Giving thanks!!

Happy Thanksgiving.....yesterday. At least I'm within 24 hours, I would say that's pretty damn good.

We had a great Thanksgiving. It was fun and busy and full of good food and family. Just what it is supposed to be. We started at Larry's aunt and uncle's house. It is so nice to get together with his family. Aside from his parents and a couple of his siblings, we don't see his family all that much. But it is so nice when we do. They are fun and funny and nice. So, that leads me to my first "I'm thankful for..." of this post. I'm thankful for Larry's family. I get along so well with his parents and his sister and I'm getting to know his little brother and his family better all the time. I know so many people who not only don't like to get together with their in-laws, but actually DREAD it. I never do. I love seeing my new family. They have accepted me as one of them. I am truely a Roat.
Larry's aunt has a game room in her basement and I really thought Natalie would never, ever want to leave. She played some pool and quite a bit of air hockey and even cheated her ass off in ski-ball. She is my daughter!! She ate a plate of food even though we were going to my parents for dinner as soon as we left. And of course she couldn't resist some chocolate desert! Again...my daughter!
Then we went to my parents. My mom made an all-out Thanksgiving dinner that was EXCELENT! Those specific foods made in those specific ways will always give me warm and fuzzies. I remember so many wonderful Thanksgivings with my parents. They always made it special. It was always just the three of us..our holiday. And now we have added Larry and the girls and finally, it feels complete. We laughed and ate and watched some football and ate and played with Natalie's new Santa's workshop playset and ate. All in all it was successful and fun and just what I needed to start off this big holiday season.
Oh, and Natalie l-o-v-e-d the parade. "MOMMY, COME QUICK!! YOU ARE GOING TO MISS IT!!"
She particularly loved the Hello Kitty balloon, the Barbie on the Island float, and Santa of course! She sat with eyes wide and mouth open. It was great. Having a little girl makes these things even better. I keep forgetting how something as simple as the Thanksgiving parade made me feel as a child. Watching Natalie experience it and actually feeling the same emotions that I did way back when is almost magical. Some of the excitment and wonder of the season fades as you get older, but it all comes rushing back when you have a kid. It really is awesome.
So, here we go.....I have so much to be thankful for. I have a husband who loves me and cares about me. I have two little girls that make life better than I ever imagined it could be. I have two dogs and one lizard that add joy to our house. I have wonderful parents and parents-in-law whom I feel I could go to anytime for anything. I have a house around my family that we all love and feel safe in. I have my health and the health of my family. I have everything I really need. I love my life and I am excited about the years to come. I am thankful that I am me and that I am what I am and that I have come to a point where I can accept that.