Thanksgiving

I decided that Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday of the year. It's a day that you get to rest from your work and stress and you get to enjoy a long weekend with your family eating good food, watching movies, and reflecting on all of the many blessings you have in your life. And when it's over, you still get to have the anticipation and excitement for Christmas in the month ahead... the decorations, the lights, the MUSIC, the fun Christmas activities, good food, days off work, and the peace and serenity that comes during that time of year (I guess only if you let it come).

This year, I'm most thankful for two things: George, and Mothers. First off, George has been amazing over the last few months that I've been pregnant. He has been so understanding of my major mood swings, and in fact, finds it quite funny when I have major breakdowns and burst into tears for no reason, and will just hold me and laugh until I get it all out of my system and realize that I'm crying for no real reason. He has been extra helpul around the house and will do anything I ask him to do. He has been so excited for our new little one to come that he jumped right on the project of making a special room for the baby. He put so many hours into it, and now it's done and is super cute and ready and we still have months to spare until the baby comes. I've come to love and appreciate George more, and I know he's going to be an awesome dad, and will be so fun to have a family with.

Also, as I have been preparing to become a mother, I've had a little more time to reflect on mothers and their roles in this world, and I've had a tiny taste of what they go through for their children (though I realize I still have a lot more to learn in the years to come). But, even just struggling through this first part of pregnancy has opened my eyes to the love that I have for this child, and for the love that my mother must have for me. It makes a lot more sense to me why she sacrificed so much of herself and her time and career to raise me and my sibilings, and to teach us, and love us, and look out for us, but at the same time let us grow and make our own decisions. Even to this day, she constantly worries about us and hopes that we will be safe and make good decisions, and she suffers with us when we suffer, and celebrates when we celebrate. She knows so much and always seems to have the answers to all of my questions. It makes me so nervous to become a mother because I feel so inadequate and unprepared. But, I guess that motherhood is something you don't train for or tryout for, it's just something you learn and figure out as you go. Thank you to my mother, and George's mother, and all other mothers out there for all that you do. Thank you also to those mothers who don't even have children of their own but are mothers just as well to their nieces and nephews and friends.

Thank you to my parents for a fun Thanksgiving break, and for letting us come crash at your place all week and enjoy time with family. And Thank you to George's parents or a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner, and for a fun night downtown with the family. We had a blast!

Sister picture

George taking Missy, Brittany, and Braiden out on the skating rink at the Gallivin Center. Luckily there were no injuries

Me and mandy having fun with the mirrors at the hotel :)