Givingthanks

This week, I'm thankful

• That my wonderful, beautiful, brilliant friend Shannon and her family are back in the states again, and that we get to spend time with them this weekend.
  
• That all 38 members of my side of the family (my siblings, brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, parents, grandparents) will be together for Thanksgiving dinner.
  
• That my wonderful, beautiful, generous sister Joyce is willing to host all of us for Thanksgiving dinner.
  
• That the wonderful Joyce has the most amazing house in the world, which includes a swimming pool in the BASEMENT (yes, that's right, in the basement! Disgusting, I know. But I'll take advantage of it anyway.)
  
• That Joyce's swimming pool will provide plenty of after-dinner entertainment for the kiddies tomorrow. Even if it's 32 degrees outside.
  
• That because there are 38 people in the family, we each have to make only one thing for the big dinner. My thing: cranberry sauce.
  
• That my friend Kip convinced me that Thanksgiving is about simple food, so I'm making the cranberry sauce out of nothing more than cranberries, water, and sugar. (Much easier than my original plan, which called for marmalade, cardamom, cinnamon, etc.)
  
• That the quarter's winding down, and I shouldn't have to be *too* stressed over the long weekend about getting all the papers read and commented on.
  

This year, I'm thankful

• That I have those 38 people in the family. And many more when I count Todd's side.
  
• That my daughters are healthy and (mostly) sweet and good-natured and caring.
  
• That I have amazing friends in my life, including friends who just so happen to be my co-workers too. (And that, even when things are less than stellar institutionally, we stick by each other.)
  
• That I get to work with smart, funny, interesting students who regularly knock my socks off with their ideas, insights, language.
  
• That I have a house I like in a neighborhood I like (aesthetically, politically, etc.).
  
• That I've made some cool new blog friends, like B*, RV, Cate, Kait, Jo(e), LuckyBuzz, Jesse, Michelle (I miss you), Joanna, Timna, and others.

Peace. Happy turkey day!