What are you thankful for??

[rangerdog]

Being a school teacher (and this was my last day since we are off next week) I had my high school students reflect on their lives and make a list of what they were thankful for. I thought this would be an interesting thread, since we are all focusing in on Thanksgiving next week and spending time with family. What are you thankful for?

I'll start. I'm thankful for my family and for God in our lives.

[shelbylook]

I wake up every morning thankful for my health, my husband, our children and grandchildren, my brothers & sisters and extended family. I'm thankful for the job I have and thankful that we're able to take such marvelous vacations such as cruises. I'm also thankful for all the friends I've made as a result of this board. In case I don't have the opportunity next week, here's my wish for a very Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Enjoy the holiday and your loved ones.

Cathy

[hstrybuf]

My family, my health (which affects a lot of other things in my life), my friends, and for having been lucky enough to travel to so many different places over the years.

[txcarrie]

I'm thankful for so many things. There are two that pop in my head right away. I'm thankful for my husband and the best friend and soulmate he is to me. I'm also thankful to live in America. I think that I'm very lucky to have been born in this country. I know that we have our problems but I can't imagine if I lived in a place where I wasn't free as a woman to vote, drive, speak, go to school or do all the other things we dont even think about daily. I'm very thankful for all the soldiers all over the world past & present who fought to give these rights to me. I hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Carrie

[bankofdad]

This post isn't large enough (only 10K characters are allowed) to list everything, so I'll just recognize the source of all of our blessings and second what rangerdog has already said!

[Sea Island Lady]

[font=Arial][b]rangerdog - We do the same at the table Thanksgiving Day! Everyone around the table expresses what they are thankful for. You cannot copy what anyone else says. It can get interesting,,,especially with the children participating. :rolleyes: [/b]

[b]I am thankful for God and his many blessings on our family.[/b]

[b]I am also thankful that I have another cruise to plan. :D [/b]
[i][/font][/i]

[shipknotshore]

Thankful to be alive and well, for family and friends, ability to do what we need and/or love to do (this could speak of freedoms also), and God.
Happy Holidays to all.

[Wor Lad]

For America, a nation filled with folks kind in spirit and generous enough to accept me as an immigrant. I am proud to be American by choice.

[emilygrace]

I'm in total agreement with txcarrie. I am also thankful for the good health of my little family and for my wonderful husband, who made it possible for me to retire early and enjoy life. I am also thankful for my dear friend who turned me onto cruising in the first place. Without her, I wouldn't be here sharing this with all of you. Oh yes, and I'm thankful for my two rotten kitties who entertain me endlessly with their misdeeds.

[Happy ks]

The list is long for me:
My family, I'm thankful for a loving husband and my children are growing up to be wonderful people.
My home and how we have surrounded ourselves with great memories.
My job, that I love and feel fortunate to have.
My friends, who help alleviate and celebrate the ups and downs of life.
My abilities and my health.
My country, this can sound sappy, but I love the USA!
My opportunities, I realise how fortunate we are in our life.

Immediate thanks for the fact that the leak under the sink is minor and can easily be fixed without a plumber.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

[HockeyMom44]

I'm thankful for everything God has given to my family and myself;
I'm also thankful for being able to sail for my 25th anniversay,with all of my kids!!

Trudy :)

[bingo3]

For God; A wonderful, close, family; good health; my job; that I live in this country, and freedom.

[JuniorCruiser]

( 1)The most important thing that i'm thankful for is my Family. I love them with all my heart and soul and without them i would be nothing.

(2)I'm so thankful this year for my nephew & daughter's boyfriend coming home from Iraq 2 weeks ago.

(3)I'm thankful for being able to sit down with family and friends for Thanksgiving dinner.

(4) I'm thankful for having my health.

(5) I'm thankful for living in the USA.

(6) I'm thankful for OUR TROOPS serving our great nation.


What a wonderful thread you started. It really makes you sit back and realize
how lucky we really are. GOD BLESS :)

~~Debbie~~

[rangerdog]

That's exactly what my high school students said: it made them stop their busy lives and reflect on what they are thankful for. May God Bless you, too, junior cruiser!!

