It’s Canadian Thanksgiving and a time to be with family and friends to enjoy and appreciate the good things we have.
I have a lot to be thankful for in my life. Last year I tried to write a tongue-in-cheek piece that my family didn’t quite *get*, but this year I feel a bit more serious and sentimental. As it should be, relationships top the list of things I value most.
I’m grateful for my husband of 34 years. We celebrated our anniversary this weekend and remarked on how quickly the years have raced by. We remembered the many happy occasions, and the times we laughed even when the going got rough.
The ugly patches fall away as unimportant. We survived, that’s all that matters.
I’m grateful for my sons – the two that nature gave me, my future son-in-law, and the one who adopted us. All four bring an unique richness to my life, and they fill a void I didn’t know existed … until they came into it.
I’m so blessed to have sons who want to come home, who want to visit and spend time with us. We laugh, we eat and drink too much, we tell stories, we support and encourage one another. It’s the best of what family should be, and it’s extraordinarily precious.
I’m grateful we each enjoy good health. Our bodies are strong, allowing us to live an active lifestyle. Upon reflection, that’s even more important the day after a day filled with excessive celebration.
I’m grateful we live in a country that is largely peaceful, tolerant, and genuinely tries to be kind … most of the time. That’s a pretty tall order in today’s world and the older I get, the more I appreciate it.
I know this entire post sounds trite, like a tired cliché, and maybe it’s just the pumpkin pie talking, but I’m incredibly grateful for all of it.
I’ve been given a great life. It’s not perfect – I’d like to think a lottery win could solve many of those problems – but there were oh-so-many things could have gone horribly wrong along the way … but didn’t.
This Thanksgiving, I’m simply happy to be here, right now, comfortable in the knowledge that I’m loved by the people who mean the most to me.
Congrats on 34 years! That alone is worth being very thankful for.
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Thanks. I can’t help but wonder where the time went though. Who is this old person I see in the mirror? 😉
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Perfectly said. Love the photo of the four boys. Handsome!!
Our four boys (3 that “nature gave me” as you say, and 1 my “bonus” (step) son bring me so much joy. All the hard work WAS worth it.
Happy Thanksgiving to you belatedly. Cute pic of you, years back,,,,,
Peta
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They certainly are worth all the effort – and cost! Good grief children are expensive 😉 As #1 prepares to get married next year, he’s being even more expensive than usual, but as you say, worth every penny!! 🙂
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Those are the kind of cliches that you want in your life, Joanne. Gratefulness is a gift that makes everything shine brighter. And I want to move to Canada! Happy Canadian Thanksgiving. 🙂
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Welcome back, Diana!
Gratefulness is such a feel-good emotion. It makes me wonder why we don’t wallow in it more often 💕
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Good question! It seems odd that we have to set aside a one day a year for it, doesn’t it? Should be an everyday event ❤
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Amen to that!
Today I’m grateful that it’s a sunny, warm autumn day and my photo library and catalog are now playing nicely together!
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Yay!
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This post is in no way trite.
It is full of warmth, love, passion, and gratitude.
And with wonderful photos that show much about happiness
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Thanks Laurie. It’s good to reflect on our blessings ❤
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So not trite or cliché. I love the joy and happiness that comes through with your words Joanne. You and Gilles look stunning in your wedding photo and all your boys look so happy. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
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Thanks Annie – it was a great weekend and I know I’ve been very lucky in life ❤
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You encompassed so much warmth and love within this simple expression of thanksgiving, Joanne. Happy Thanksgiving (belated) and happy 34 years of wedded bliss plus ups and downs to appreciate the journey you went through together. Gilles and Joanne, may you have many, many more. Here’s to the boys who fill those walls when visiting with so much joy! 🍾🍷🍷 💞 🍻
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Thanks so much, Robin.
… and oh yes, they definitely do fill the walls!
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Not trite at all, quite beautiful…in my opinion. If more people could feel gratitude we’d have a much better world. I share many of you sentiments…perhaps a move to Canada would make it perfect. Don’t get me wrong. I love America, I just hate the division and bickering.
