One of my ancestors (on my mother’s side) named Stephen Deane was on the second ship (The Fortune) of the Pilgrims to America. The Mayflower came here in 1620. The Fortune came in 1621. Stephen was a young man when he came to Plymouth Plantation and not married. He married Elizabeth Ring. He built the first mill (for grinding wheat, corn) in New England.

Today I had a big sushi dinner for my Thanksgiving feast. I haven’t had any in months, plus it was the most different thing I could find away from all the daily Moroccan fare, so it made this day extra special and stand out from the rest. I think the waiters were curious as to why I seemed so happy.

I’ve noticed that celebrating any holiday while in another country, amplifies and magnifies my gratitude and thankfulness for being so lucky and blessed… to live in the best country in the history of the world… in the most amazing family in the world… to be surrounded by the best friends in the world… this life is so good and God has smothered and piled so many blessings on me…

When i got back to my hotel, I skyped in to my family’s dinner back home, watching them prepare and carve up the turkeys (they made three). I watched and heckled my brother apparently ruin the gravy (and kill our biggest family tradition). All my nephews were running around and making faces for me and telling me their best jokes…. It felt like “It’s A Wonderful Life” and I was looking in on my family from my fishbowl of a dream… After being passed around the table and talking with everyone, we had the Thanksgiving prayer… and I was then propped up in the corner like grandpa….. until I dozed off (8 hrs ahead) and fell asleep with the sound of my family’s chatter in my ears…

Such a perfect happy Thanksgiving…