I got all my sisters and me

Today I'm grateful for all of the strong, beautiful, amazing,

talented, smart and kind women who have influenced my life.

I am so very thankful for the women who have surrounded me with their love and strength and their examples. My life would have been so empty and difficult without them.

Let's be honest....without my mom (or my grandmothers or their grandmothers and so on) I wouldn't even be here.

There are also my sisters. My 8 amazing and beautiful sisters. Two who are my sisters by blood and six who are my sisters because they married my brothers and my brothers in law.

My wonderful second mother, who gave me my husband and treats me like her own daughter.

The lovely grandmothers, aunts and cousins who welcomed me with open arms (and continue to welcome me) to the family I married into.

My aunts who watched me grow and learn and my many, many cousins. Some who grew up with me and were close and some who were further away.

My incredible nieces who I've had the privilege to watch grow up.

The many teachers.

The women in my church.

And the friends....oh the friends.

Childhood friends who moved away never to be heard from again, but remembered in the far recesses of my mind.

Childhood friends who moved away but somehow we managed to keep in touch.

Childhood friends who stayed and who grew up by my side. Some that stayed by my side and some who I pushed away.

The High School friends. The college friends.

And the online friends.

Each of them have had joys and triumphs. Some, of which, I've been blessed to have taken part in.

Each of these women have faced their own difficulties and struggles. A few of which I am aware. Most, I'm sure, of which I am not.

As I look at the women who have surrounded me in the past and who surround me today I am continually amazed at their warmth, their wit, their strength, their many and varied talents and most importantly their love.

Without each of them I, myself, wouldn't be the woman that I am today.

So my heart is full of thanks today for these...

My sisters.

A Month of Thanksgiving

I had a friend on Facebook who said that one of her friends was going to post something she was thankful for every day in her status.

So I said to myself, "Self... this would be a great thing to do."

So I did.

Now I'm saying to myself, "Self it would be good for you to elaborate and maybe go a little deeper than just a status update each day."

So I am.

My FB Thankful status update for the day...

I'm thankful that I live in a country where my voice can be heard. Thankful that I can go out and vote today. I hope you'll get out there too.

I went and voted today. Without fear or worry. For this right...No...

For this, privilege I am very thankful.

Do you realize that there are billions.....BILLIONS of people in this world who cannot do what I (and hopefully you) just did today?

All I had to do was walk out to my car, hop in and drive about a block away. I could have walked but I was picking up my mom and taking her with me so she could cast her vote as well.

In my area there was a slight problem with the cards. Making it so we had to wait a slightly longer amount of time to cast my vote. I was there for maybe 10 maybe 15 minutes tops.

One of the poll managers was apologizing for the wait.

I am so thankful that's all I had to contend with.

I am so very thankful that I didn't have to walk miles and stand in line for hours maybe even days to vote.

I am incredibly thankful that I didn't have to risk my life in order for my voice to be heard.

Because there are people out there who do.

Boo!

Did I scare you?

Well if not maybe one of these pictures from our Halloween will...

Jillian as Kakashi

See the glint in her eye? I'd watch out if I were you.

What about George as a scary skeleton in a "do" rag.

Beware!

McKenna the Rock Star!

It was scary the amount of hair product that was

needed to achieve this awesomeness.

Or how about Jona's "angry eyes".

He was a KND opperative.

I wouldn't mess with Numbah 35 if I were you.

So did any of those scare you?

If not how about one of our pumpkins??

Hope you had a safe and happy Halloween.

Now...where did those kids put their candy buckets?