I'm Thankful for real. I swear.

Well, I didn't make a post every weekday in November about how Thankful I am.  However, I did post a few--and kept it mostly sassy as promised.  However, this will be my last thankful post of the month as Thanksgiving is tomorrow.  Since it's the last post and I am feeling moved by the season, here is what I am really thankful for this year.  For real.

If you look at my year so far, a lot of people who don't know me may say...wow.  That was a bummer hey?  You had such high hopes for the year and nothing turned out the way you planned it.  Didn't you have a new job and a wedding in the works?  What happened to the plan and all that stuff?
I find myself today without full time work and with a lovely wedding dress that will go un-used in my closet.  (Any takers?)
However, I am thankful for everything happening for a reason.   I am thankful for that past relationship.  It was wonderful, but not the right fit.  I'm thankful we tried each other on, I'm thankful for the love that was there.  I'm thankful for the friendship--albeit from afar and quite different (obviously).  I'm thankful for the experience.  I'm thankful we figured it out before we were in even deeper, and that we both made it to the other side not much worse for the wear.  I am proud of myself and thankful for the little voice that wouldn't keep quiet.  I'm thankful for using my listening ears.
I'm thankful for the many life-preservers I found to help me make big leaps in my life.
I am rich with wonderful friends who continue to rise to the occasion for me at a moments notice.  It almost isn't fair how lucky I am to have such a community of men and women who have been with me through thick and thin.  Friends who know when to give it to me straight and when to humor me.  Friends who laugh with me and hold me when I cry.  Friends who don't point out exactly how ugly I am when I cry..and trust me, it is ugly.  Friends who know I am my own brand of crazy and love me anyway..and for the record they are crazy  too and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I am thankful for all of their children who are gorgeous extensions of those friends and provide so many laughs and adorable distractions from day to day life.  Thank you to all of you.  I am thankful for each and every one of you.  I can only hope I am a fraction of the friend you all are to me.

I am thankful that my grandfather made it to almost 92.  For him, I am thankful in the condition he was in, it wasn't a day longer.  That sounds strange but, he was ready to go.  I am thankful he is resting peacefully.  I am thankful to look back on all the wonderful memories I have of him and am thankful he is looking out for me everyday.  I miss his face.  I miss his laugh, I miss the crazy things he would do and say.  I miss his stories and his advice.  I am forever thankful to everything he added to my life.  I am thankful that a year ago he shared his final Thanksgiving at my home.

I am thankful for my family.  Although my parents may not be together, I have two of the most amazing parents a woman could want.  We aren't perfect, our relationships would not be the material a Brady Bunch episode is made of, however I have two parent who love the shit out of me.  Can I say shit?  Yeah.  It's my blog.  I can say shit.
I know they are both there for me all of the time, anytime.  I love you both more than words can say, and I am thankful.
I am thankful for all of my family--I am thankful that I am in a position to chose where to spend Thanksgiving.  I want to be everywhere!  I'm not thankful that I can't, but I am thankful that I was wanted.

In a difficult year, while not thankful for the misfortune of others, I am thankful that fate brought my roommate Siobhan and I together.  She has been a tremendous amount of support, laughter and eating.  I am thankful she listens to me over-share and babble, I am thankful for her advise, I am thankful for her decorating prowess.  My home would be a much less cute place to live for sure had she not been in my life, but that is just a small piece of the pie.

I'm thankful that my recent job loss has put me on a completely new path.  I am thankful for the woman who let's my come teach dance to her students who fill my soul every time!  I am thankful for my new plan--good things are coming!

I'm thankful for a blind date that exceeded my expectations, and continues to make me smile everyday.  

I'm thankful for a past full of enough good things to keep me happy and enough bad to keep me moving forward with more wisdom.  I'm thankful to all who share this journey with me.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  I hope you count your blessings and fill your bellies.

**As a side note nothing says 'Ali I am thankful for your blog' like being a follower...Just sayin'!
***Sorry..I couldn't resist!