Thanksgiving 2011

I am going to start this blog by explaining a bit about the past 2 months and why I was gone for so long. I love my family and miss them every day. It is no secret to anyone that Brent and I never really wanted to move to Arizona 4 years ago...and while we really like the town we live in, our friends, and his job...it isn't home. I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to go home for a visit 3-4 and sometimes even 5-6 times every year which has made living away a little easier. Last Christmas when we found out I was

pregnant with Harlow I knew that I wouldn't be able to fly home until after she was born...big bummer but worth it for our little one. That being said, I also knew that we wouldn't have the money for the girls and I to fly home in October (as we have done every year since we moved here) and then back again for Christmas. I decided that I wanted to make up for lost time by flying to WA in time for my nephew's birthday on the 19th of November, and stay until after New Years. It was very hard being away from Brent (I know it was worse for him because he was by himself in AZ), but we LOVED the time that we got to spend with family. We also were able to fly before and after the big holiday seasons so our plane tickets were about 1/3 of the cost of what we normally pay. Now that I have explained why we went...let me begin to share with you all of the fantastic things that we got to do while we were there. Starting with Thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving in my family has always been small. We have had grandparents over each year, but other than that it has always been just us. This year we had just over half of what we would like to have had...but we will take what we can get.

Every night when I count my blessings my family is always the first thing on my list. The most amazing thing about my life is being a Mommy to Brenna and Harlow. They are my reason for being here. Also, being a wife. I am so lucky to be married to Brent. He works so hard for our family and we are so proud of him. I know it isn't easy for him sometimes to go to work while we are playing, but he does. He does extra duties to help our financial situation, and has worked so hard on his Masters program in hopes of progressing at work. I am thankful for my parents and the example they are to us. It is very sad, but not many people can say that their parents are still married but Brent and I both can say that. My mom and dad are the backbone of our family and we all love them very much. My sisters are my best friends. I am thankful to have them to talk to, laugh with and grow up with. We are all incredibly different but thanks to our roots we will always be close. And then there are the boys that we have added along the way. I don't say that in a negative way...they are part of our family and we love them. Nick, Ray, Patrick and Chasey are all important pieces in my family puzzle and we are not complete without them. The other half of my family puzzle is made up of the DeRoest family. That half is just as important in making us feel whole.

The other thing that I am always thankful for is good health for myself and my loved ones. There are other things that I am thankful for such as my senses, the ability to walk, Brent's job, our home, car and possessions...but as long as I have the first 2 things on my list I know I will be ok.

I love Thanksgiving because it helps us to slow down and realize what all we have to be thankful for. I hope you all took the time to count your blessings. Happy Thanksgiving!