Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving.
Now I could just post a few cliche sentences about how much I am thankful for my life and my family and friends and how much God has blessed me blah blah blah.
Which, is completely true, don't get me wrong.
But if I wrote how happy I am for today, I would be lying.
Today is the first holiday in 3 years that I'm not in Auburn.
The first holiday where my high school friends and I are all apart.
It's weird right now.
This is really weird for me.
I go through my news feed on my Facebook, and everyone from my college have posts like "I'm home!" And there old friends comment and say "Come over." or "When are we hanging out?" or "I better see you!"
That tugs on my heart.
Because I'm somewhere where only my family is.
I'm not where my friends are right now.
And yes, holidays are really about family, and I am SOOOO extremely grateful for the family I have and the relaxing time I am having at home right now.
But the other part of me is in tears.
Tomorrow, I don't get to go pick out Molly's christmas tree with her family.
This weekend, I won't be reunited with the Goddessi.
I won't be sitting at the Starbucks at Chevron, people watching with Heidi.
I won't be eating Blue Nami in Roseville with Katherine or Ashleigh.
I won't be sitting on Molly's fat couch with her and Cole, laughing and watching movies.
I won't be at my park, sitting on the end of the bench, staring at the initials that you & I engraved together years ago, and looking out onto the lake and clouds contemplating my life.
I won't be there.
I am here.
I know I am not the only one feeling this.
Jen is in one of the Carolinas, and Kacie and Katelyn are in Germany.
It's so weird how everyone is in separate places right now. But I know we are all still close and all still wish we were together.
That's what I'm truly thankful for this Thanksgiving.
The fact that the closest people to me are all at different places, but at the same time, we are all in the same place.
And I am also grateful for the fact that I have these new closest people, who also are at different places- Colorado, Arizona, Mexico, California-and we all too, can't wait to be reunited again, even after knowing each other for 3 short months.
And for the last thing, I am very thankful to be sitting here, on a comfy couch, covered in blankets, next to a warm fireplace, with a full stomach, with my family as they watch football, staring out into the beautiful view of the pink and purple fog setting over the mountains, with Biscuit sleeping at my feet. Nothing can replace the love of family and being "home".
And I thank God. Cause without Him, I wouldn't have all these people to be thankful for.
So, I did end up making some cliche statements about what I'm thankful for.
But, they are real, and truly what I'm thankful for.
And even though I'm not there, this is where I am. And I have so many things to smile about through the tears.