It is 1 week before Thanksgiving. I thought this was a good time to list some of the things I am thankful for this year. It has been a very tough year for me, starting with the end of last year, I lost an ex-boyfriend to liver disease. Then in February, lost a friend to a car accident and then in August 2007, I lost my best friend Thomas. I had always known I wanted to come back to New England, and I made it my mission after Thomas's passing to make it happen.

We are now in Phippsburg, Maine in our little house in the woods. If any of the women out there have read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books this house would be their first house, it is what I imagined it would be after reading those books as a little girl. "Little House in the Big Woods" was the First Story. The Values that the Ingalls family had, is still very much part of our life no matter what changes, family values should never change.

Family is very important to me, my mom was in the hospital this week getting knee replacement, I saw her yesterday she looked great. The last few times I saw her she looked stressed out. I knew she was worried about this operation, but now she is doing fine and going home today. My mom really is my best friend, we laugh about the stupidest things together, my sisters I don't think compeletly understand the my mom's and mine relationship.

My older sister Lynne is so close to her daughter Lauren who is in her 3rd year at University of Maryland, I believe she does understand but might be a bit jealous, when she is so fortunate to have such a great relationship with her own daughter. I will never have that, and I am sad about it.

I am thankful to finally be home for Thanksgiving, it will be the first time in years, we were all together for this holiday. I believe everyone is coming up to Maine for it, and that makes me smile.

I will always have a piece of my heart gone since Thomas has walked out of my life, but he loved my family and loved to hang out with us, so I will toast him this year.

What I am most thankful for this year, is my husband, who follows me no matter what interesting decisions I have made of where we live, he supports me emotionally and wants me to be happy. I love and cherish him so much and so happy he and I are still together for another adventure.