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I know I’m one of those people who avoid confrontation. I don’t like it, and it makes me squirm – even watching it in a movie or TV show. The politics of division right now is frightening.
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I know…I try to keep myself informed but there is so much negativity on the airways and in social media that I’ve forced myself to turn it off and walk away. Too depressing and not how I want to spend my quality time in this world.
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Joanne, this is such a beautiful, happy post of gratitude. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Hugs.
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Thanks 🙂
It was a wonderful weekend all way around ❤
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Happy Anniversary and Thanksgiving Joanne (albeit belatedly). The photos are lovely (your boys are all very handsome), and your words make me a bit teary. In a good way of course.
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Thanks, Su 🙂
As a mother you know the feeling of looking at your grown child and being so proud of them. In spite of our mistakes and not knowing what we’re doing half the time, our children grow up into really good people.
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🙂
Yours certainly have! Mine has discovered a lot about himself recently, and has developed greater resilience and some useful life skills. I am very proud of him.
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❤
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I loved your Thanksgiving post last year, and this year as well. Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Anniversary!!
BTW – Great looking men in your photos!
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Thanks Donna. They are my pride and joy 🙂
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You’ve indeed been blessed, Joanne, and it’s also a blessing that you realize it. Happy Thanksgiving!
janet
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That’s a really good point, Janet. How many people are out there moaning and complaining about anything and everything when in fact their life is really good?
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First world problems as they saying goes.
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Lots to be thankful for Joanne!
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I do indeed ❤
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Beautiful gratitude. I got a lil welly-uppy there. *sniff* I am glad you went with sincere and sentimental. Lovely post, so much to make us smile 🙂
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I get all wellie when I’m sentimental too. Tears might have been shed this weekend ❤
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Absolutely not trite at all. I love this line so much it almost borders on jealousy at the moment: “I’m grateful we live in a country that is largely peaceful, tolerant, and genuinely tries to be kind.” Happy Thanksgiving! – Marty
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Thanks Marty. It’s interesting how we tend to appreciate things so much more as we get older. 🙂
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Not trite at all, simply taking a moment to recognize all how truly rich & full your life is. Something we could all spend a little more time giving thought to I suspect!
Wonderful pic of the boys. How are the wedding plans coming?
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I’m sure you’ve been feeling multiple shades of gratitude yourself, with your growing family ❤
The guys have the wedding planning well-organized. I shouldn't have been so surprised. They did make me smile though – their small informal wedding of 40 people has now swelled to over 100 🙂
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I sure have Joanne. Sadly, I have not had much time for writing lately but hope to get back into a routine.
Would love to get together & hear all about their wonderful plans! Perhaps a lunch date soon!
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A lunch date sounds wonderful. It’s been almost a year!! I’ll try to make sure I don’t have any broken body parts this time 😏
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Good plan! I’ll take a look at my calendar & send you off a few dates😉
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Happy Anniversary, and Happy Thanksgiving!! I think you’ve got it all just right. I hope the year is as wonderful as the week-end was for you.
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Thanks Deborah. It was a wonderful weekend, so I think I’m off to a good start 🙂
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🙂 I’m so happy about that!
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Gulp, something in my eye there. Lovely family photographs: happy times for Thanksgiving and anniversary.
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Thanks ❤
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I’m glad that you had beautiful weather for celebrating Thanksgiving and your Anniversary! It really is family that helps make life so wonderful. 🙂
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We were so lucky with the weather. I can’t remember a Thanksgiving where we spent the entire day and evening outside.
When the boys were small, I was always so unhappy around holidays because we had no extended family nearby. It felt so lonely with just us.
Now that the boys are grown men, our holidays feel so full ❤
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Oh, yes, most excellent! Enjoy your anniversary, holiday and life as such, as you already do daily. Looking at your guys and thinking of my two beasties (one human, one canine), I can only say – you and me, we both need something female to counteract all this. At least a kitty! Or blogging buddies, and these we have. Cin cin!
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Even my cat is male!!
You are so right – our female friends become so important!
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Haha, then you’re truly swamped!
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Beautiful post! Happy anniversary Joanne. I hope your Thanksgiving weekend was wonderful. We do have so much to be thankful for in this country.
