Thanksgiving is not funny.

Well, obviously, Thankgsiving day is the breeding ground for all kinds of funny. Funny cooking stories. Funny family stories. Funny traffic stories. Funny scary turkey stories. But, the night before Thanksgiving is not funny - it's contemplative. And I am contemplating all that I am thankful for. So, if you like sappy, come along with me...

I was just reading my five favorite mommy blogs (Girls Gone Child, Dooce, Moms are for everyone, Straight from the Bottle, and Mamalogues) and noticed everyone was blogging their thanks. And even though I was planning to go straight into the kitchen and start cooking a pie and cornbread after finishing all the important blogs the blogs made me think I should record my thanks too. (That way I can make Jackson read my Thanksgiving blog aloud for all Thanksgivings to come for the rest of his life, as a tribute to me, his mother).

So I told Brent, who is sitting next to me, "I can't go cook right now because I have to write a Thankgiving blog and look on You Tube for musical videos that will capture my Thanksgiving spirit and thankfulness."

"And also, I may be procrastinating"

And Brent said, "That's so surprising" in a tone that was sarcastic and patient at THE SAME TIME. (like, simultaneously).

And then he said, "Its a holiday for you too babe".

And then I said, "Does that mean you think I SHOULD write a Thanksgiving blog even though I should be cooking?"

And he said, "Exactly" and kissed me on the head.

I am thankful for my husband who understands me and loves me.

I am thankful for my son. For my first year as a mother, for becoming a parent with my husband who is the best father in the world. After 30 years, you become all used to what love is. You take love for granted, it's like breathing, you've never been without it. And then you have a child, and you're like "Whoa, love" this is a whole new side of you. Love as a mom makes me think all kinds of new thoughts constantly. For example, I look at children differently now that I have one of my own - it's like I love all of them too. I realize how important they are, and I want to give all parents I see on the street a hug and say, I know. I know. (But, if I actually did that it would be really weird, like the word 'funny' in writing is weird to look at, but this is more weird with a side of creepy because imagine if someone came up to you in the grocery store and gave you a hug and said, "I know, I know." You would be thinking "CA-REEPY" not "Oh, that's so sweet" which is how I would have meant it). Okay, moving on----I am grateful for all the love my child has given me and how he makes me want to be a better person and more understanding, and more loving, and more empathetic. And how much he makes me believe in God and goodness and the enormity and power that each moment can hold.

I am thankful for all of my family and Brent's family and all our friends who are kinder and sweeter to us than we even deserve. And who helped us welcome our son into the world surrounded with love and open arms.

I'm thankful to our parents for not sleeping when we were babies and changing our diapers(!) and feeding us and teaching us how to walk and talk and laugh and hug and sing and picking us up when we fall.

I'm thankful to humor for getting us through difficult moments.

I'm thankful for my car so I don't have to walk (I hate walking, I wrote a post about it)

I'm thankful we have jobs in this recession and that we have a roof over our heads.

I'm thankful for Holidays which make us slow down, and think, and be with loved ones.

I'm thankful for this year, a year that has been life changing and difficult and has turned me inside out and upside down. A year I wouldn't trade for anything.

I'm thankful for music. For sad songs even when I'm happy. For children's songs which are the BEST, that make my baby bounce up and down and coo and communicate that he knows music, and loves it too. For songs that give me goosebumps. For songs that capture things I cannot describe.

I'm thankful for life.