[Rich And Sylvia]

Amen! And welcome aboard Wor Lad.

[rangerdog]

As I sit at my parents house in Alabama, I'm thankful that we made it safely with all the nasty weather yesterday. Happy Thanksgiving to all my CC friends and fellow cruisers!!

[celtic selke]

OK, here is what I am thankful for this very moment. A few weeks ago I was eating a Dorito and I didn't chew it very well. It stuck in my throat and scratched it.
So for the past four weeks it has been very painful to swallow food.
Now this may seem silly to most of you, but if you have ever smoked, stuff like this is very scary. A scratched throat should heal faster than that.
Anyway, I had to go to a throat doctor today, and thank you Lord, it seems to be finally healing. WHEW!!!!
I did smoked for thirty years and stopped ten years ago, but that dosn't always mean you get off scot free.
(What the heck does "scot free" mean anyway?)
So I am thanking God with a big **** eating grin on my face. Can I say that here?
Who cares!!!
I may live a little longer to cruise again!!! God willing.

celtic

[mojo4trav]

I was going to post what I'm thankful for, but thought a letter from Iraq would be more appropriate. As my wife and I sit down tomorrow to have a small, but delicious Thanksgiving meal we will be sure to say a prayer for those men and women who are away from their loved ones and whose only wish would be to be home. My brother is in the Air Force and while he's still in flight school, our family can only be thankful he has yet to be deployed. Whether we support the war or not, we should give thanks to those who would give their lives to protect our country.

[img]http://image16.webshots.com/16/4/82/90/222148290qtrikQ_ph.jpg[/img]

[i]A Thanksgiving Message From Iraq [/i]

[i]The following letter was sent to family and friends of an engineering battalion in Iraq. Names have been deleted for security reasons (Department of Defense's security policy). [/i]

Dear Family and Friends of the 389th EN BN (C)(H)

With the approach of Thanksgiving, the Task Force 389th Engineer Family has much to be thankful for. First of all, I am happy to report that our soldiers are doing well, and despite the potential for injury that goes with our mission, we have suffered no serious injuries since July. Despite the news reports that make it appear there is a bomb on the side of every street, our soldiers have not been the target of an IED since early September. To be sure, virtually everyone is tired of being away from family, friends and a normal way of life, but overall our soldiers are faring well. I am proud of their determination to tackle every task and get the job done right. So far, we have exceeded all expectations of our higher headquarters, and our soldiers continue to make a difference.

The last time I wrote to you we had just stared the enduring base camp that our replacements will occupy. In that time our soldiers have cleared and leveled more than 1600 acres. They overcame some engineering challenges involving an irrigation system, and removed over two miles of ditches averaging thirty-feet wide and twenty-feet deep. Some of the areas have been turned over to contractors who will construct an encampment for 5,000 soldiers. In the meantime we continue to prepare the remainder of the area.

We will also be constructing some cinderblock buildings to serve as headquarters buildings.

We continue to make improvements here on BIAP and at the local supply support areas. Among these improvements are a limestone road and redesigning an entry gate to provide control of several hundred commercial vehicles per day. We've also prepared an area for a permanent water purification facility and ice plant. These efforts include all of our companies, including the 842nd Engineer Company (SDNG) [South Dakota National Guard] who are attached to the battalion for the operation.

We also have a number of vertical construction projects - including some on our own camp. With low temperatures in the upper 30's, perhaps the most desired commodity around here is a warm shower. Company A has installed a heater system to make this a reality. Unlike a regular water supply, our showers are fed by a set of tanks that are filled once a day. This poses a difficulty that requires special design. I am hopeful the system we now have will be able to keep up with the demand. Company B is addressing the other big need - a laundry room. Again, they face challenges, like how to handle more than 4000 gallons of wastewater. To answer this challenge, they have constructed a large septic system, and they have begun constructing the building. Once completed, this will allow our soldiers to stop doing their laundry by hand.

Company C has taken on a project to renovate several buildings at a location twenty miles to our north. Once they are finished, these buildings will support another Engineer Battalion who is moving there to construct and renovate facilities to house about 10,000 soldiers and serve as a support base.

