Happy Thanksgiving 2023!

So much to reflect on and be grateful for each and every year and this year was no different. First, and most importantly, our health. Grateful that we are healthy and have healthy kids and our extended family is doing well with their health too. Getting old is not easy and we are lucky that we are not dealing with big health issues this year. 

Second, grateful to just be alive and enjoying this ride we call life. Losing my two aunts this year was very sad and still seems surreal that I will never see them again. However, both of them along with their mom (my grandma) hold a prominent place in my room and I see them all everyday and remember the Thanksgivings and the many Christmases we sat together sharing stories around the table.

Third, grateful for all that we have and that we can give to those who don't have too. We adopted some families for gifts this season (Peyton picked all people over the age of 70 - she said everyone picked the young people); Austen is putting in volunteer hours for a medical project sending health care supplies to Israel and Gaza; and I am picking our favorite charities to once again contribute to for 2023. Among my favorites are the Butterfly Effect Foundation (for my friend's son, Maddox, who unexpectedly lost his life), our local Humane Society, St. Jude for childhood cancer and of course my alma mater, IU!

So much really to be grateful for this year including my family all getting together at my mom's this year (Tom's family is next year as we rotate). We partook in appetizers, drinks and finally a great dinner with all of my family and hung out for a few hours before heading home and realizing I had not taken any pictures to document our 2023 Thanksgiving! So here we are...Happy Thanksgiving!