Happy Thanksgiving! :)

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all (whoever you are) have a wonderful day filled with family, food, and friends.

I love love love this holiday! When I was little I would go up to my grandpa's house in Visalia, California and spend time with my mom's side of the family. My grandpa, being a true Italian man, my grandpa had every person in our family over. Each family of our family had their expected places to work. I don't remember what ours did, I think we made the yams because that's the only thing that I'm good at, but my Aunt Michelle would make amazing pies and my cousins and I would make pie crust cookies. Everyone in the family felt like they were bringing something to the table. Here's a photo of my grandpa and I when I was little gathering some flowers for the table. This is honestly my favorite holiday! It is true about family and friends and the blessings that we have to be in everyone's lives.

Looking back on this holiday always seem to be a little sad. I miss my grandpa terribly. It's been three long years since his death and for some reason, this year I have cried even more than the others. In fact, I cried today thinking about the Thanksgivings up at his beautiful craftsman house made out of redwood. As I get older it made me realize the traditions that I have and what I want to bring to the table when I have a family. I'm sure like every other girl, thinking about having a family during the holidays is normal. I know, like my grandpa, I want a big house with all of my family over from far and wide to come and celebrate being together.

I love my family, even though, at times I want to slap them upside the head and wonder what the hell they are doing. But, in the end, they are your family. They will always be there for you no matter what.

I guess one thing that seems to be different this year is college. I mean, I love college right now, I have some great friends and I love it. However, some of my old friends are home right now. Which is nice, don't get me wrong, but also a little different. I'm so used to all of my friends being home for the holidays and not having to schedule visits, it would just happen. Now, there seems to be a time frame for some of them. I know that there's only a selected amount of time to see them. I just can't call them up next week and see if they want to hang out at Panera and then go see a movie. I love that my friends from high school are home. For some, it's hanging out like old times, and for others, I know that both of us have had good intentions of keeping in touch with each other, but school and life seem to get in the way. Is this what it is going to be like in the real world? Only having selected times where you can see your friends that you have known for years? If so, it's a good thing we're practicing now.

About two months ago, I couldn't wait to see my friends from high school. In fact, I was counting down the days. Now, it's deciding to go to your alma mater's high school game or hang out with friends from college at a concert? Don't get me wrong, I love my high school and all of my friends, but I can't just keep on living my life as if I was in high school. I have to keep building my friendships with the other people that I have in college. There has to be a happy medium between the two. Here's the thing: I know my friends and my relationships with them. I know that I love them very much and I am so thankful to have them in my life. And to be quite honest, it doesn't matter if I met them 14 years ago or 14 minutes ago. All I know is that these people make my life richer.

And that's what Thanksgiving is all about, understanding what you are thankful for. This year I am thankful for all of my friends, family and loved ones. I hope you all have a blessed holiday.