Early this week my brother David called me and asked me to come to dinner. He said he and Kelsey were going to have my favorite high school teacher to dinner that night as well. The theme would be "Summer Thanksgiving." I, of course, agreed.
I was driving down to their apartment Thursday afternoon and I was pondering the idea of "Summer Thanksgiving." I knew he meant that they were doing a meal that would incorporate some traditional Thanksgiving foods in very non-traditional ways, but I decided to flip-flop this theme. Thus was born my brain's conception of the Thanksgiving Summer.
This concept actually has been floating through my head in it's own little sailboat ever since the car ride Thursday afternoon. I've decided to embrace it. I am constantly trying to find more ways/people/places/ideas to help me see good and be more grateful/thankful, and as a result, I've decided that this is going to be my Thanksgiving Summer.
The Thanksgiving Summer is going to mean I will be doing more to find the joy and wonder in each and every day and show a true appreciation for it.
A couple of amazing things to start off this season of Thanksgiving: I am thankful for my brother David and his lovely girlfriend Kelsey. I had such a blast having dinner with them on Thursday night, and getting to hang out with Mr. J. V. Young after all these years was an experience all to itself. David and Kelsey made some really delicious turkey burgers and banana/sweet potato balls that I plan to duplicate come the fall for my roommates. Getting a chance to talk to Kelsey, David, and Mr. Young was hilarious and wonderful. I also finally found a wine I like. Berringer's White Zinfandel. (Did I even come close to spelling that right?) It was really delicious and worked really well with dinner. There is nothing stranger than realizing you've helped consume 3 bottles of white wine over a dinner party that consists of the oldest of your 3 little brothers, his girlfriend, and a high school teacher you haven't seen or spoken to in years. I am thankful for that crazy evening and the idea of "Summer Thanksgiving" which led to this little idea. I am thankful.
I have a new job. I am extremely grateful for this. I am back to work at the pharmacy I worked for last summer, but now I am just working on cleaning up some book keeping issues they had with the computer system. Hopefully I'll be able to get a lot of that cleaned up for them before I head back to school in August. I'm just excited that they wanted me to come back and offered me this job. It's full-time, and I like it a lot. I am thankful.
Next amazing thing, I head to MN for Junior Camp on Sunday with the lovely Amy Cunningham. I am teaching a class all week, and I think Amy is speaking one of the nights. Because I am lacking a calendar to keep my schedule together, I didn't realize until about 9pm that I am supposed to be leaving for MN on Sunday morning. Yes...and I still hadn't looked over my class material. Thankfully I've been able to get quite a bit of that together in the few hours since and I also put together a basic plan of action. I am thinking I should be alright. I am grateful for the opportunity to go to the camp, and I am glad that my work is so willing to work with my hectic summer schedule. I am also thankful for the experience of the drive up to MN and back with Amy. I don't know her super well, but the more I get to know about her, the more amazing I realize she really is. I am genuinely looking forward to that road trip with her. I am also looking forward to meeting some new people at MN camp. I'll only know a few people at the camp besides Amy, and I don't know any of them super well. One of them is Jack, and I am looking forward to getting to know him a bit better because he's moving down to McDonough to attend ABC in the fall. It will be great to get to know him a bit better before he comes down. I am thankful for this opportunity.
I am also thankful for Jennie Lee Montgomery, Cayce Ballard, Jordan Bemister, Allison & Heather Jones. I received a video today that proved that I really do have a fan club in SC & GA as well. These lovely girls cheered me on. They reminded me that I am very much loved and missed in the south. Nice to know that when I get back in August I'll have people who very much want me there. I miss them all so much. For this I am thankful.
Mostly though, I am thankful to be home for the summer and for being given the crazy opportunities to travel and help that I am. MN Camp, FUEL, Nikky's wedding in August...life is incredibly insane, but I am loving every moment of this glorious Thanksgiving Summer. I hope you do too.
What are you thankful for?
