Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I am very grateful to be celebrating Thanksgiving with my family and friends. I am fully aware that not everyone gets to spend this day with family enjoying a wonderful meal. Please remember all those serving overseas and also those don't have the means to celebrate Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all I have been blessed with and will try not to take any of it for granted. Holidays away from family can be hard, they are also make you miss family members you have lost. This is the first Thanksgiving in several years I am with my family, the last four out of six Thanksgivings were celebrated in a different country. I loved my time overseas and would jump on a plane today if I could, but the holidays were a little rough. However, that life became the norm so it seems almost strange to be heading to my parents for Thanksgiving.

In 2005 I spent Thanksgiving with a great group of friends enjoy a meal at the DFAC at Camp Victory, Iraq. (Photos will come later as I think I left the CD at work :(. They are entertaining so I will post)

The staff went all out for us on Thanksgiving and it was amazing and entertaining. A great day but I missed my family dearly as the first year I had missed a Thanksgiving.

The second Thanksgiving spent in Iraq was surprisingly enjoyable. I had a lovely Thanksgiving lunch with my coworkers in the DFAC in the IZ (International Zone). Not quite the same presentation as Camp Victory but still fun.

And then had a very fun night celebrating Thanksgiving, my birthday, and Joey's birthday at the local Chinese Resturaunt (you don't want to know what a Chinese Resturant in Iraq entails trust me. It is probably a miracle I am alive with no strange diseases). A great Birthday and Thanksgiving even if I was thousands of miles from home.

What more can a girl want for her birthday than lots of cute PSD boys to celebrate with. On a side not that hat belonged to a PSD guy - not my normal attire.

Three years ago I was between overseas tours and luckily home for Thanksgiving (and Christmas!). We had Thanksgiving at my house. My Grandma Head was still alive at the time, makes me wish over the years I had been better about taking photos.


I have no photos of Thanksgiving my first year in Kuwait as pathetically I stayed home by myself all day and decorated for Christmas. I didn't even eat Thanksgiving food. At the time that seemed the best option. Last year however, was a different story. I traveled to Istanbul, Turkey (for Turkey day - funny eh?) with several coworkers/friends. We had a great time. My 30th birthday fell on Thanksgiving so we spent the day shopping in the amazing bazaar,

drinking Turkish beer, and Rake,

and having a very fancy Thanksgiving meal at the Four Seasons. I missed my family but had an amazing adventure.

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you. Grandpa VanEvery, Grandma VanEvery, and Grandma Head we miss you dearly and think about you daily. I am thankful this year for entirely too many items to list.