A Lot To Be Thankful For
11-27-2002, 1:32 p.m.

A Lot To Be Thankful For...

November 27, 2002

Can you believe that tomorrow is already Thanskgiving? In some ways it seems like it's been a long time in coming, and in many others it is like wow, it's already here.

This is the time of year that we often become very aware of the things around us, things that we have to be thankful for in our lives, and it's no exception for me. I find myself very happy today (in fact, I even compared myself to one of Jen's manic moods, I am just bouncing off the walls, hehe). We are going to my mom and dad's tonight to spend the night with them, and I just really am looking very much forward to that.

My Uncle Gary and Aunt Rose will be there. They are coming this evening as well, and it just means so much to me, the thought of seeing them. I am ashamed to admit that it's been a few years since I have seen them last. When Stephen and I first started dating, we used to drive down to Indiana almost every other weekend, to spend the weekend with my grandparents, aunts and uncles. When we first got married, we still went at least once a month. As Chrissy was growing up, and while June was still a baby, we used to go all the time, and we even spent most of our summer vacations down there, often times staying with Gary and Rose. I have so many wonderful memories of these times. I don't know what changed, I guess we all just sorta got busy, and our visits grew to be less and less. Now, we haven't been there in a long time. My grandparents moved to a different part of Indiana, and if we went, it was to their place instead of the area where most of my aunts and uncles live. Then some of my uncles moved closer to my grandparents, and so they would be the ones we would see, although it grew to be maybe once a year or so. I am not sure what brought it on that Rose and Gary were coming for Thanksgiving, but I am so thankful they are and I cannot wait to see them. I just called my uncle to tell him how happy I am that they are coming, and he said that we really need to work at visiting each other again, and he is so right. He is not that much older than I am, just a few years, and so we were always close even when I was a little girl. Tonight should be fun. My sister and one of her friends are coming tonight to spend the night as well, so it should be a good time.

My brother is unable to spend Thanksgiving with us, as he has to work, pout, but I guess that is the way it goes. He said he might drive out tomorrow night but Stephen and I will be gone by then. He called me today, just to chat.. which was a total surprise but a wonderful one. I can not even remember the last time he called me just to talk, it's been a long time. He and I seem to be connecting lately, and that means so much to me. I literally was close to tears when we hung up today just because it meant so very much to me that he called me like that. It's such a good thing.

So, I did it! I got up this morning and went to work out. And let me say, it's the best workout that I've had in weeks. I really felt it, and I was really into it. I did my circut training too, and for the first time in weeks, I didn't dread it. It went so smoothly and I enjoyed it almost as much as I used to. I even added more weight to the machines, and really worked it hard. It feels great, and I can still feel it in my muscles. I really am going to work on getting up most mornings next week and going then. It really feels good too, to go thru the day knowing that I already worked out, and I don't have it still to do. It's amazing how much of a mental thing that is. I totally feel like I have tons more time. Besides, I couldn't go tonight anyway, since we are going straight out to my parents from work.. so it was either this morning, or walk on their treadmill.. which would not have been bad, except that I really wanted to do my circuit training today, and I couldn't do that at my mom's. It worked out good and I feel good about it. I really do, and it makes me really look forward to trying to do mornings next week. We'll see how that goes.

Well, I didn't even write about the stuff I am thankful for, but it is all there, in my heart. Maybe I will write it tomorrow. For now, I am going to go help Cory work on her winter journal layout.. and get my work done. We get to leave here early today, and I can't wait. Happy Night Before Thanksgiving!