Thanksgiving thanks....

We should pretend Thanksgiving is every day.  Really.  Think about how much happier we all would be?  :)

I actually never grew up with Thanksgiving.  I know, I'm Canadian, and we have Thanksgiving in October.  But both my Mum and Dad were immigrants to Canada later in their lives, so they never really picked up on Canadian traditions.  Which is probably why I had never carved pumpkins until a few years ago, or why I had never had a s'more in my life until just recently.

Now I am addicted to carving pumpkins for hours :)

Anyhow, I should say, that I'm thankful for all those things, and for how my Mum and late Dad raised me and my sister. Here is a photo of me and my dad, and my favorite Grover doll that I took everywhere.

I was brought up quite modestly, and my parents taught me the value of hard work and loving life.  I am thankful for everything that I have.

When my dad was growing up (he was born in Yemen but at age four he and his family walked as Bedouins for four years through the desert to reach Israel so that they could be free to be Jewish.  Can you believe it?!  Makes me so thankful for a roof over my head, freedom to be who I am, and warm food in my belly).

When my dad was growing up, cats and dogs were usually stray and not something one could afford or want to have as a pet.  So I am so thankful that my husband brought home our dog Maddie and taught me about the joy of having a pet, and the unconditional love they provide.

Here is Maddie on the second day we had her. 

 

Which leads me to how thankful I am that my husband brought me to Jackson Hole, WY nearly ten years ago and introduced me to a whole new way of small town life.  He also introduced me to snowboarding, which I am not sure I am so thankful for ;)

I am more than anything thankful for the amazing daughter, Finley,  that I have been gifted with.  And the unconditional love that my husband and I ooze toward her.

I am thankful for her health, amidst a few frightening times, when I have never felt worse in my life thinking that something could be wrong with my child.

I am thankful for my entire family, and though they all live so far away, I am thankful that we also get to see them as often as we can.

I am thankful that my beautiful Mum, who dedicated herself tirelessly to taking care of my father when he was ill for so many years, and who has since been a widow now for nearly ten years, has found happiness again with her sweetheart from 40 years ago.  She moves to Australia this week to spend half her year with the man who proposed to her forty years ago but she never married because of different religious beliefs.

I am thankful for my mother in law , who is a world adventurer and is already eager to take Finley on adventures reserved just for she and Finley.  She's already been to all seven continents...so I am thankful that Finley will have a loving and experienced adventure guide.

I am thankful for my father and mother in law, who will undoubtedly teach my child about the world through art and culture and books and smart stuff that only they know about. 

I am thankful for my friends back in California, who I am lousy at keeping in closer contact with.  But I am thankful that they forgive me for that nevertheless.

 

I am thankful for my friend Ashley (pictured above) who convinced me to push my creativity to the limits, and how it resulted in my first mosaic/patchwork dress, and turned my life completely around.  It has allowed me to try new things every day, meet new people, and ultimately has allowed me to meet all of you across the miles.  Though we have not met in person, I feel I've learned enormous amounts from my friends and customers at SLD.  I am so thankful for you.

 

I am thankful that my husband lost his job in California, and that we decided to shortsale our home there, so that we could move our little family back to Jackson Hole and create a even more beautiful life together.

 

I am thankful that in Wyoming, Finley has the opportunities to see and experience the beauty of our country, and experience and enjoy seasons and all that mother nature has to offer.

 

I am thankful for Ellen, who started working with SLD over a year ago, and has now become a dear friend and adviser.

I am mostly thankful for two people in my life.  My incredible husband, who cleans the house so that I rarely have to, who cooks, takes Finley to the bus stop each morning, who bakes me cookies each night (though my belly is starting to wish he would stop that ;) and who will do anything to make our family happy.

And I am thankful for my princess.  For which there are no words to describe the joy, love, and magic that she has brought into my life.

Happy Thanksgiving to you.

xo,
Shari