Full of Thanks

It is that time of year to ponder that question: what am I thankful for? It is easy to think about my blessings, but harder to craft the written words. After a huge vegetarian feast created by my brother (a chef) and some overdue snuggling at my sissy's in front of the fireplace with the WHOLE family, I hope the words flow simply through my fingers and keyboard to the blogspot.

Family
This is the first time since Christmas 2004 that the WHOLE family, eventhough you can count us with one hand, has been in the same house for a holiday. We are not the idealized family portrait by Norman Rockwell or a even a tiny resemblence of a family at the Thanksgiving table as seen in Southern Living magazine. Nope. We eat chocolate at breakfast, drink wine at 11am, drink coffee at 5pm, mock my Dad's Hungarian English (endearingly), and dry my Mom's tears when she cries because we are all grown up. My B, my sissy, and I owe the 'rents a huge thanks for the opportunities we had when we were young and their encounragement to let us pursue our ambitions.

I am thankful for Moldovanyi get-togethers because our similiarities are/become so profound. We speak Moldovanyi; you wouldn't understand. It is an extension of the language of Aurora that some of you have come to know (and dislike). Also, I realized that my fashion "sense" is inspired by my Dad.

The alma (Hungarian for apple) doesn't fall far from the tree.


Friends
This was the first major holiday since I began text-messaging. Why is this interesting? Well, usually on the major holidays I speak to my very best friends on the telephone; this year it was more impersonal: texting. I am not sure how I feel about this. On Christmas this year, I plan to make phone calls, so those of you who get the call, I'm looking forward to hearing your voice. I am so thankful for you - you've been my surrogate family through the years.

I am extremely thankful that I have wonderful friends across the country. I received pictures from several of how they spent their Thanksgiving. I must share some of theses images because Jill (in WY) and Evan (in NM) had SNOW - the white, fluffy stuff. Snow is an endangered species in Dandridge; was in Blacksburg too.

WY: Lil Chili Pepper is staying warm snuggled like a lil 'roo in Jill's pouch. Jill makes PERFECT snowangels - she gets lots of practice outside of Laramie, at Happy Jack.


NM: Evan's chickens woke up to snow and weren't too sure if they should step in it. They are smart - their webbed feet are cross-current heat exchangers and could freeze. The beautiful, black rooster is brave dawdling in the snow, though later he was sacrified for the Thanksgiving meal. Evan did not send pictures of the slaughter.


In advance, I am thankful for the many, many, many, many more opportunities to do this with you, my new and old friends!