Many of our Thanksgivings have been as they were this year – small and close to home.

As most of you know, we are a football family and Thanksgiving occurs in season regardless of our level or division. That also means our Coach has meetings and practices as he would every other week in season. Football doesn’t recognize any holidays – didn’t you just spend all day eating and watching football? 🙂

This year, many of you shared a similar experience. 

As a woman who spent her entire life surrounded by the warmth and laughter of a huge family, I understand your sadness and feelings of disruption being separated from your favorite people. We do our best to adjust but also recognize it isn’t easy for everyone to ‘just do’. We now intentionally spend more time talking on the phone, texting, video chatting, sharing pictures, and generally checking in.

As a Coach’s wife, staying connected with my family has been critical in keeping my feelings of isolation and being physically disconnected from them in check. It’s not easy being so far away from them every Thanksgiving.

This year, our Camryn insisted we dress appropriately for our meal. She also copied the menu to display and initiated our Thankful Declarations. Charlie made us his version of s’mores (graham crackers, vanilla frosting, and sprinkles) and proudly added his contribution to the table as it was being set. He also shared that he was thankful for his toys, iPad, his friends, Mrs. Clemens (his teacher), and Camryn. 

So, we already know who will call and visit us as we age…

I am thankful for my sweet little family. Each one enhances my life in ways I could have never imagined. Sure, they drive me to my back porch for a breather every now and then but, I would be lost without them.

Thankful.