Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear bloggy friends:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I know this day can bring emotional collision for many of you.

Some of you are dreading it because of who might be missing this year, whether that missing person was there before and now is gone or has yet to arrive at all. Some of you are dreading it because you know it will escalate family drama or punctuate the truth that you're separated from family, even if family brings drama. Some of you are dreading it because you really don't like anything turkey or pumpkin.

But some of you are excited for it. Excited for a day off, a day of rest, a day with family. Maybe some of you are excited for the turkey and pumpkin.

Regardless of the camp you land in today, it's a day to pause and be thankful for what is good and right. Even if you have to think hard, there is something good and right in your world.

We're thankful, here in Shafferland, because we're wrapping up our third year of life together, and while it has been all kinds of interesting this year, we celebrate the things that have transpired since this same day last year.

* We are thankful our Greentown house sold. Last year at Thanksgiving, we were still biting our nails waiting for Ryan's house in Greentown to sell. It held {probably still holds, actually} the record for the longest sale in our Realtor's career. Not exactly what we were going for, but I guess it's good to hold a record in something. This year of just owning one home has been beautiful. And every time we drive by it, we're thankful for the family who gets to enjoy it now. They've had a hard year, and we hope the house has made it a little brighter.

* We are thankful for our health and the fine folks in health care. After a year of continued dental rehab AND gallbladder surgery, I am thankful to be feeling healthy this year. I'm thankful for insurance, for the nurses and doctors who took care of me, and for all the many friends and family members who came to visit and brought delicious food. And I'm really thankful Ryan is so great about health care. He was encouraging and helpful and a prayer warrior when I was so scared.

 * We are thankful for the change in seasons. Leaving WBCL was a hard act of obedience, but we are grateful we said yes to this major life change. This new season of life has brought about much adjustment, but it has also brought about much freedom and much rest that we had sorely been missing in our lives. I am grateful for Ryan's sacrifices so I can pursue writing and homemaking, and Ryan is grateful for the additional rest and free time he gets since he doesn't have as many home-chores anymore!

* We are thankful for Mo. That may be a first - a couch making a gratitude list. But last year, we stepped away from tradition and scrapped giving each other Christmas gifts so we could get our beloved couch {which we named Mo, in case you're new here and don't have a clue what I'm talking about}. It was one of the best investments we made in our daily life. We love Mo! He was so helpful on my gallternity leave, he's been a great place to curl up and read, to take naps, to offer to guests...we love Mo!

* We are thankful for new opportunities to serve. This year brought about a couple of new ways that we can serve together at church, and we have so enjoyed them. We get to help with greeting and with the little cafe, and both have been a blast for us. Sometimes finding your place in a church can be hard, especially when you go to a big church, so we've been thankful for these opportunities that come our way.

* We are thankful for simple. One of the big things we've taken on in the past year - and are continuing to take on in additional forms - is simplicity. Part of quitting my job was about simplifying. Taking on the capsule wardrobe project was about simplifying. And there are many other things as well. Getting to comb through our house and get rid of what we don't need was freeing. {And I'm about to go for round two.} Having a yard sale and getting to see the fruit of the labor was freeing and financially helpful. So we're just thankful to be at a place where we don't need more stuff as much as we need more simplicity.

* We are thankful for vacations. Vacations are a privilege, not a given. This I learned during about the first seven years of my post-college life when I could not afford one at all. :( So I am hyper-sensitive when it comes to appreciating the opportunity to sneak away, even for a little bit. This year we had the chance to spend a long weekend in Tennessee, a long weekend at the lake with Ryan's family, and a long week running around the eastern half of this nation. We are grateful for safety in our travels, amazing weather, and the beauty of this country that we got to see while we drove and hiked around. Thankful, thankful, thankful.

There's much more, but you have a dinner to go eat, I'm sure. Thank YOU, dear friends, for hanging out here with us, reading our adventures, and chatting with us in the comments. We say frequently that we don't understand why people want to come over and read our crazy stories, but sure are thankful you do.

We love you!!!