Oh Give Thanks

It is Sunday night in Dallas and I find myself delayed once again. I don’t mind so much, but I offer my condolences to all of the parents of small children who are running around the terminal in their PJ’s. It looks like bedtime won’t be anytime soon for them.

I was putting off my update until I returned to New York, but now all I can do is hurry up and wait. I arrived at the airport a premature two hours early, anticipating Six-Flags-worthy check in and security lines. Instead I found that there was no wait at the self-check-in station, I got to set up a frequent flyer miles account with the airline, and I made it through security with the only trouble being a women who didn’t speak English in front of me who was trying to put her new puppy through the baggage X-Ray.

I asked my parents to stay and make sure I made it through security with my plastic bag of liquids. I bought new moisturizer at Barney’s this past week and there was NO WAY I was going to let homegirl with a police badge confiscate it. Luckily, it did not come to that, and my moisturizer, lip-gloss and Rosebud Salve were safe.

That took all of 12 minutes.

So, reflecting on my week at home, I’d have to say it was cathartic. I got to hang out with my family, and enjoy the new house with my parents. Every time I wanted to go anywhere, I got in a car. I got to cook in my mom’s huge kitchen, and watch the Cowboys, the Mavericks, the Aggies and the Longhorns to my heart’s content with my dad in HD (nevermind that I could have been watching A&M play basketball in person at Madison Square Garden twice last week in New York…story of my life). Someone came over to our house and asked why I would ever want to live in a tiny apartment in New York when I have such a great set-up at home. Sometimes I wonder the same thing myself.

One particularly strange moment was Wednesday night when my brother and I were both separately making plans with friends, and both ended up hanging out at the same bar. I saw my brother across the room, sipping a beer and laughing with his friends, and I suddenly felt old. L and I were born only 20 months apart, and he may be six feet tall and have my dad’s deep voice, but he’s still my little brother. Needless to say, I felt every day of my 22 years and change.

We are all safely back in New York now, and I now return knowing that I have so much to be thankful for:

1. My family… cliché but true. For many reasons they know, and many they don’t. They mean the world to me and are consistent examples of faith and trust and Godliness.
2. My friends… cliché x 2. I have the best friends anyone could ever ask for. Some of them I’ve known for 15 years, and some were gathered through high school and college and somehow we have struck the perfect blend of personalities and dynamics and awesomeness.
3. George Clooney.
4. Christmas in New York…December belongs here, period. Everyone should visit the city at Christmas. The city comes alive and everyday sees more lights and trees and love.
5. Fifth and finally- I’m so thankful I’m not from New Jersey. It’s the Oklahoma of the North.

My hat’s off to my Texas Aggies for the 38-30 win over UT last Friday. It made my week. As did the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day win over the Jets and both of the Aggie basketball wins.

I love to win.

"Look at her standing there with those yams. My two worst enemies, Ross: Rachel Green and complex carbohydrates."
-Will, as played by Brad Pitt, on "Friends"