thanksgiving 2015

We had a really low-key Thanksgiving this year. I was the only Nielson child to not go to Arizona this Thanksgiving, which was sad for me, knowing that my parents' house was filled with the voices and laughter of my family. It's pretty hard these days to get all eleven kids and their families together so it was sad to be the only one not there. If only plane tickets for five people weren't so astronomical!

Luckily, our friends invited us to their house for the feast so we didn't have to be alone. We still got to enjoy lots of quality family time together all day as I cooked four pies (I have problems), sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce to contribute to the meal. We had the Macy's Day parade and the football game on in the background and the yard was covered in white from some serious frost we've been having, which felt perfect.

I didn't take any pictures of the food, which is SO not like me, but I did manage to get a few pictures of the kids in their nice Thanksgiving clothes in front of the Christmas tree. They did not want to take a picture though, so there's that. Haha. Oh well.

I have so much to be grateful for. I have running water, a warm home and food to eat. It's a really good life and I have so much. Whenever I feel like I wish we had more, I just have to remember that we have so much more than a huge percentage of this world. I am safe. I am warm. I am fed. It is more than enough. I wish for a world where everyone has safety, food + clean water, love + peace.

I'm so thankful for this family I have. I'm thankful for a husband who is kind-hearted, fun, talented, attentive and hard-working. I'm thankful for William with his gentle, sensitive soul and for all the help he gives to me and his cleverness. I'm thankful for Fritz and the way he can make me smile and laugh like no one else. He is strong-willed and loving and a joy to be around. I'm thankful for Louisa and her sweetness. She brings so much light to our family with her cheerful disposition and interest in everything around her. My kids are smart, healthy and wonderful and, to me, they are perfect.

I am thankful.