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I didn’t appreciate being Canadian when I was younger, but I sure do now 🙂
It was a great weekend. It seems the beautiful weather doesn’t want to leave … and I’m ok with that!
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Happy Thankgiving and Happy Anniversary. Lovely article and wedding photo. Love my Canadian neighbors – I grew up near Detroit so we went to Canada often for my brother’s hockey games. My great-grand father came to Detroit through Canada (originally from Ireland) in the early 1900’s.
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I went to university in Windsor and since my roommate was from Detroit, I often went across the river with her. Once upon a time, I used to know the area pretty well.
I
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I went to university in Windsor and since my roommate was from Detroit, I often went across the river with her. Once upon a time, I used to know the area pretty well.
I knew that many French-Canadians drifted back and forth across the border in the early days, but I wasn’t aware that the Irish did too.
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Small world. I’m sure they prob came for work in Detroit. I did the Detroit marathon in 2015 and we ran across the bridge then came back through the tunnel. It’s a very cool marathon. Nice to meet you.
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Ooooh – running across the bridge would be really cool. Not so sure about the tunnel though. I remember it being really smelly.
As people are running through the tunnel, do they whoop and whistle for the echo? 🙂
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Yes they do! It’s very cool! I will prob do it again next year. It goes through several of the ethnic areas you might recall – Greek town, Mexican town etc… Crossing the bridge at sunrise is beautiful.
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My immediate reaction was ‘ooooh, I’d like to do that race too’ … but I think my marathon days are behind me
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Perfect Thanksgiving post, and your last sentence says it all. 🙂 Happy Anniversary and may you have many more. I can only imagine the fun you have gathered around the Thanksgiving table with those four handsome young men of yours. Enjoy. 🙂
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You’re right, Judy. Discussions can get very lively! There are some big personalities around the table 🙂
I treasure family time. Without any extended family nearby, it’s just been us for most holidays since the boys were small. Once upon a time, it felt lonely, but now it feels perfect ❤
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What a lovely, thoughtful post, Joanne. Thanks for sharing! Glad to read you had a great Thanksgiving.
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And happy anniversary!!!!
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Thank you. It was really a bonus weekend because of the beautiful weather. I hope you had a lovely one too 🙂
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Happy thanksgiving to you and your family, Joanne. A lovely post.
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Thanks Ruth 🙂
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Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Anniversary! All, so beautifully said!
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Thank you! It was a great weekend 🙂
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Good to hear!
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Happy Thanksgiving, Joanne!
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Thank you. It was indeed!
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Hi Joanne. I loved the sentiment of your post. Family is everything to me and spending the day with most of my family was very special. Our son and daughter-in-law in London, England called us this weekend and announced that they would be spending Christmas with us. It doesn’t get much better than that.
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The importance of your family to you is so apparent in your blog. The lives of these people who are so dear to us is tightly woven into our own lives.
I’m sure it made your heart sing to hear your son and DIL would be home for Christmas. You’re right – it doesn’t get much better!!
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Beautifully written and straight from the heart. Happy Thanksgiving Joanne. Happy to share this fabulous country of ours and grateful to have met you. Xo
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thanks Sue, and I share your sentiment ❤
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Beautiful post. Thanks for sharing your family and thankfulness.
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Thank you 🙂
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Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Anniversary! and Happy Life! I had some struggles through my 20’s, but life has been so great since I met husband 2. Also, being at this point in my life, I have nothing to complain about (well, except our prez.) but life is good here too! Cheers.
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I’m happy to hear that you too have reached a happy point in your life. The right partner who brings out the best in us makes all the difference ❤
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love that classic elegance in your wedding dress – and 34 years – congrats 🙂
also – nothing trite here at all – well written and felt so sincere and beautiful. cheers
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Thank you. Much appreciated 🙂
I LOVED that dress. I wish it still fit 😉
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well good you still have it….
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Happy Thanksgiving Joanne, very well said.
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Thanks Ed. I hope you had a great weekend 🙂
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Certainly did. Nice weather helped.
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It most certainly did. We spent the entire day outside yesterday. I don’t remember ever doing that on Thanksgiving before now.
