It’s hard to deny that 2011 has been a pretty shit year for my family. We lost my dad in January, our dog in March, and my grandmother just this past September. The Nuni and I were hit by a truck in April (fortunately, we were both OK, but our car was totaled). So it’s nice to have a day set aside for reflecting on what we have to be grateful for.
I spent most of the day in the kitchen (making spiced cranberry sauce, sweet potato gratin, kale with cream, pancetta and walnuts, buttermilk spice pie and chocolate pie. This was added to turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, creamed green beans, roasted brussels sprouts, homemade rosemary rolls, sage stuffing, fennel apple stuffing and jello salad provided by relatives for our feast), which is a great place to reflect on my blessings. I am lucky to have a comfortable house in a beautiful town, a job that allows me to pay for said house and said food, a very loving dog to clean up any food I drop on the floor, and a blog that gives me a creative outlet and even occasionally allows me to be helpful.
But most of all I am thankful for my family. I am blessed to have a loving and close extended family (who are great cooks!) a close friendship with my mother who lives nearby, a loving and helpful and funny husband who is still my best friend and favorite adult after 13 years together, and a daughter who daily delights, amuses, and surprises me.
And I am also thankful that in May, if all goes according to plan, that family will be expanded by one. This is Roo. He or she is currently approximately the size of a large lemon, and moves just like the Nuni does. You may have noticed that I’ve been a little quiet lately — I’ve been battling morning and evening sickness and exhaustion, but we seem to be past the worst of that (knock on wood) and I’m thrilled to share this with all of you.
Happy Thanksgiving indeed.
Congratulations! What wonderful news 🙂
I’m sorry that 2011 has been such a rough year but it sounds like 2012 is shaping up to be a better one.
I’m SO excited for you! After such a crappy year, you really do deserve some happy news, and this certainly is it. 🙂
Yahoo! Congrats!
Looking forward to meeting Roo!
I love the smell of new baby even more than chocolate. My sincerest congratulations.
CONGRATULATIONS! May the sickness retreat soon, and your pregnancy be easy and fun! OK, fun is stretching it, but you know what I mean!
Congratulations! There are few things in life that can make us smile like the “photo” you posted above:)
Oh, Kate what a year you had. So happy for you to be able to find the positive and thrilled for your new addition!
So happy for your family…a much needed ahoy for this year.
Congratulations! It may have been a tough year but now you have something truly amazing to look forward to 🙂
Mazel Tov!
Yahoo! What wonderful news! A big congratulations to you and your family. Here’s hoping the worst of the first trimester is behind you. I remember the sickness and fatigue vividly.
WOO HOO!! I LOVE opening my facebook page and finding news like this – congratulations Kate!!!!
Congratulations on your new little Roo, and here’s to 2012 being a better year than 2011!
I can’t wait to meet your blessed little lemon one day in the not too distant future. Congrats. GREG
I saw you a few weeks ago and enjoyed an early hint of the news. Excited for you.
Congratulations!
KATE! I am, as usual, a million years behind on my blog reading and just got to this today! What wonderful news! I am so thrilled for you. Sorry that you are feeling sick but hopefully the second trimester will be stellar for you. A little teary-eyed sitting here. I’m so happy for you – what wonderful news after a tough year.