To Be Thankful

As I pack, I realize just how much we have.

Packing for a six day Thanksgiving trip for a family of seven (plus an "extra" teen this year) with different food allergies and preferences, as well as medical conditions, can be challenging. We need to remember everyone's medications, supplements, braces, and other medical equipment. We need to pack food and cooking implements for five gluten-free family members, including one pescatarian.We need air beds, sheets, blankets, and pillows. And then there's the Christmas gifts for the family members we're visiting, entertainment items for everyone, cameras, chargers, and all the little things you don't think of until the last minute.

We bring a big cooler that plugs in and acts like a mini fridge to keep our gluten-free foods separate from the other food. We bring blankets and pillows both because everyone but the driver sleeps during the overnight drive and because we'll need them when we arrive. We bring enough clothes to get us through the Wednesday through Saturday trip, although we inevitably need to do a load of laundry or two while we're there because someone spills something on someone. We even make a couple playlists to listen to on our travels - one "mix tape" type for the way there and one Christmas music mix for the way home.

We pack or fifteen passenger van fairly full with eight people and all of our stuff.

We are blessed. I am thankful.

I am thankful for all that we have - plenty of clothing, blankets, and food; enough vacation time, money for gas, and time to prepare; and even a little patience as we spend lots of time together in fairly tight quarters.

We have so much for which to be thankful as we pack our van with more belongings and food than many people own and more love and laughter than some experience.