Thankful

today, i am thankful.

a day for giving thanks...what a beautiful idea.

my day started with a breakfast of Pumpkin bread and coffee (thanks to Sarah)...sitting around that familiar coffee table with Brooke, Sarah, and Chris (a new friend).

...and then i went to the market and successfully completed my first chicken buying excursion. it wasn't bad. i'll do it again.

today has involved cleaning the chicken up...sharing the parts that i don't want w/ friends, and freezing some parts to make a great chicken soup in a while.

cleaning.
baking.
doing dishes.
Christmas music
sweet time with Brooke in the kitchen.

in about an hour our house will begin to fill up.
we'll peel potatoes and carrots together.
we'll watch Elf on the projector.
we will celebrate.

today will be full of time with friends (new and old)...and people i love deeply.

and today i am thankful.
thankful for my home...
...for the possibility of a new home
...for friends to share the day with
...for friends far away, scattered around the globe who i miss deeply on a day like today
...for good food
...for celebration
...for the privelege of sharing life with the Sari Bari community
...for a toaster oven that works
...for my family, both the family i was born with...and the family that i have made over the years, hearts woven together...

there is much to be thankful for today.

and while today also holds a bit of grieving (for people i love who i will not see today...and who i will miss...i already had a bit of a melancholy moment in the kitchen...), mostly it holds gratitude. and thanks.