Thankful its OVER.

Well, I'm back from what seems like the longest Thanksgiving journey EVER. This week was so emotionally exhausting that I think I'm going to need a few recovery days just to get back on track with my day to day here.

I'd first like to give a shout out to God, for fixing the broken weather where I live. It is nice to return to fall weather that includes, but is not limited to flannel pajamas. I was seriously about to freak out about having such warm temps into December. But my prayers have been answered, and I can wear long sleeves. Oh, the joy.

Nothing says Thanksgiving like the family dysfunction I experienced this week. Let's just say I was VERY glad to be having coffee with my therapist friend on Saturday morning. I ugly-cried on her couch. And she let me, and even offered some great insights to me. She also gave me the freedom to say that my community has let me down. And I am allowed to grieve that instead of being passive aggressive about it. My therapist friend is the one who lead me to the Lord years ago, and we have known each other since our freshman year. She pretty much rocks and I am beyond thankful that our friendship has stood through a ton of "life." We are in two different seasons in our lives, and yet we can still get together and chat away. She is just one of those friends that hears your heart, even when you don't say what you're thinking clearly. That's probably what makes her a great therapist!

An extremely bright spot in my trip was the Sacred Holiday known as Black Friday. I celebrated with my sister and Cpt Mom in the next time zone over. It was such a blast to receive her picture texts and cheer for the wiitastic deals we got. It was like I was with her, except, of course, I wasn't. The above picture is Cpt's cart at WalMart. She picked up a couple of things for me there, so I wouldn't have to enter the madness. She also set the world record for spending on Black Friday. That girl put me to shame. Even writing those memories down is making me smile. In reliving the morning, the Lord has just really affirmed in my heart that our friendship is not bound to being in the same time zone, whether that be for the holidays or for the day to day. And frankly, you just don't find that in every friend. I mean, if we're honest, some friendships don't survive outside of a church building or a common interest. Not all friends end up being lifelong. Different relationships serve different purposes. Not all of them are meant to span over life. But it sure is nice to know that SOMEONE gets you. And that they'll get you whether you live next door, go to the same church, or are half way around the globe.

But enough about nothing in particular. Tomorrow (if I recover by then) I will discuss how I want to focus on the real meaning of the season, but have also become a little bit of a freak about my daughter's costume for her Christmas production. Multiple personalities at it's best, people.