Thankgiving Day! Hooray!

I was thinking yesterday about how when I was a little girl, I wanted to be an only child. I hated being part of such a big annoying family. Someone was always fighting or taking my stuff. Because I was older than the rest of the kids, I started babysitting at around twelve. I would save my money, and I could always count on someone to find my stash, and go to the store and buy candy with MY money. I would be so furious. I wondered why I had to be born into the family I was born into. Why couldn't I have been an only child? Why?

Then I started thinking about how much fun we have when we all get together now. The joking, the telling of childhood stories, even the bickering. I love all of it. Then I started thinking about how different it must be to be in a small family. Maybe you have a brother or a sister, a couple of aunt and uncles, and that's it. How strange it must be. I can't imagine not having a big family.

I told my sisters last night that God knew I needed to be a part of a big family. I wouldn't be happy otherwise. This is what I am thankful for. All my sisters, Alicia, Dejah, and Marlette. I am so thankful that we all love each other and do not hold grudges over the things we did to each other when we were growing up. We were all a product of our environment, and we have all overcome many obstacles to be the people we are today.

I am thankful that God choose me to be my girls' mother. I am so lucky to have such wonderful children. They are such great kids. They are fun, loving, forgiving, all the things that I want them to be.

I am thankful for the opportunity to go back to school and further my education. Getting an education is a precious thing that should never be taken for granted. It wasn't that long ago when the idea of going to college was like someone telling me I could fly to the moon. I have Sissy to thank for that. If she wasn't here helping me with The DQ on the nights I have class, none of it would be possible.

Everyone came and ate and bickered(exactly as I predicted). You can't have that many strong willed, opinionated women in the same house and not have some differences of opinion. It was a pretty great day overall. Oh I almost forgot. Last week I put up my Christmas decorations (minus the tree). I have a village that I put on top of my entertainment center. I put a couple of tealight candles out around the village to give a holiday glow. All was well until somehow the fake cotton snow underneath the village CAUGHT FIRE. Thank goodness it was a small fire and easily distinguished. It burned the Christmas lights to a crisp. It is the very first picture. Unfortunately, due to some technical difficulties, I am unable to move the pictures around like I wanted to.

In tribute to my family I am in no order listing all the peeps in the pictures:

Me

Melissa

Kering

Nicholas

Logan

Dejah

Marlette

Alicia

My mom

Joshua

Lee

Matthew

Kasie

Happy Thanksgiving to all my family and friends far away. We are thinking of you today.