Thankful - Week 4

This year - I got the privilege of saying the family prayer/toast before Thanksgiving Dinner. I think this toast says it all in what I am thankful for...and definitely wraps up the 2008 "Thankful" posts. Here is what was said:

Thanksgiving Day is literally my favorite day of the year. First of all, of course because of the feast we get to eat, but mostly because I get to spend it with my very favorite people in the entire world – my family. Aunt Karen asked me to say the prayer a couple of years ago, but Stacey had already written it. And, I am so glad she did – I wasn’t ready...I'm a HUGE procrastinator – AND Stacey’s prayer stands as my most favorite Thanksgiving prayer ever. Well…that and Versace’s line about being thankful for Chris Bloomer. Because, let’s be real, who doesn’t love Chris Bloomer.

Family, though, is my life. I love the fact that I was raised in this large, crazy, loud, obnoxious family. Our family is my best friend – if that even makes sense. I can remember this one time in the 6th grade when my friends dropped me from “The Group.” My cousins stood by my side. Chris would pick me up on his bicycle and let me sit on the handlebar and ride home on his bike. MaryLou told me – "don’t worry…you will soon realize that family is the best friend that you will ever have." I live by that rule. In fact – I’m not a very good friend and I don’t have a lot of them that are not family. And, it’s not because I’m not friend material…because we all know I am – it’s because I truly believe that my family is my best friend.

So this year – and EVERY year – I am thankful to be a part of such a large, crazy, loud, obnoxious, fun, and very supportive family.

By the way – check out some of the “family events” we are thankful for this year on the prayer turkey (the craft-extraordinaire that Brady & I created)…such as 1)
Cori and Mike getting married, 2) Versace turning 40, 3) My mom FINALLY getting the red hat, 4) Abby getting the… I don’t know what you’d call it…maybe the “princess” life with Dougie filled with bathtubs, champagne, and spooning, and 4) Georgie and Cristi FINALLY setting the date!

I love you guys!

Amen.

So that is it. I am truly thankful for the family in which I was raised. I am definitely lucky. I only hope that my children feel this lucky when they get older. Did I really just say that? That sounded like my mom!!