Thankful for Thanksgiving

So, I know I said that I wasn't going to talk about how I was grateful for my family, but the truth is, I lied. There is no way I could ever discuss the things I was thankful for without mentioning them. And I can think of no better day to honor them than on Thanksgiving. So today, I am thankful for Thanksgiving and my family.

• My parents have given me everything. My mom gave me her kindness, her ability to love with her whole heart and her sense of responsibility. My dad gave me his passion for knowledge, his fierce loyalty and his intrigue with the creative side of life. Together, they gave me life and they gave me a life. There are no words for how much I love them.
• My grandmother has given me so much. She taught me the importance of loving and laughing. She introduced me to the world of travel and taught me that I could more than dream of far off places. She role modeled for me the importance of being a strong, independent woman. My grandmother is more than a grandmother; she is a friend.
• My brother, in many ways, is my other half. There is so much that we share: our mother's nose, our father's eyes, our mother's heart, our father's creativity, our passion for education. And yet, there is so much in which we differ: where our loyalties lie, with what we struggle, how we live our daily lives. And though we don't talk as frequently as I would like, there is never a day that he isn't in my heart and mind. He is my other half, and I don't work without him.
• My niece is the love of my life. I didn't know the heart was capable of loving someone so much until she was born. She brings joy to my life even when she is driving me crazy. I make decisions in life with her in mind because I want to create a great world for her to live in. Loving her has made me realize that I absolutely want to have children. She is my heart.
• My sister-in-law is an amazing woman. I knew very early on in her relationship with my brother that she was family. I love her because she is an old soul, like me. I love her because she puts family first and includes my family in that. I love her because she loves my niece and actively works to be a good role model for her. And I love her because she loves my brother. She is the best sister I could have ever asked for.

I have many other family members who I love with all of my heart, but to mention all of them would take up a year's worth of blogs. But, they are all extremely important to me. I also am very fortunate to have friends in my life who are more like family because I love them that much. To Shannon, Rosanna, Jenny, Phil, Yas, Karen, Elyse, Marci, AJ and the other great friends in my life: Thank you for being the family that I choose. And thank you for choosing to love me in return.

With such amazing people in my life, I can be nothing but grateful on a day like today.