Thankful on Thanksgiving - a few days late...

This isn't the first time I've posted about the things I'm thankful for at Thanksgiving. This is the first year that I've experienced absolute gratitude accompanied by an insane the adrenalin rush and somehow, I've experienced it more than once. Back in January and again in May, I wrote about it. I thought I was done with that... But Monday, Monday I experienced it again.

AND EVERYONE'S OKAY...

We had been on Vancouver Island since Friday visiting my grandma and cheering for Kelsey in the Victoria marathon (she took 8 minutes off, yay!). After lunch today my dad had to drive her to the ferry. The rest of us were heading home the next day. J really wanted to go with him and since she needed a nap and the car has such a sleepy effect on her of course we told her she could go.

Just a few minutes after they had pulled out of my grandma's driveway, her phone rang.

We could hear the male voice on the other end.

We knew it was my dad.

I knew he had been driving and if he was calling, he wasn't driving anymore.

My grandma got off the phone, told us everyone was okay and where to go. The whole way there I was hoping J had just had an accident that leaked or thrown up or something. We came over the crest of the hill and there was a horrible sight...the car had no front bumper and very little front end. But there, on the side of the road, huddled near some kind passersby were my sister, J and my dad.

They were okay.

The people in the other car, they were okay too.

Everyone was okay.

And that's really all that matters.

Poor J thought it was her fault. She keeps telling us she broke the car. Today when we got to daycare she didn't want to go in because daycare-kid might be there and bite her and make her "cry a little bit." Once we calmed that fear, she didn't want to walk in or have me carry her because the cars might "bite" us. We got there. She ran and gave the daycare lady who met us at the door a huge hug. Turns out daycare-kid is away today, so we have a bit of a respite on that. The daycare already knew about the car accident - I called and talked to the manager yesterday when J was out of earshot. They'll take good care of her. And she loves daycare and knows it's safe.

I am so thankful for the guardian angels that seem to be surrounding my family this year...so very thankful...

And in honour of Thanksgiving on Monday, here are a few other things that I am thankful for:

• My husband, daughter, parents, sisters, and our very large extended family (which includes Alex's family now too)
• A delicious turkey dinner that hit the spot after a stressful day - bonus - we didn't have to cook it or clean up!
• A job. A good job. With a good boss.
• J's daycare. It's amazing. That's about all I can say about that.
• My health. A's health. J's health. We're a pretty healthy bunch these days.
• Those guardian angels.
• The kind police officer and wonderful people who stopped to keep us company, offer first aid kits, and just make sure everyone was okay.
• A beautiful fall day.
• A future that looks lovely - as long as everyone stays out of the way of moving vehicles.

This year has reminded me to be thankful all the time, everyday, not just on Thanksgiving.

Happy late Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends...