Thanksgiving

Tomorrow (Thursday), I will host Thanksgiving for the McCammon side of the family. I have a menu planned and ready to execute. I will go to the gym Thursday morning and work out enough so that I can eat what I want to later in the day.

I've been pondering the idea of what I am thankful for this year since Sunday when I attended another McCammon Thanksgiving hosted by my sister-in-law to be. I don't think I'm supposed to mention my last name... Needless to say, there are many things I am profoundly thankful for-- namely, my partner Luke and our son Quinn. Last Saturday, Luke's parents and cousin took Quinn to Macy's to see their annual Christmas display so Luke and I had the day to ourselves. We went to the gym and worked out-- a very new aspect to our 10 year old relationship-- and then had a late lunch before heading to a movie (Bond). Then, we hit Target for some Christmas shopping. There's something quite hilarious to our interaction; on one hand, we have patterns we always seems to follow and at the same time, we're just as likely to exhibit a Becky behavior as we are to do something Luke-like. Does that make sense? We know one another so well and are so established in our relationship, that there is a familiarity and sameness, a security in our routine that is highly funny and cool. I am thankful for that. Luke is the most steadfast, committed and loving man that I have ever known.

Quinn, well, Quinn is joy personified. I feel happier on a level that is always astonishing me just by looking at him. When he laughs, I'm inclined to laugh. When we does something new, I marvel at learning and growing. He has car slippers now, thanks to Grandma and Grandpa, and they're a little too big but he loves to wear them. For whatever reason, when he wears them he likes to lumber from side to side, embracing his semi-balanced equilibrium. Yesterday he reveled in walking backwards. This morning, he was insistent on having his blue car; the fire truck and recycling truck just wouldn't do it. He says "Thank you" and "love you Mommy" with a sweetness that I don't see or hear anywhere else in the world.

But I could go on and go about the people I am happy to share my life with at my home address. I am also remarkably grateful to teach. I love what I do and it feels so instinctive to work with young people that I can't imagine how other adults work primarily with one another. I am an imperfect educator and person but the joy of this field is that I am constantly empowered to improve myself-- can all professions claim such lofty actualization? So, to you, thank you for being in this class and for allowing me to work and write with you.

Today, please muse about gratitude, thanks and the like. See where the idea takes you and elevate what could be a trite recitation on what you are thankful for to another level. Have a great long weekend folks and enjoy time with friends and family.