Thanks ya'll

Really? I have to do this? The whole what'reyouthankfulfor? Fine, but I'm not going to like it. Here goes.

Every year on Thanksgiving I go for a run. Always by myself, and always a wonderful introspective full lunged run. I love it. So I'll start there.

My nephew, Collin and really my entire family of in-laws. A girl just can't get luckier. They let me cuss and be obnoxious and weird and have my wedding my weird way and be a ski bum or a writer or a delinquent or a teacher or a social worker and not only accept me but seem to like and be proud of my quirks. But back to my nephew. My family's all girls. And I'm a busy girl. I like to run and play and rough house. He does too. We went to the City Museum yesterday and played and chased and ran ragged. I'm glad I get to have a relationship with him where we do that. Get each other. His dad and my husband stood around holding coats and meeting up when and where we were supposed to. I'm thankful for them doing that.

I'm thankful the City Museum exists. I remember when it first opened and it was just about 4,000 square feet. I'm thankful enough artists with enough good ideas and love of fun and play got together and keep getting together to make it bigger and better and more and prettier. Now there's a 10 foot slide and a rooftop with a bus you can get into that leans out over the edge of the 12 story building. I'm thankful that the architects and artists and welders and employees took their jobs and not something more practical with better hours or better pay or better exposure. I'm thankful those people got educations that encouraged art and allowed creative minds to flourish.

I'm thankful for my body and all I can still do with it. That surgery and time and falls and injuries have allowed me to continue to ski, and cross country ski, and run, and play at the City Museum, and play soccer, and hike, and ride a bike, and swim, and do yoga.

I'm thankful for all the girls in my family. Their long beautiful legs, their blue eyes, their smiles, their fierce intelligence, their many and varried talens, their selfdeprecating humor, their unending support, the way we all appreciate and enjoy each other and all keep in touch.

My brother. Who brings out the devious ideas that are mostly whimsy with one small part shitdistuber. His love of music, cooking, and all things family. Him reproducing turned out pretty good for me too. I'm crazy about his girls and can't even remember what it was like before them anymore. I'm thankful that he and his wife make him being home with them a big enough priority that he stays home with them. Thank goodness for stay-at-home moms and dads. Its not a life cut out for all of us and not everyone can do it, but everyone benefits from the mom or dad who keeps an eye out in the neighborhood and who could be called on to help when you're stuck in traffic or volunteers regularly in the classrooms or bakes things themselves or does little things I don't notice because I'm a hurried gal who just won't always notice. Just cuz someone doesn't notice doesn't mean its not important or valuable.

For my mama. Did I mention she's moving across the street from me. She closed on her house this week. Wild! We'll be developing a system of flag signals for when its safe to just stop on by and when one should call first. How sweet is that!

I'm thankful for my job. I'm glad I get the chance to work with families who need help and try and offer that help in a dignified way that respects the fact that they love their kids.

My many, many friends. They're all the colors of my rainbow from the slutty reds, to the funny oranges to the thinking greens and the bright yellow fuckups and the black elegant dinnerwear and the bluebird ski days. I'm a whore for making people laugh and you make me feel funny and clever and beautiful and smart. You are there to ski with and to bitch about work and drink beers and dance like hos in rap videos and make dinners together and write poetry and discuss our newest ideas and hike and cry about my broken places and read this shitty blog and I really really appreciate you.

And for my husband. Who fits in every category up here. I'm thankful for him playing his banjo along to Michael Jackson songs and laughing when I put on my halloween costume and spend all day dragging a microphone around the house singing songs at the top of my lungs cuz I think I'm funny. For being quiet when I cry and letting me do it. For holding my hand through the miscarriage all the way up to today. For the fact that he always turns the last lights off, locks the door, and lets the dog out before bed because he knows I'm tired and don't want to. For listening when there's something really wrong and trying to fix it. For working his ass off for all the people who can't pay their rent or utilities or medical bills and for doing it while still respecting them and making the community I LOVE a better place by doing it. For earning my respect.

Ok fine, I liked it a little. Thanks ya'll. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.