Thanksgiving/ Fourth of July

I am not going to lie. I woke up grumpy Thankgiving day. I didn't realize it until much later, but this was my first Thanksgiving away from home and I was feeling a little bit homesick. I was not looking froward to the long day of field trip travel ahead, but I was excited to see the Thanksgiving feast that the people at the kibbutz we were staying at put together. When I got on the bus for the field trip, our teacher let us come up and say something we were thankful for. As people began saying everything they were thankful for, it helped snap me out of my funk and get me thinking about all the things I was thankful for. I began a little list in my journal, and I really took my time and tryed to write down things I was really thankful for and not just things I love or miss. Here is the list:

Music-People who make me laugh- Friends- Compliments- How Unique God made us all- People who help me see situations differently- Having a Passion in life- Having friendships in my family- Sunsets- Sun on my skin- Hot Showers- Forgiveness- Having things to look forward to- The thankful game I am playing Justin, Marissa, Miranda, Dave, Christine, and Adam- My mom and how she laughs at me when she shouldn't- Pretty things- Cozy blankets- The sound of luaghter- Truth- The way children are the same all over the worlds- Confident and kind people- Beauty- The feeling of creativity- The opportunities and adventures I have been able to have- Holidays- Friendly Strangers- Journals- People who do little kind acts and never expect recognition- My friends who listen to me whine- People who know how to say thank you- A dad that still calls me Sugar- Change- Being part of a continually growing family

After the fields trip, we had some time to clean up and get ready for the festivities. We all met in the hall outside the dinig room and they opened up the doors and revealed the dinning hall decorated in red white and blue. It ooked like the 4th of July and Thanksgiving decided they wanted to be celebrated on the same day. We could tell they were trying very hard to give us our usual Thanksgiving food, but everything had a little Mediterranean twist. Instead of gravy, they gave us their equivalent of bbq sauce. The potatoes weren't mashed, but at least we had potatoes. When they brought out the turkeys, it was quite the dramatic scene. They turned off all of the lights, and each of the turkeys has fountain fireworks stabbed into it! Definitely a new Thanksgiving tradition I want to carry on. It was so much fun! We all clapped and cheered. After dinner, I called home and was able to talk to Talon and Annie and hear the great news. I am so excited for new Webb baby number...14 is it? Thanksgiving turned out to be even greater than I could have ever asked. And the day after Thanksgiving...no shopping, stricktly singing Christmas songs.