friendship – Jen's Pen Den

Of course I’m going to celebrate Thanksgiving with a little dance. What else would you expect?

Well, since it is Thanksgiving week here in the States, and since so many of us will be taking a few days off, I wanted to do a special post before I sail off into Crazyville.

And, trust me, things will get crazy. Mostly because of my family.

They’re total nut jobs.

And LOUD!

I usually end up at the dinner table doing this:

…Or trying to yell over everyone else, because my story is the funniest one of all–ha!

But, you know what? As wacky as my family is, I’m so thankful to have them in my life. For better or worse, they’re always there for me, and they always understand my slightly eccentric ways and passion for writing. Well, most of them do. My grandpa would rather see me married off and giving him grandbabies than pursuing my dreams.

…Yeah, I basically handle that situation like this:

Okay, okay. I don’t spray mace in his face. I tend to take the less sinister road of grinning and bearing–and perhaps cracking a joke to distract him. But, in my head, I go all Black Widow on his grumpy butt 😉

Besides my family, there are many things I’m thankful for. Actually, there are so many, I can’t list them all here without risking putting you in a coma. So, I’ll just list the ones that come first to mind!

Faith

I don’t talk about this much here on my blog, but I am a girl of faith, and I do claim Jesus Christ as my savior. Without Him, I wouldn’t get through most days, especially on the writing front. Let’s face it, being a writer isn’t always the easiest thing. There’s constant rejection, criticism, and naysayers to deal with. If it wasn’t for my faith, I don’t think I could bear the negative burdens.

My favorite verse is from Mark 4:40: Why are you so afraid? Have you no faith? Whenever my fears, anxiety, and/or doubt becomes too much, I quietly repeat those words and immediately feel stronger, lighter, and calmer.

Nephews and Niece

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I know I’ve already mentioned family, but I’m specifically thankful for these four goobers. They claim a large chunk of my heart, and I can’t bear to think of life without them. Their smiles, laughter, imaginations, hugs, kisses, silliness, and wonderfulness light up my world. Even on the darkest days, they have the power to make everything better.

Thank you Dane, Harley, Cy, and Rees for bringing such joy to my life. I love you with all of my being.

The Internet

I know, I know. General and laughable. But think about it! What would we do without the internet? No more information at the tips of our fingers. No more easy access to friends and family. No more opportunities to meet new friends. No more blogging. The internet has opened the world in an amazing way, and I’m so grateful for the way it has opened mine.

You!
I know you’re probably thinking, “Well, she has to say that cause she’s writing this on her blog.” Wrong! This blog and those who follow it have made a huge impact on my life. In fact, last August I wrote an entire post about it. The words I said back then remain true today. So, thank you for being you, for supporting me, and for letting me ramble on and on…and on… 😉

Chocolate

Need I say more?

Writing and Passion

Besides friends and family, writing is my heart, my dream, my everything. And I’m so thankful to have that kind of passion in my life. There are many people in the world who never figure out the answer to the eternal question: “What do you want to do with your life?” Well, I know what I want, and I’m so grateful to have that type of clarity.

Coffee

Again, duh!

Okay, I’ll stop there. It’s frightening how many more things I could list that I’m thankful for: Friendships, watermelon gum, the Colorado mountains, my 9-5 job, books, breakfast, music, health, lip balm, the roof over my head, The Mindy Project, clean water…Sheesh. Amazing how many things you realize you’re thankful for when you stop to think about them. I encourage you to do the same, and not just this Thanksgiving, but on a daily basis.

Anyway, have a happy, blessed, and safe Thanksgiving! Be sure to eat lots of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. And, my personal favorite, stuffing.

P.S. To those who must deal with pesky, nosy, obnoxious relatives this week…