Thankful…

Making a big life change, such as moving to a new country (say, China!) is certainly enough to make one extra reflective about life.  There have been plenty of ups and downs  throughout our transition to Shanghai, and I have been stretched and tested in ways I’ve never expected.  That being said, I have found myself counting my blessings more than ever- even when things have been tough!  On Thanksgiving I found myself nearly overwhelmed with thanks to God for the life I have been gifted to live.  I am incredibly thankful for my amazing husband.  His love and friendship brings me more happiness than I knew was possible!  Simply put, he is my heart.  I am ever thankful for our loving and supportive families.  The challenges of living far from our loved ones can be great, but I’m thankful that the wonderful world of technology makes the world seem a little smaller, and that every moment spent with our families is cherished.  I am thankful for our furry babies. Their unconditional love warms my heart, and their expert snuggling skills are sure to come in handy on the cold winter nights we have ahead of us.  I am thankful we have been blessed with adventurous spirits… who would have known, even 6 months ago, that we’d be living in China?!  Not only do I love the excitement and wonder of visiting new places, but I appreciate the growth I’ve experienced, and continue to experience, as we live our extraordinary life together.  I am thankful for my friends, new and old, near and far.  It is truly a gift to be close with some of my friends for so many years!  I have met some people in Shanghai who I am certain will be dear to me for the rest of my life as well.  I am so thankful for the genuine connections I’ve made with these individuals, the fun we’ve had, and the comfort their friendship has brought me in this new environment.  I am thankful for our good health (despite this flu bug I’m battling) and safety.  When I’m feeling down, I remind myself that I have good heath, happiness and safety, and those are the most important things.  I am thankful for my job.  I absolutely love the friendly environment, strong sense of community, and trust I’m given from my administrators.  I am thankful for my sweet and spirited students- who’d have guessed that I actually enjoy teaching 1st graders?!  That was sure an unexpected treat!  This list could truly go on and on.  I am thankful for many things in my life… so very thankful!

 

In my class, we discussed the Thanksgiving tradition.  While the majority of my students do not celebrate this holiday, we took the opportunity to reflect on the things we are thankful for.  I was so impressed with the depth of many of my students’ understanding and appreciation.  We created beautiful leaf garlands, and each child listed a number of people and things they are thankful for… a great mix, if I do say so myself!

 

We hung these lovely fall garlands from the ceiling, and they add a happy splash of color to our room.

 

 

Being an international school, we were not given Thanksgiving Day off.  That weekend we also had to complete a Saturday in-service day, so our weekend was only 1 day.  Though it was a school night, we decided to host a small, cozy Thanksgiving dinner on the actual day with some of our closest friends, the people who have become our little Shanghai family.  It was truly one of the most enjoyable Thanksgivings we have ever experienced.  We soaked in every second of warmth and happiness with our fabulous company!  Our turkey dinner was enjoyed casually, sitting around the coffee table, and we rounded out the evening sharing what we were thankful for.  It was really the perfect evening!

 

And who could celebrate Thanksgiving without Chinese liquor and hot-pot flavored chips?! Ha!

 

We feasted on turkey, pork roast with apples and onions, mashed potatoes, peas and pickles, rolls, deviled eggs.

 

For dessert I found a way to make our family-favorite pumpkin bars even more delicious- layer them with creamy pumpkin pie mousse!  We also enjoyed a fabulous apple walnut cake and scrumptious pumpkin cheesecake bars.

 

Every Thanksgiving night, with round, satisfied tummies, Isaac and I change into our winter pajamas, snuggle up, and watch Home Alone to kick off the Christmas season.  This year I decided to build upon the tradition and get us new Christmas jammies!  I went to the South Bund fabric market, with visions of soft flannel pajama bottoms boasting Christmas colors and Chinese designs.  Unfortunately, that type of flannel does not exist, so I ended up going with silk!  Not exactly the most manly or snuggly of fabrics! My sweet husband loved the gesture, and graciously wore his new jammies, despite their silliness.

 

On Saturday we completed a half day of in-service at school and then all the staff gathered together for another Thanksgiving celebration.  First the guys worked up their appetites with a game of flag football.  And, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t brag that my husband was snatching flags left and right AND that he scored a touchdown! =)  Then, we all gathered together inside the school for our delicious Thanksgiving potluck.  Yum!  Again, we are so thankful for our wonderful school community and fantastic friends.  This was truly a Thanksgiving to remember!