Thanksgiving. It's that time of year where people pull out the special dishes and dust off unused pots. Mother's are busy preparing for a last minute grocery shopping trip while father's look forward to the Thanksgiving Day Game. And, if you are a purist, it marks the beginning of the Christmas season (no matter that stores have put up decorations since the day after Halloween).
Yet, I think through the business of the season, and the hecticness of preparing for that family meal, we loose sight of what it truly means to be grateful.
Thanksgiving is more than just a highly caloric meal with a bunch of relatives you only see once, maybe twice, a year. It is a day that we set aside to be thankful for the blessings in our life, no matter how small.
As I look back at what the past year has brought to me, I'm thankful the the Lord and His perfect timing and direction. If you would've told me a year ago that:
1. We'd be moving back to Huntington Beach
2. I'd get a job across the street from where I live
3. I'd become a published author (or a contract to be)
4. Our daughter would loose 6 teeth
5. Our son would become more articulate
6. Fall in love with my husband all over again, for the countless time, celebrating our 11 year anniversary
I wouldn't have believed you. So much has happened I cannot keep track of it all. And if I only focus on the negatives, there would be no possitives in my life. I'm grateful for what the Lord has bestoed upon me and my family this year. By moving to Huntington Beach, both my husband and I have gained anywhere between an hour to two hours a day with our kids, and with each other.
I think my most favorite part of this year has been our special date nights. Josh and I have found this sushi place that we love, Kabuki. It is at Bella Terra in Huntington Beach. We'll go there, order sushi, and hang out for a couple of hours, just talking. There are many things we discuss and these are the times that are carved out just for the two of us. We always end it with a movie we've been wanting to see. We've made it a habit to have this time about once a month, and it never gets old. To sit across the table from my love, talking about different things, is always the best moment of my month.
Now, that's not to say I don't love my kids and spending time with them, it is just that my time with Josh is precious. I won't be married to my children for the rest of my life, therefore I need to nurture what I have with him.
The last couple years have been difficult familial wise. My family started to fall apart several years back when one of my cousins announced they were getting a divorce. Since then, four more family units in my extended family have gotten a divorce. So, now more than ever, I appreciate the love I share with my husband and our children. It breaks my heart to see the teenagers involved in these separations, and the wedge unresolved differences places between people.
By stripping back, Josh and I have created so much more room for both each other, and the kids. Our family, as an overal, is much happier. I believe that if we put each other first, that the pressures this world puts on us could be swept under the rug.
We have not anything if we have not love.
So, what are you thankful for?
Blessings,
Erin Pryor
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