Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have so much for which to be thankful:

~My husband~
I am so thankful for Ben. He is so helpful and kind when I have a hard day at work, he has worked diligently during our move, he is such an encouragement to me and always lifts my spirits. I am so grateful for this man!

~My wonderful family~
My parents and Ben's parents have been so generous while we were moving. We are thankful for their help and support. I love my sisters-in-law and I'm so glad they're close to Lexington. I love our dinner dates and TV nights! I am so thankful for my little sister. I am so happy she's now happily married. I know she is doing important work as a night-shift nurse, but I sure do miss seeing her!

~A rewarding career~
I have to admit, I am pretty exhausted coming into this break. I've been sick, I've had a little disagreement with my principal, the ungraded papers have piled up again, and I am annoyed with my 4th, 5th, and 6th hour classes. In one of my favorite poems, Elizabeth Bishop has to literally tell herself to finish a poem and encourage herself with words she doesn't necessarily believe. I'm like that, too. Sometimes I have to tell myself I'm doing important work in the lives of 180 kids.

~Our home~
Ben and I just bought our first house. It's wonderful and I'm so grateful that we are fortunate to live in a good neighborhood! But more than that, I'm thankful for this new phase in our life. We are in a house where we can make lasting many memories with friends and family--that's how you make a home.

~Friends near and far~
Recently, I was telling some of my seniors to go on to a college that is a good distance from home. I told them about the wonderful friends that I made and I told them that those friends became my family for the six years I was away from Kentucky. Oh, I wish that for so many of my students. I am so thankful for my best friends. Lindsey, DeLaune', Dana and Maile, I love y'all so much and I miss your faces! But, I love every email and text and Facebook message. I cherish every word we share. I am also thankful for friends I've made while at UK and in the last few years at work--they've made Lexington feel a little more at home.

Alright, few and dear friends that read this blog...what are you thankful for this year?