Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Of course we should all be thankful for our blessings daily, but this day is a day we specifically set aside to remember all of the things we are thankful for, so here are a few things on my list.

First off, I have to say that the older I get the more these holidays mean to me — being with family and making memories with your loved ones, I’ve learned that those things are what life is really about, and I’m super thankful for that realization.

I’m thankful for my children. After everything we went through to get pregnant and all of the time we spent wondering if we would ever be able to have children, they are a blessing every single day. And on top of that, I’m thankful that we are able to work jobs where we can each spend time with them at home throughout the week. We’ve both been able to be there as they reach each milestone of their development, and we’ve both been able to be actively present in their lives since the day they were born. I can’t thank God enough for that. I’m thankful that we’re raising sweet, thoughtful, and respectful children. It’s hard work, but it’s worth every bit of it when you hear them say “Thank you Daddy/Mommy” when you do something for them, or when they ask for “one more hug” at night before bed, even if it’s because they’re just not wanting to go to sleep yet 🙂

I’m thankful for my wife. Alicia and I dated on and off from the 6th grade on, and that type of relationship is pretty rare. We sincerely share almost all of our interests and we joke that we share the same brain because we think almost the exact same way. When something happens that I’m happy about, she’s the first person I want to talk to. When I’m upset about something, I immediately want to tell her about it. I’m extremely thankful for her. For how great of a mother she is. For how supportive of a wife she is, and that she wanted to be with me for the rest of her life.

My sister is 9 years older than me and yet we have an incredibly close relationship, which I think is pretty rare. She’s always helped take care of me and look out for me all throughout my life. She’s a voice of reason when I need it, and I know that I can always count on her when I need her. When Jurassic Park (the original) came out I was obsessed with dinosaurs — I remember back then that she used to take me to get lunch at McDonald’s and then take me to the movies to watch it….and she did this over and over countless times because I loved that movie so much and she loved seeing how happy it made me. I’m thankful to have her, and I’m thankful to have an awesome brother-in-law that loves her and takes care of her.

My wife and I have had our niece and 2 of our nephews staying with us since last Friday, and we’re both extremely thankful that even though they’ve gotten older, they still actually enjoy hanging out with us now that they’re all teenagers. 😉 We’ve watched these kids teenagers grow from tiny babies into these incredible individuals with really great heads on their shoulders and we love love love any chance we get to spend with them.

I’m thankful for my parents. I, like most teenagers, put them through so much crap back when I was a (punk) teenager, and I’m thankful they stuck it out until I finally realized that I didn’t actually know everything that there was to know about the world after all. 🙂 I’m thankful to have grown up in a house where I always knew I was loved, and I’m thankful that they taught me how to make others feel loved. I’m thankful for my Dad who has always worked so hard to provide for his family. I’m thankful that he has always loved and treated my sister and I like we were his own kids, because no matter what, we are.

I’m thankful for my grandparents. Most of them were taken from us way too soon and I really wish that we would have had more time together, but I’m extremely thankful for all of the memories that I do have of them. I miss them like crazy. I’m super thankful for Mamaw Drenner, and that our boys were able to meet her and are able to have her in their lives <3

I’m thankful for my in-laws, for bringing my wife into this world and for raising her to be the woman she is today. I’m thankful for them and their side of the family for accepting me and making me feel welcome in the family. I’m thankful that I got to meet Alicia’s grandparents, her Uncle Phillip, and her Aunt Barbara and spend time with them before they passed. They were all really incredible people, and I’m blessed to have known them, and I miss them too <3

I sincerely hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with your family and/or friends, making even more memories to be thankful for.