Last night we joined the family for our Wednesday night Thanksgiving feast. Our family moved to a Wednesday night gathering years ago so that families could go to more family thanksgivings. So 19 of us gathered last night around a large table (and a kiddo table and a highchair) pieced together in my aunt’s living room to celebrate together. You can see our nametags above made by my eldest niece. Aren’t they fantastic? She told me that that my name represents me and the kids because we all like each other so much. I am honored.

This was Tadej’s very first Thanksgiving celebration and Ana’s first Tday in the US. Today we may be going to some chosen family to celebrate even more. And while we couldn’t stay for all of the ceremonious kick off to Christmas season for our family…the showing of White Christmas….I know that that will happen today as well.

It is these moments that I am so grateful to have moved back to Oregon for a little while. Yesterday was actually a really really hard day for me. Tadej just isn’t sleeping in the middle of the night and it is wearing me down…on top of work (which I am absolutely loving) and a friend and mentor passing unexpectedly this week…yesterday I cried at everything while feeling the world was just too much. A dear dear friend texted and said, “Remember you aren’t drowning, you are just exhausted.” And it felt true and a good reminder. So to appear with family and eat and be just me…it was just what I needed to be ok. That, and Ana was on baby care all night last night so I could sleep. Tonight our plan is work on a shift plan.

I am grateful for you, dear reader, for sticking around if you are reading this. I hope today brings you a place to be ok. I hope you feel warmth of this season. I hope you give thanks!

Oh yeah, and two days ago Tadej turned 11 months! I can’t believe it!