Becca's Thanks

This Thanksgiving proved to be very different than any Thanksgiving I've ever experienced. Honestly, I think it probably was the most out of the norm Thanksgiving for my immediate family. It was the first Holiday that I have spent without my Mom being present and having a big meal at my parents house. My Mom spent her Thanksgiving up in Seattle helping with gathering up belongings and assisting in getting my great Aunt's house ready to be put up on the market. Being that when Skip passed away, my Mom has felt alone because she was not able to attend the funeral. So, going to have Thanksgiving at her house one last time with her side of the family was something that she really needed for closure.

Because my Mom was in Seattle, that left Kate, my Dad and I to have Thanksgiving all by our lonesome. When my Mom first decided to go to Seattle, I offered to hold Thanksgiving at our apartment. Typically, I cooked the turkey every year at my parents - and I knew I could handle making some mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. However, Neil decided that we were going out and no one was going to do dishes. Hey, I'm not going to argue with this decision! A lot less things for me to do.

The entire Thanksgiving Day - I felt a little empty without my Mom being present. I knew that she was out and having a great time with her family, but I realized that I do not want to spend Holidays without having all of my family there. Since we moved away from Seattle in 1990, we have spent majority of our Holiday's alone - just the 4 of us. Every now again, we have guests popping in and out to spend the Holiday's with us - but that is few and far between. We have become very dependent on each other and because we haven't had those years of spending them with a big family.

Through this Thanksgiving Holiday, I am giving a huge Thanks for my family and all the time I am able to spend with them. I know that in the years to come, we can hopefully extend our Holidays out West and we can have more of the extended family there to celebrate with us. Until then, I am going to give thanks everyday for:

*My Dad providing us with everything that we could ever need and want (within reason, obviously!). He has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I have ever met, and will go to any length to do what is best for his family. Through our moves to Sacramento to Columbus, everything has happened for a reason to make our lives the best they can be and to provide for us all.

*My Mom for always being that voice of reason, and helping through any crisis or situation that might come up. She too, will bend over backwards to help my sister and I through anything that may come up. She is a fantastic friend, and an even better supportive Mom. I would be lost without her and her silliness!

*My Darling Sister for being her! She is truly one of the best people I've ever met in my life, and my parents should be very proud of the person she has grown up to be! She is one of the most beautiful people with the biggest heart in the world. We had many years through life where we would fight daily, and we were not very good sisters. Through maturity, we have found and created that bond that close sister's have.

I love my family, and am so thankful to have them in my life daily! I am by far one of the most fortunate people around to have such a fantastic family and for that - I give Thanks this year for my Family and all that they are.