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I love it when pumpkin pie talks, Joanne. Its real and honest. Happy thanksgiving to you.
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Thanks 🙂
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, Susanne. We certainly had a beautiful day for a family gathering.
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A lovely post. You look so pretty in your wedding photo and your four sons look handsome– and entertaining to be around. Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your pie.
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Thanks Ally. Oh to be that thin again! … but I guess that’s what happens when you love cake and pie 😉
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Your post sounds heartfelt and you made me smile and you made me sad. “To live in a country that is largely peaceful, tolerant, and genuinely tries to be kind … most of the time,” that hit a mark. You are so right, be grateful for that, as you can see, it can change in a heartbeat.
Isn’t it wonderful to look back and to realize how great our life has been and still is?
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It certainly is wonderful, Bridget. We stress and worry about so much, but it’s only in hindsight that we realize so much of our angst was unnecessary. I think there’s a lesson in there somewhere.
… and yes, I agree that things can change in a heartbeat. Who would have ever guessed the unreal scenario that’s currently playing out in the White House? It’s a horror show.
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A wonderful life indeed Joanne Sisco, you wrote it well! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours and enjoy that second piece of pie…I know you will.
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I’m really starting to appreciate the power of having an attitude of gratitude. With love in our lives, everything else is good. It’s taken me a long time to let go of the small stuff enough to realize this simple truth.
Good grief – I’m starting to sound like a Hallmark card 🙂
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No, just wise and well lived.
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Joanne, I wish for the lottery win too, but I’m more grateful for the people in my life. They are truly what makes me happy You have a fine looking bunch of sons there, a wonderful husband and pumpkin pie. What more can you ask for?
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You are so right ❤
Gilles and I occasionally have debates about the effect a large lottery win would have on our relationships. I do agree with him that it would change friendships, and family dynamics – likely not for the better.
Having said that, who wouldn't want an opportunity to try? That's the point we debate 😉
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I think you are entitled to be happy Jo. Of course us Brits don’t even have Thanksgiving, which probably explains why we are so good at being miserable and moaning all the time 😛
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hahahaha!!! Funny, I don’t picture you as miserable or moaning all the time 😀
I think we’re all entitled to be happy, but sometimes we forget how to be. Thanksgiving is one of those occasions that helps us celebrate without additional expectations, like presents.
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I scrapped the present idea for adults in our family a few years ago, which reduced the strain. Getting together for a meal and a chat are the most important aspects. It has been wonderful this past month to have all my family around me, even if not quite all at the same time. Lots of lovely meals shared.
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Time shared together, regardless of the reason, is to be treasured.
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Yes. It is nice that they all enjoy getting together.
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Happy Thanksgiving, Joanne. You truly have a lot to be thankful for.
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That I do! ❤
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Happy Thanksgiving and belated anniversary Joanne! I have two questions: can I move to Canada, and will you please adopt me? You have a beautiful, loving family that you are obviously proud of. What a gorgeous picture of you on your wedding day!
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LOL! You would always be welcome, Janis 🙂
… and you are right. My family is by far the most wonderful piece of my life.
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So touching – happy Thanksgiving, Joanne. ❤
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Thanks Maggie. My eyes been a little ‘welly’ this weekend. Definitely feeling sentimental ❤
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Beautifully put Joanne…we have much to be grateful for including great friends like you and Gilles. Happy Thanksgiving Anniversary!
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Thanks Judy, and I second that sentiment about having great friends ❤
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Really nice post, Joanne. I think it takes courage to be “serious and sentimental” in print. Belated Happy Anniversary.
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Thanks Karen. Having a family unit dominated by men, I avoid being too sentimental … but sometimes it feels good to go there 🙂
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Happy Thanksgiving and Happy belated Anniversary Joanne 😀
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Thanks Joe. It was a really good one 🙂
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Wonderful Thanksgiving post! Enjoy the day!
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Thanks. I’ve had my annual fill of pumpkin pie and all is good 🙂
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What a beautiful post, Joanne. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your wonderful family.
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Thanks Lois. It was a wonderful weekend ❤
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