Over the next few days I’ll be spending a lot of time with people I love, likely in a much better state of mind than I’ve been in over the last few weeks. Just the anticipation alone has made me about a billion percent easier to be around. For that, I apologize.  But I’m also thankful, because not only have I had some tremendous support, I get the privilege of being around my family and the joy of knowing that this actually makes me happy.  I know that isn’t the case for everyone and family can be very challenging.

As also is certainly not the case for everyone, I’ll be able to enjoy a meal with these people I love.  It’s always, and especially at Thanksgiving, a good idea to remember that.  In fact, if you’d like to remember that and help someone out—no money required—here’s what you do:  Go here and leave a comment for my friend, JACC (a.k.a. David).  ALL you have to do is register a user login with MetBlogs and leave a comment on that post. Then, JACC and Bernard Berrian will donate their money to Second Harvest Heartland and they’ll turn it into a lot of food for a lot of people. Quite the deal for merely leaving a comment, I think.  In fact, I might just go comment again because I really like spending my blog brother’s money for such a good cause.

Thanks to all of you who go over and comment.

I wish those of you celebrating Thanksgiving a wonderful day full of reasons to be thankful. And for my homies to the North, I know you already celebrated but I wish you just the same.

The last time I did a meme was, oh, let’s see… never?  But this was sent to me by an eighty-four-year-old woman and, my gosh, if she can use email and complete a meme, far be it from me to pass it by.

What is your favorite Thanksgiving Tradition?

I don’t think I have a Thanksgiving tradition beyond family coming together.  I love Thanksgiving more than any other family holiday because it’s all about just being together. There are no expectations (other than food, let’s face it) and we get to just be. Despite having food in amounts greater than we could ever dream of eating, it’s really quite simplistic.  You make this, I’ll make that, Grandma will make her dressing like she always does.  We’ll eat at 3:00, but we’ll tell your aunt 2:30 so she’s on time.  Make sure we have enough pie. If it’s a nice day, we’ll all walk to the park afterward. It’s all very simple, everyone in their true form, enjoying the day, enjoying one another.

What’s your favorite food to eat at Thanksgiving?

Leftovers.

Though the meal is good, there is something about reliving it the next day.  Everything tastes better, and in my world turkey was really made for a sandwich anyway.

Does your family have a kids’ table?

I don’t think there will be one this year, but we’ve had them in the past.  I know because it’s usually where I choose to sit.

Is there one thing you wish no one would ever bring to Thanksgiving?

Politics.

Fondest Thanksgiving Memory:

Four years ago, my sister and her then-new husband moved to Kentucky in July. By the time Thanksgiving rolled around I could no longer live without her.  So, I flew to Kentucky to be with them for Thanksgiving, as did my brother-in-law’s sister and her husband.  (Keeping up?)  We were all very excited, us three girls, as we sat down two nights prior planning our meal. Then we realized none of us had ever cooked a turkey, and the googling, mom calling, and cookbook scouring commenced. People, we did not even have a meat thermometer.  Thanksgiving magic prevailed, however, and that evening we sat down to a fully cooked, beautifully browned turkey– albeit several hours later than originally planned.

In three days, it just so happens the three of us will be together again. None of us has cooked a turkey since that Thanksgiving of our first, so it should be interesting.

What are you most thankful for this year?

This year.  All of it.

Growing up in one of the foremost military towns in the United States, I am not unfamiliar with the military life. Neighbors, mothers and fathers of friends, and, yes, even a boyfriend or two who were all in some branch of the military have been a regular fixture in my life. Maybe this is what makes our military a little closer to my heart, but if that’s the case then I wish every American could grow up that way.

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to watch a drop exercise (I really hope I used that term properly) put on by none other than the 82nd Airborne Division of the Army at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. It’s just a little section of the Army, no more than, say, tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers. You may have heard of it.

Even with my exposure to things like this over the years, I’m still in awe of the ability and dedication members of our military have. They take their jobs seriously, and they believe in what they do.

So I thought I’d share some photos from that day, because one of the things that consistently reminds me of this day seven years ago is the men and women that responded to it— that are still responding.

And though I don’t usually take advantage of this space to ask any body to do anything, this is different. Because no matter who we know or where we are, no matter what we believe and what cause we stand behind, it’s always a good day to say thank you.