Happy Thanksgiving (USA)

It's Thanksgiving, here in the USA.  At our house, it's pretty much business as usual, except...

There is a rather large turkey in the oven, stuffed well.  The smells are starting to permeate the house just enough to give you pause and inhale deeply.  It will only get better.

The kids are in The Boy's room, watching music videos - rather loudly I must complain - and drinking a coca-cola slushie I made for The Girl.  The Hubs was up in the kitchen dressing the turkey early, and now he's relaxing downstairs at his computer (or TV, I have no idea) waiting on the clock to come up and baste.   All of them previously had a discussion on how prepared they were with their loosest elastic-waist pants on... ready to devour all the goods later.

Me, I'm in my lounge-about clothes, lounging about in bed watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV with my fat furry pal Sparky. 

Sparky seems to be the only one around who will watch the parade with me.  Or, maybe he just wants to lay ON me.  I suppose that could be true.

But since he can't stay on me and have me type at the same time, he'll have to settle in for his pre-turkey nap next to me.

Of course, the rest of us will be looking just about the same in a few hours, after we've eaten. Except the purring will be replaced with the sounds of too-stuffed groaning. 

In all seriousness, though...

I am so thankful for today.  I am thankful for the mouth-watering smells coming from the kitchen. I am thankful for the energy I will have later when making all of the side-dishes and preparing the desserts (for much, much later).  I am thankful for my two kids in The Boy's room and that the fact that they are annoying me means that they exist in my life, and that is wonderous indeed.  I am thankful for The Hubs who has had a very hard month this month, and that he is so much better than he was at the beginning... better "enough" that he is making the turkey - one of his favorite things to do... and I know he will be 100% eventually if we just stay patient.  I am thankful for my extended family and have been thinking of each of them and playing out in my mind the things they may be doing today with their proximity-close family and friends.  I am thankful for my friends - near and far -  who have stuck by me through a very rough month, and continue to give me support and comfort.  I am thankful for friends who have "disappeared" who have recently reappeared in my life.  I am thankful for my husband's and my work places... and that we have so much enjoyment working where we do, as well as some very supportive co-workers, bosses and friends - that is just amazing to me.  And I am thankful for my furry children... all of whom chose US to be their family.  They have brought me great comfort and happiness for years and I am thankful for every moment I have had and will continue to have with each of them. 

May you all have a wonderful, gratitude-filled day, whether you are in the USA celebrating Thanksgiving, or in Canada, the UK, Africa, Australia, South America or anywhere else reading this right now.  Do me a favor... go up to someone (two-legged or four-legged - or anything living and breathing) and tell them, out loud, with a hug if possible:  "I am grateful for you."  That's all.  No need to elaborate.

Just do that for me today, please.  Will you??