Happy Thanksgiving!

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Last year I wrote about my love of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It still baffles those who know me how much I love it. The cinnamon rolls are in the oven baking, but I'll wait to open the sparkling wine until Mr. Nomadreader wakes up (or at least have a few cups of coffee first.) We're hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, which I'm incredibly excited about. Tonight we'll be putting up our Christmas trees (yes, I take on the fully nostalgic tree filled with ornaments of childhood, while Mr. Nomadreader decorates a display window-worthy grown-up tree.) We're a two tree family in a one bedroom apartment, and I'm so excited to celebrate our first Christmas in this apartment.

This year, as I contemplate how incredibly different my life is than this time last year (is it possible I was still in grad school and fretting about pending unemployment this time last year?), I'm quite moved by the spirit of Thanksgiving and giving thanks. Here's an (abbreviated) list of things I'm thankful for:

  • Mr. Nomadreader: he's my best friend, my husband, and my favorite person to be with. I love him, his kindness, patience and the utter joy he brings to life.
  • My job: it challenges me in the best ways, fulfills me, pays the bills and provides the perks of work-life balance I need. I'm grateful to have it, and I'm grateful to have times like this five-day weekend away from it.
  • My blog: I am so thankful to share my love of reading with all of you. As an extroverted reader, I especially cherish the discussions that begin here. Thank you for reading, and thank you for staying with me when I take unexpected week-long breaks like I did the past week (where did the time go?)
  • Home: As much as I love to travel, I'm incredibly grateful to be staying home this holiday. My parents and grandmother are coming over, and the crock pot has been slaving all night to cook that sure-to-be-delicious pork shoulder (we're not really a turkey family). 
  • Winter: it's my favorite time of year. I love the anticipation of Christmas, snow and the cool temperatures. I find the cold invigorating, and I cherish this time of year for so many reasons.
I'm off to enjoy the parade and a lovely afternoon with family. I hope to spend some time with Kristin Hannah's Winter Garden (a book club read) today too. The wintry mood is perfect for this time of year, and I'm surprised how much I'm enjoying it so far.

Now tell me: what are you thankful for this year?

Comments

  1. WendyNovember 24, 2011 at 11:30 AM

    Happy Thanksgiving, Carrie. Have a wonderful day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 24, 2011 at 2:11 PM

    We're alternating between the parade and football, but every time we flip over to the parade they're interviewing celebrities I don't know or making inane chit-chat. I'm not seeing many floats or balloons.

    Hope your coverage is better! And that you have a happy Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete
  3. ZibileeNovember 25, 2011 at 9:12 AM

    I am thankful for my family and for a renewed closeness with them that has eluded me for years. I am also thankful for all the friends in my life, from the ones who I see in person, to the ones who I visit everyday on the blogs. I am also thankful for good books. I am thankful for so many things that I can't even list them all here! I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your pork shoulder. It sounds like it was yummy! Have a great holiday weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Melissa (Avid Reader)November 30, 2011 at 2:22 PM

    You have some wonderful things to be thankful for! I hope your Thanksgiving was amazing.

    ReplyDelete

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