Things to be Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving!

Since I've been living in France, Thanksgiving has unfortunately been a sort of non-event for me. Every year, when late November comes around, my sister travels to Illinois to be with my parents and I...well, I just feel homesick.

Thanksgiving when I was younger meant ten hour-long car rides to Maryland, where all my aunts, uncles, and cousins met up for a feast my grandparents presided over. Honestly, I don't remember what we ate--although I know it was classic Thanksgiving fare--but the multitude of cousins running around the house was something I enjoyed. That, and the scrumptious sticky buns my grandmother made the next morning.

Although my Thanksgiving day was work-filled and I didn't get to share a piece of juicy turkey with my family this year, I still have quite a lot to be thankful for.

Like this, for example:

- Donuts with sprinkles

- A family I wouldn't exchange for a million dollars. Well, maybe a couple million. Just kidding though.

- Oh! More sprinkles! Supermarket sugar cookies. True happiness costs no more than fifty cents.

In Paris, people tend to be grumpy pretty much all the time but deep inside, you can tell they're thankful. Thankful for that delicious, fresh croissant, thankful for a free seat on the subway, or thankful for a square of luscious milk chocolate. As long as you're thankful for all the big and small things surrounding you, I'd say you're on the right track.

And now, that chocolate maple pecan pie is well-deserved!