Here it is...

The ubiquitous Thanksgiving post.

Most of you know that I have had a spectacularly craptastic year.
Well, couple of years really.
And while I am not the graceful sort, I have attempted to handle the events of the past few years with grace and humility (balanced as always by my sense of entitlement). And humor. Lots of humor.

I do have a lot to be thankful for.

I am thankful for Bean. She has kept me grounded since the first time I felt her flutter. We model ourselves after our parents, we watch them closely and from that we learn the skills we need to be people. She has made my path more clear because everything I do affects her. I want great things for her, and that has made me a better person.

I am thankful for my mom... and yes, my sister. There is something that happens in a family full of strong women, and even when there are problems among us we can stand together and make things happen.

I am thankful for my friends. All of you. Through the whole Bartleby fiasco there was a core of strength that came from Andie and Michelle and Sally that kept me grounded and upright and walking.
Andie was the first one to hear the stories - in their raw form, before I could "funny them up" for mass-consumption.
Michelle was the first person to swoop in and pull me out of the house before the situation could accelerate, and she was the only person that he was afraid of. I enjoyed that.
Sally has been right there with me the whole way through the shock and anxiety. She took me by the hand and pulled me through the places I didn't think I could go. She has reminded me that when your world explodes around you the only thing you can do is pick up the pieces that you still want, clear away the rest and start over.

And when he died they were the first three people (who were not my mom) that I called. Mom said I "rallied the troops." And I did. And they made it bearable.

I am thankful for That Bad, Bad Man. Through the years (and the varying degrees of our relationship) he has been someone I have always been able to rely on.
I am working on my trust issues with men - I have been conditioned through my life to understand that men are unreliable and when they leave you have to clean up the mess. I have also been conditioned to understand that when that happens you look to the women in your life and we fix it. (Step one, FIX. Step two, IT. Step three, FIX IT).
He is patient with me, and he manages to reassure my crazy mind without false promises or inflated demands. And he makes me laugh. And he makes me feel loved.

I am thankful for Shelly. She has been a great friend to me... and to pretty much everyone in the whole world. She reminds me to be more accepting and open to people. I have never heard her say anything truely unkind about anyone. And she has created a place where everyone can feel welcome and relaxed and happy and just knit. And she's funny, and she's a great mom, and she's married to my favorite Matt. Proof that yes, Virginia, there are good marriages.

This all applies to Lara, too... she is so good at making difficult things semm not just possible, but effortless.

I am thankful for Twist. It's like Cheers: everybody knows your name and even the people who are annoying are just part of the experience. Twist has provided a place where we can laugh and breathe and be sad and find support. And also touch and smell and buy yarn and all sorts of yarny things. Twist is inspiration, Twist is learning new skills, Twist is meeting some of the best friends I have ever had.

I am thankful for everyone I didn't mention individually. All of the crazy people at Twist. All of the crazy people who read this blog. All of the crazy people who make my days happen.