Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm currently nestled under a warm blanket at Pine Mountain State Resort Park enjoying some quiet time in my room before I venture back into the lodge to spend time with my family. The Crouser clan has come together with some cousins to spend a few days in Kentucky's first state park for Thanksgiving. Out of all the things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving (and believe you me, there are many), I'm so thankful for my family. It seems rare nowadays to really enjoy your in laws -- but I do. They're just as much family to me as my flesh and blood. And it's beautiful here -- it reminds me of West Virginia.

Aside from the enjoyable company and the lovely surroundings, it's just so nice to be able to get away from Louisville for a few days. I do love Louisville, but with Louisville comes ordinary life and a mountain of responsibilities. It's so nice to sit back, relax, and genuinely know there's nothing I have to do. Overall, it's hard for me to relax. I'm just now learning this about myself, actually. I often complain about being so busy (and I have since high school, really) but when I'm not busy I find that I'm antsy. My mind keeps an impressive running to-do list. I can't relax when I'm home when I know there's so much I could be (should be!) doing. Laundry that needs done. Ceiling fans that haven't been cleaned in who knows how long. Duct covers that have so much dust on them it's surprising there's still clean air circulating. A car that needs vacuumed. Kitchen cabinets that need scrubbed down. The list is impressively long, and sometimes it's overwhelming.

But here? There's nothing I need to do... and not much I can do, really. For that, I'm terribly thankful. I'm halfway through The Shack (a book around which there has been much controversy; I've been itching to see what all the fuss is about) and after that I'm going to start The Bean Trees by one of my favorite authors, Barbara Kingsolver. I haven't read a book in ages! I'm updating my blog for the first time in a while, I'm organizing files on my computer... and I don't feel the need to do anything else. It's nice.

My new job has been keeping me so busy that I haven't had much time to blog. I doubt I have many regular readers (except my FIL -- I can always count on you!), but if so -- I hope to get into a better routine soon. For now, you can giggle at this video. Sometimes, if you catch him in a rare mood, my husband likes to pretend that my lion, Judah, can talk. I always wish I could catch it on video. I got so close....



Silly hubsand. I'm thankful for you. :)