***Song lyrics (in title of blog) taken from "Celebrate Me Home" by Kenny Loggins.
*Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011: So today I am thankful for two things, one being my first meeting with my potential spiritual adviser. She was very quiet and reserved and I'm pretty sure she didn't get my sense of humor so it's going to be an interesting year with her but she helped me talk about God and where I see Him in my life (a conversation I haven't had in a while) so that was a blessing I am grateful for. Then, one of the Syracuse JVs couldn't get enough of DC from his visit last weekend and was back this weekend for a trip with his agency. I met up with him in the afternoon, we had lunch and then went to the ever uplifting Holocaust museum. It was nice to spend a day being a tourist and getting to know a friend better at the same time. So I am grateful for two very different but good interactions with two very different personalities.
*Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011: So today Brittney and I got up early (like 8am) and went to the 10 o'clock Mass at St. Augustine's. It was a really good Mass and more importantly, a really good time spent with Brittney, just talking about everything. I realized in those three hours we spent together that I haven't gotten to spend one-on-one time with her in a while so I'm grateful for that time we got to spend together today.
*Monday, Nov. 21, 2011: Tonight we did our community Thanksgiving. We cooked mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn, biscuits, stuffing, turkey deli meat (lovin' the simple living), wine and pumpkin pie. It was yummy for sure! Then we all went around the table and talked about what we were thankful for in the past year and we each shared and reflected on how much has changed in a year in our lives. It was a really good night of good food and good company. The thing I think I am most thankful for this year is my new perspective and definition of the word "family". I have loving families in Meridian, ID; Bellingham, WA; Sparta, NJ; Bridgeport, CT and Washington DC. This past year has given me, more than ever, a new grasp on the idea of "family" and as difficult as it is to have my family continue to grow, it's also comforting to know that love is coming in from all over the U.S.
*Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011: OK the development guy at work has been such a blessing during this Thanksgiving holiday meal delivery thing for Thanksgiving Day. He and I have basically planned the entire thing. He has been such a help with technology and just filling in where ever I needed him to be. Today was my last day at work before going up north for Thanksgiving and it was so chaotic, but productive. I don't think it would've been half as productive of a day as it was if it wasn't for him. So I am thankful for him today. AND my brother visits tonight so I am super duper excited to spend 12 hours with him!!!
*Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011: So Colleen's brother gave us a ride to Connecticut today and braved the dreaded holiday traffic. It wasn't too bad but I am thankful for his willingness to drive our behinds the 5 and 1/2 hours up to CT for the holiday. It was a fun ride, full of silliness and music and laughter. What could've been a stressful drive turned out to be quite fun so I am thankful for that today.
*Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011: It's THANKSGIVING DAY!!! The best little moment I want to report among the incredible loveliness of just being in the BPT again is little 3-year-old, Kaylah. I spent the Thanksgiving holiday with the woman who was my second mom last year, Karitza. She has always been an incredible sense of strength for me and I love her and her family so much. So her daughter, Kaylah is a sassy love bug who talks and talks and talks. I LOVE HER. This morning I was awoken at 8am by the little pitter patter of feet and her climbing into bed with me. She whispered, "good morning, sister. Are you sleeping?" I just smiled and grunted and she said, "you sleeping, sister?" I said, "no, love, I am awake. What's up?" She said, "no, you still sleeping. I am making you coffee." She proceeded to crawl out of bed and run over to her mini kitchen set and she began making clacking noises and moments later she returned with a plastic mini mug and said, "drink your coffee." I drank the invisible liquid and she climbed back into bed with me. That was my Thanksgiving morning...how lucky am I? It only got better and better as we went around to Karitza's family's houses, eating and laughing all day. I even got to be reunited with some of my Shehan Center kids. I am beyond grateful for today and the many blessings God has bestowed onto me.
*Friday, Nov. 25, 2011: So today was a lazy day. Karitza and I watched 5 hours worth of "American Horror Story" (so good and addicting, by the way) in our PJs. It was a lot of fun just being lazy. Then, around 8pm, I headed over to my friend's place where a party later unfolded. I got to see a few of my old Shehan Center co-workers and that was wonderful. Connie, Bianchi, Steve, Sarah, Mrowka, Brandon and DJ were all there and it was a lot of fun to see them and laugh with them again. I didn't realize how much I missed them until I was with them again. I am grateful for all of them today because they are such an incredible group of people.
*Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011: So tonight I went to my old house, the JVC Bridgeport house, and hung out with the JVC BPT gals. They were so hospitable and fun to chat with. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them and then my old local support people came over and it was glorious to reunite with them again. THEN, if things couldn't get better, one of my best buds from last year, Mr. T, swung by and visited. Hugging him was so emotional...I didn't want to let go of "Big Belly, Relly". I missed him so much. His jokes, his laugh, his silliness and just the banter we had back and forth with one another. I missed that. It was fun to have all the people I missed and my new friends under one roof, just hanging out. I am grateful for that time I got to spend with all of them.
*Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011: So today was hard...really hard. My trip to the BPT is bitter-sweet because it was incredible and now I have to go back to DC. It's hard leaving a place that is home, for a place that isn't. I was a Debbie Downer the entire way home today because my heart was hurting. It's like all the progress I had made in moving on and looking at DC as my new home was lost in my visit to the BPT. All my homesickness for the BPT has unearthed itself once again and now I get to deal with that emotion for the next week! YAY! But on the positive side of things, I am grateful for my time in Bridgeport. I got to see a lot of wonderful human beings, who I love very much and I am grateful for my time with them. Karitza dropped me off today and said, "Katie, I am always thinking of you, you will always have a home here and I love you." Those parting words made me break down but also gave me strength to keep on chuggin' along. So I am very grateful for my BPT trip for Thanksgiving, as hard as it is to leave them.
*Monday, Nov. 28, 2011: I am back at Emmaus today and waiting for me was a voicemail. I have begun to dread the red light that pops up on my phone when I have a voicemail. So I put off listening to it until around 10am. When I listened to it, it was left for me at 6:45pm on Thanksgiving Day and it was a senior calling me specifically to wish me a happy Thanksgiving. That was it, he just called to say he was thankful for all my work at Emmaus and wanted to wish me a wonderful holiday. What a sweetheart. I am thankful for him today and his kindness.
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