely, hearty, laughter-filled Thanksgiving surrounded by friends & family. I am with you all in spirit! Now, bring on the turkey!