Thankful in Texas

There are a few more tales from Illinois, but since all this gratitude is flying around, I figured I would get caught up in the spirit of Thanksgiving. 

If you've been reading, you know I've spent a lot of time with various family members in the past 11 weeks. When I set out on this journey, it was with the knowledge that I had a bunch of people willing to welcome me into their homes. I suppose I take that knowledge for granted, because I've always had it. 

My family is large and I happen to like just about everyone in it. The only times I realize how lucky I am is when I hear a friend talk about not being able to ask a parent for assistance. I would never say it was easy to go to my parents for a loan, but I knew I COULD and I also knew they would do what they could to help. And they did. Even threw in extra, in case I had "underestimated". They're always thinking practically, which makes it easier for me to be a little flakey right now. One of my friends sincerely doesn't feel wanted or cared for by his parents and it took me a very long time to just accept his word on the matter. I guess because it was so unimaginable to me.

All three of my sisters and the brothers-in-law who are matched to them are people with whom I enjoy spending time. I may have more in common with some, but each of them are interesting and generous and make me cry at the thought of all the love I feel for them. T & C probably have the least in common with me, which only makes a visit with them more exotic. They've lived in places I'll probably never see and done work I know I'll never do, all in service of this country and I couldn't be prouder. A HUGE amount of thankfulness for their safe return from a combined 4(!) tours of duty. S & J's hospitality was (and will be again, I'm sure) outstanding. And they gave me a nephew, a niece and another huge branch of extended family I'm glad to know, and feel a part of. LB & B welcomed me and took me to The Cockroach Museum. They also share my sense of humour and I will will ALWAYS be grateful for that.

My grandpa is alive and driving and doing pretty darn well. Our relationship is a bit strained at the moment and may continue to be, but I love him and think about him daily. I have aunts and uncles I enjoy visiting. My Aunt J is a super neat lady and I wish I saw more of her. I have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to cousins. I'm focusing on a few, but only because I've been able to spend more time with them recently. O has become a nearly daily touchstone for me and I'm excited to be interacting with him on a (mostly) adult level. I'm glad he's forgiven me for being mean to him and I appreciate what a good listener he is. M is fun and funny and gives me a different perspective on a variety of topics. It's cool how different our lives are and how much we can still find to talk about. Those two weeks I spent with A, as I've previously mentioned, went by so quickly. She's a sweetheart and the main reason I'm thankful for unlimited texting. (Flirting with boys is a close second.)

Then there are my friends, my created family. I've got a whole passel of them all over the country and I'm grateful to the ones who've been around a long time for their loyalty and patience, the ones who are newer for embracing me, and to facebook for the ones who've resurfaced. 

The C family stood in for my biological family on many occasions and I'm thankful to have been a part of their family for so long. My friend C (the other one) has been my main ass-kicker for many years and I appreciate her bluntness and her advice; it hasn't missed yet. Which leaves C. He's housed me as if I were a family member and he bought me drinks as if he were hoping to get lucky. Thank goodness I finally opened myself up and thank even more goodness he noticed. 

Were you paying attention? Do you realize all my "thankful for"s are people? They're all I've got right now. And I've never been happier. 

Happy Thanksgiving!