Thankful Thanksgiving

It's been almost 2 weeks since Thanksgiving but I've been way too busy to write.  I didn't write as many "Thankful" posts as I had originally intended but one that I really wanted to write but never had a chance was how thankful I am for my family. 

My family has always had traditions of what we do for Thanksgiving and Christmas and birthdays.  Thanksgiving was always at one of the aunts houses and for Christmas we always went to Christmas Eve at my grandma and grandpa's.  I grew up being very close my 6 cousins, always begging our parents if we could have sleepovers every time we were together. My cousins Laura and Tim were a little over 10 years my senior but I always looked up to them so much! Tim was the older "cool" cousin and Laura was super pretty and basically could do no wrong in my eyes. I've always felt like we were so alike and I can't help but find the similarities when I look at the places we've lived. We literally lived on the same street in West Chicago, then both moved to the "big" city of Chicago when we were old enough and then both made the big move to Colorado when we were much older.  Though we were almost never living in the same city at the same time I still look up to her a lot!

I have three girl cousins who were all close in age...the two sisters, Annie and Amy who lived in a different town and Karrie who went to school with me just trailing a couple years.  I have an older cousin, Joey, who I also really looked up to.  In middle school I thought it was the coolest thing that we both ran track together.  In high school he always had my back no matter what...he played that "older brother" role for me. My cousin, Wade and I have recently gotten back in touch thanks to Facebook!

While over the years cousins slowly started moving away, I still feel the closeness that we all shared growing up.  I'm particularly close to Karrie and Joe(y)'s kids since we lived within a few short miles when they were born and have tried my best to keep in touch with the cousins who aren't as physically close.

In addition I am close to my aunts and uncles.  My aunt Shelby has helped me through one of the hardest times of my life and for that I am forever grateful for a bond we share. Growing up we joked that I thought maybe I was really her child instead of my moms since we were so similar but as the years have gone on...I'm becoming more and more like my mom so I know that's not true! :)   I am also super close to my Uncle Dennis.  He's always been sort of like a second dad to me always sharing in my personal milestones. I know if I ever needed anything, each of my aunts and uncles would be there for me and what a wonderful way to go through life!

My grandparents on my mom's side have also helped shape me. They were such great examples of what a family should be.  No matter who I was dating, they would love on him like he was a grandson...and now that I am married they have another grandson who could do no wrong in Grandma's eyes. :)  I remember many trips up to their mobile home when I was little.  They never missed a birthday or big event.  Over the past few years I've gotten even closer to my grandma with our almost monthly trips to Olive Garden and now that I am in Colorado we have sleepovers when I visit. It is there that I am getting to know my Grandpa who was very quiet when he was still with us.  He was such a great family man who was a great example of a man who lived his life for the Lord.

My Grandma on my dad's side was one of the sweetest ladies on the planet.  She taught me how to make the tastiest scrambled eggs and that you should always try a new food because "if you don't like it, you don't have to eat it!"  I miss her so much and wish I had spent more time with her while she was here.

My parents are amazing and I've tried to honor them in past posts from Mothers Day and Fathers Day and will continue.  They have been so supportive of me over the years always providing for me in the best way possible. They have given me the opportunity to travel to other countries and many different cities   They gave me the gift of a horse when I was 10 which has completely changed and shaped me as a person.  Putting me on ski's and then sticking me in ski lessons for days while the family all went skiing made me a little bitter when I was a kid but has allowed me to have one of the best shared interest with my husband.  They've always encouraged and supported me when I changed my major about 10 times in college and took 7 years to complete my undergrad.  Their love and support continued through my studies in grad school which was immeasurable. What I have appreciated the most from them as of late is that they have never made me feel even a tiny bit guilty for moving to Colorado.  I can't imagine that that would be an easy task for a parent but they've been nothing but supportive.  This move has had some pretty hard days and I can't even put into words how much it means to not have the guilt of my parents missing me to help me through.

My brother and I had our typical brotherly sisterly relationship growing up.  He wasn't really interested in having a little sister when I arrived and we were as opposite as could be. But by high school when he went on to college we were practically inseparable   I was at his college several times a year and he would write me cards and letters to keep in touch.  He even set me up with my first email account way before anyone was using emails.  He was always there to help me with my computer problems and had me chatting away in chat rooms and on the very first version of AOL.  As soon as he got his licence we would jet out of Thanksgiving dinner a little early so we could hit up the newest movie at the theater.  Once we were a little older the scenery changed from the movie theater to a bar with a local cover band. This went on for years until he got married. He now has a beautiful family who I am so thankful for.  I've known his wife Tiffany since Shawn's college days and she even came and visited me with Shawn one year when I was at ISU.  I've appreciated her help and wisdom in the world of teaching when she's always been there to help me on my new career path. Their daughters, Kaylee and Kaitlyn have opened up a completely new world for me (and Jason).  They are amazingly wonderful and while I still cannot believe my brother who pretty much hated kids is the best dad to those little girls.  They are such great parents and have given me two of the most precious nieces!

This year Jason and I spent Thanksgiving far from my own family but instead in Iowa with his family.  I am so thankful that he has a family who has been so welcoming to me into their family!  They've taught me a lot about the life in a farm country and small towns and are so great to me!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are as blessed as I am to have a wonderful family!