Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what you’re thankful for.  It’s long been a tradition in our family to go around the table, each person saying the thing they’re most thankful for the past year.   We only pick one thing to share, and at my Mother’s house everyone tends to say the same thing and not elaborate.  I’m thankful for a lot of things in my life, some may be clichéd, but all are true.  This year, in particular, I’m thankful for:

My husband.  This year we celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary, and we’re more in love now than we ever have been.  We’ve been there for each other even longer, about 26 years, and I honestly couldn’t imagine life without him.  He’s always been supportive, seen me through the worst time in my life, and I believe we are soul mates.  He’s someone I’ve told anything and everything to, from my wildest dreams to my darkest fears and secrets, and he’s never wavered.  Our disagreements are few and far between, and he’s the best lover, father, and friend I could ever have.

My children.  There are times, many of them, when my two children have me pulling my hair out and causing me unbelievable stress.  But I am thankful that I have both of them, and that they’re healthy, happy, and engaged in activities that they enjoy.  They have so much energy and so much love that each day rings something new and wonderful.

My work.  I’m thankful that I have work while several of my friends do not.  Sometimes managing two jobs gets crazy and overwhelming, but I have great coworkers, friends really, who make each job more fun despite the challenges each presents.  I’m thankful that I can look forward to going to work each day and not be miserable with what I do, and also that I have the means to provide my children with all the opportunities that I can.
My friends.  I have just a few close friends, but they are ones I can share everything with, and they always have the time and an ear to listen.  My life would be a lot emptier without them.

My sex life.  That may seem a strange thing to be thankful for, but I’m truly thankful that my husband and I are so in tune.  He’s been willing to try new things, and so have I, and that has enriched both the sex we have and the love we share.   Although we weren’t always so open with each other, this past year has been wonderful for exploration, and we even discovered a few things that we probably subconsciously knew but had never vocalized.

While we should count our blessings every day, this time of year is especially good to think about all that we’re thankful for, whether it’s something big or something small.  I hope you have a good list too, and that you have a wonderful and special Thanksgiving this year!