Day 30: Family

I know, I know.  I'm thankful for my FAMILY a LOT!  But, hey! Most people don't have a family as great as mine.  That's just a fact.

I love having our Vance family get-togethers!  We all get along and genuinely enjoy one another's company.  That's pretty rare for families today.  I love that family holidays are mandatory, and that everyone makes an effort to contribute.  I'm thankful that we were able to celebrate Thanksgiving together tonight, even if it wasn't quite traditional this year.

I'm thankful for the modern technologies that allow me to stay in contact with the Thompson side, too!  Facebook has been great for keeping in touch with and getting to know new members of the family!  I'm thankful for texting because it's my key mode of communication with my Denver Aunt & Uncle, whom I love dearly!  I'm so thankful that they're always just a phone tap away!

Oh!  And I'm thankful that for the first time in the three years I've been doing "Thankful November," I FINALLY posted every single day.  No doubling up.  No "make-up"s.  Just one post every single day on the day!

I hope you've enjoyed being thankful with me, and I hope we can all keep the spirit of thankfulness alive over the next 11 months while we wait for another Thanksgiving to arrive!

Day 29: Curly Hair

When I have short hair cut, I really like to straighten my hair.

However, when I'm running late, I'm particularly thankful for CURLY hair!  All I have to do is scrunch in a little mousse, straighten my bangs, add a little hairspray, and I'm off!  Takes 5 minutes!  Which is sometimes a HUGE blessing!

I'm thankful that I have hair.  I'm thankful that I am capable of caring for my hair.  And I'm thankful that it looks good both straight AND curly!

Plus, I just look better with hair! :)

Day 28: The Non-Traditional Thanksgiving

Every year for as long as I can remember, we've hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our house (with the exception of maybe two years) ON Thanksgiving day.

This year, it just worked out that more people were available on Saturday versus Thursday, so we postponed the festivities until the weekend.  That being said, today was a very odd kind of Thanksgiving day here at the Vance house.  However, I had quite a lovely day!

For the first time in probably five or six years, we were able to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was a tradition in our household up until the digital vs analog television debacle, which rendered our retro television useless.  I managed to FINALLY find a live streaming website this year, so we enjoyed this tradition once again, much to our delight!

I'm pretty sure I also managed to drink an entire pot of Candy Cane Coffee, which if I may brag for a moment, was pretty barista-worthy with it's whipped cream and chocolate drizzle topping.  De. Licious.

Jason and the girls also spent the day with us, and we put up the Christmas tree (which is usually our Saturday tradition, but... the swap).  Alexxa had a ball helping put ornaments on the tree, and Beth did great helping me with the lights!

I'm so thankful for this non-traditional Thanksgiving day!  It's not what I prefer to do every year, but it will definitely be a cherished memory!  I have so much for which to be thankful this year, and my family is definitely at the top of the list (right after the Faithfulness of God)!

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful day of family, friends, and thankfulness; I hope we remember to carry this attitude of gratitude with us into the coming Christmas season!

Day 27: Family

Today, I'm very thankful for my family.  Why?  Well...

1. Daddy brought me a hot latte to work today, and while it wasn't my favorite flavor, it DID make my insides all warm.  And the gesture made me very happy!  Best daddy in the world!
2. Helen is home for a whole five days!  And already we've had more inside jokes than most people have in a lifetime. Honestly.
3. Mom made potato soup for supper.  She always makes our favorite foods.  There aren't too many meals she makes that I don't care for, so I'm thankful not just for food, but for GOOD food!
4. "My" girls were here when I got home from work, too, and they're always so much fun to have around!
5. I have the best sisters!  I know, I know.... you think yours are better.  BUT... you're wrong.  You just are.

I'm also very thankful for my church family! Why?  Well...

1. They are so encouraging!  I love hearing about what God is teaching them!
2. I love the group of (as Evangeline so quaintly put it tonight) old folks we have!  I'm especially thankful for the ladies I sit with in Sunday School.  These godly women are such an example to me, and I gain so much just by interacting with them!
3. Our Pastor's family is just fantastic.  Sweet, kind, and funny to boot, this wonderful family has made a huge impact on our church in the few short years they've been with us!
4. I'm thankful for the opportunity to see God continually working in the lives of the kids I grew up with, and the bond we will always share in Christ! It's so neat to see where God is leading them and how He is helping them grow!
5. I'm thankful for their prayers, encouraging words, and loving actions all throughout the year, not just at Thanksgiving.  This body of believers really is like a second family, and for that I am beyond thankful!

Day 26: "My" Girls

I'm so thankful for my nieces!  I got to spend the evening with just them and grandpa (who read the whole time).  We watched Tangled and Garfield and ate popcorn (which grandpa made).  Alexxa hasn't been feeling good for a while, so she was nice and cuddly for most of the movie watching.  Then she "helped" me make my bed later with fresh, clean sheets.

Bethany was so helpful tonight!  She did everything I asked her to do, right away, with no resistance.  She even voluntarily crawled into bed early.

I'm so thankful for these girls.  I'm thankful that they live so close and are able to be here often.  I'm thankful that they are sweet girls and are usually good, too!  I'm thankful that God allows me to be part of their lives as they grow and mature, and I pray that I will have a godly impact on their lives.