Grateful

This has been a good year and I have a lot for which to be grateful.

For my family. We may not always be the most functional bunch, but we are consistently each others biggest fans. I'm especially grateful this year that my sister, who had to have emergency surgery a few months ago, came out of it largely unscathed.

For my friends. Each of you touch my life in ways seen and unseen. Whether we're near or far, I think of so many of you often and am glad technology allows us all to stay in touch in one way or another. This year, I'm especially thankful to Dr Lala, who called me while I was hiking in Yosemite and asked me if I'd like to come to Europe for a few weeks to work. Given the employment situation in the U.S., I'm very grateful to have a job.

For the opportunity to travel and see some great parts of the United States, including the Football Hall of Fame, the Lincoln Presidential Museum, the Nauvoo Temple, Mount Rushmore, the Cascades, the Biltmore Estates and Gardens, Birmingham, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana. I visited the farmstead where my 95-year old grandmother grew up in Texas and visited the graves of my great-grandparents. I saw Carlsbad Caverns, the Acoma Pueblo, the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and Yosemite National Park. I caught up with friends old and made friends new. To Senga and Joni, Virginia and her daughter Melissa, Aunt Edith, Debi, Ivo and Barbara, Heidi and Joe, Gram Kincaid, Don and Scott, and Cele and Ducky.

I'm thankful to be living in Europe. I enjoy visiting Mr and Mrs Swizzies in Basel and seeing the Alsace-Lorraine. I've fallen in love with Paris and relaxed in Provence. Along the way, I've visited Italy and been briefly to Germany. I look forward to seeing Vienna and Prague, Normandy and London, and anywhere else I can fit in.

For love. This year has been both good and bad in the relationship arena. The not-so-happy aside (there's a reason the song says "Breakin' up is hard to do..."), this year, I'm especially grateful for Maya and her love. Every relationship has its challenges and we've got our share, but I love waking up with her in the morning and going to bed with her at night. I love her laughter and seeing her smile. She's incredibly bright and articulate. She's fun in company, when we're out with friends and she's fun at home, when it's just the two of us. I'm grateful we met and I'm especially grateful we get to be together.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!