Thanksgiving

Typically Thanksgiving Day is spent at home, in the past my brother's in law from California have made the trek to Phoenix to celebrate with us but as the kids have grown and now have responsibilities such as work and such they couldn't make it this year.

Thanksgiving is the one day we celebrate with "mi chica's" side of the family. My side of the family is too big and they all get together anyway. This year it was only my sister in law and her family, my father in law and his wife, and my three kids with their families, that still was quite a few of us. My son only visited for little while because him and his wife scored some tickets to the football game at ASU. We got stuck with baby sitting duties until they came back late at night.

This year we've had some hurdles and we are still paying the price for past mistakes, but we are in the process of regrouping and planning a way out. For Thanksgiving we celebrated and gave thanks because we are a big happy family and because no matter what we have each other.

I am thankful for my wife of 26 years, for my three kids and six grand kids, and for having their love. I am thankful for my mom, whom we lovingly spend two nights out of our week so that she is not alone. I am thankful for my brother and sisters and all their better or worse halves as the case may be and to all my nephews and nieces and all their little kids.

I am thankful that we all have our health, maybe not as good as it once was but still good never the less. I am thankful that I have a house, and that I live in a nice city. I'm thankful that I have a job a like and that continues to provide for us.

In a time where there is so much crime and hate going on I am thankful that people that love and care for the same things surround me I do. Many people have forgotten about the real meaning of Thanksgiving Day. Even though I was born in Mexico where this day is not celebrated, our adoptive country does and we have embraced the holiday and it's meaning as if it was from our direct ancestors. We too are Pilgrims that left our country to come here looking for a better way of life.

We celebrated in family unity and enjoyed the feast that was lovingly cooked by my wife, my sister in law and, my daughters (OK, truthfully "mi chica" did most of the cooking) and vowed to maintain our family as close and united as we have done thus far.

And none of these things would be possible without the help and love of our dear God, whom we tend to neglect so easily sometimes.

I hope all of you had a Happy Thanksgiving Day and celebration.