Elsewhere our soldiers have renovated a number of warehouses to support a brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division; they have constructed a three room building for an Artillery battalion; and installed culverts at a base for a Cavalry regiment.

Several of our soldiers have joined SGT H and SPC M to form the core of Operation Caring Hands. They have adopted two schools, and provided supplies to aid to the teachers and students in the quest for an education.

Through education they will achieve true freedom. These students are the future of this country, and our soldiers are helping them achieve that goal!

Among our number, we have 90 newly promoted Sergeants who have had no NCO training. In an effort to give these young leaders some of the tools they need to be more effective now, CSM H and SFC B have developed a preparatory course for PLDC. This forty hour course will be conducted three times, with the first iteration next week. In addition to gaining leadership tools, our soldiers will also earn promotion points. The need for a course like this has been acknowledged by the Division Commanding General and Command Sergeant Major, and ours is the first unit in the division to meet the need.

As most of you know by now, we have an operational internet café, with twenty computers on line. CPT H, SGT P and the rest of the Communications section have done a superb job of ensuring this facility is up and running twenty-three hours per day (the other hour is used for maintenance). It is used extensively so, sometimes, it is quite slow. The original contractor for this project was fired for failing to do the job.

The new contractor is working to improve access speed, but we do not know when the improvements will take effect. For those of you who do not know, the units coming over during the January through June time frame have been alerted. The 372nd Engineer Group, our (peacetime) higher headquarters, is one of the units on the list. Most of our soldiers remaining in the rear detachment will be joining them, or other mobilizing units, as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom II (OIF2). I hope you will join me in wishing these soldiers nothing but the best as they embark on their journey. I pray they stay safe throughout their tour. I know they and their loved ones will remain part of the 389th Engineer Battalion family, and they can count on the great support you provide to those of us here. I cannot tell you how much your support helps us.

[TERRY223]

[b][i][size=4][color=red]I thank GOD everyday for his mercy, grace and blessings to me, my family, and my country. Teachers like you, rangerdog, [u]ARE[/u] one of His blessings to this country. Thank you for your hard work. I would be interested to hear what your students had to say what they were thankful for. [/color][/size][/i][/b]

[seattlelover]

I'm thankful for:

My family - my mum especially, for 1000 reasons and more! My husband for just being there for me.
My health.
My freedom.
Everyone who has fought for their country.

To all of you in USA have a very happy Thanksgiving.

Bev

[mammallama]

I thank God [i]every day[/i] for the many blessings my family has received. Today, especially, I am thankful for my family, our health and our freedom. I thank all the soldiers who have fought for our country, past and present. [img]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/797.gif[/img]

[imosoreal]

. . . I'm thankful because it could have been me outdoors, with no food and no clothes, all alone without a friend, or just another number with a tragic end. But He didn't see fit to let none of these things be and everyday by His power He keeps on blessing me so I want to say Thank you Lord for All You've Done for Me. . . Life, health, and strength. I have my right mind. I'm thankful for food, clothes and shelter. I'm thankful because regardless of the wars going on in the world I have peace. I'm thankful for friends and family. I'm thankful because although some of my loved ones are gone that I did get the opportunity to know and love them. I'm thankful for my job and the ability to work. I'm thankful because I know who Jesus is. There is just so much to be thankful for.

[Bonnie&Rob]

I'm thankful that my son is home this year to celebrate with us. After serving in Afghanistan, I'm sure he's thankful for not eating MRE's this year!

We are truly blessed to live in freedom, enjoy good health, and enjoy our family and friends.

Special thanks from my family to our brave soldiers and to their families, who sacrifice so much to keep us safe.

[Sophie]

Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I feel very thankful this year.

All 6 of my children are happy and healthy. They all have good jobs.
All 7 of my grandchildren are happy and healthy and loved.
I still have both my parents.
I appreciate every day that I live in a free country, and that we have a Christian President with backbone.
My marriage is still strong after 25 years.
We have food on our table everyday and a nice warm home.
I can afford to go on a cruise this year!

I could go on and on....... [url="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZSzeb001XXUS"][img]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_1_21.gif[/img][/url]

[rangerdog]

AMEN Sophie!! Thank God for a Christian president!! God Bless America!!