(MATT)
So many of you may or may not know that Amber and I will not be seeing our families this Thanksgiving holiday. I am currently at work and had a day off yesterday and Amber had class yesterday which prevented us from doing anything in terms of leaving town. It’s strange for the both of us considering we have never missed a Thanksgiving with our families. Since I was a child I looked forward to the huge meals that my dad would cook up and remember all the times I would wake up in the middle of the night only to hear my dad checking on the turkey or making sure that all of the food was set for the next day. It was always such a good feeling of being home. Truly it was. I would look forward to seeing my brother, Nick, and sister, Rachel, and even in recent years, my nieces. I would also try to see my mother when she would come around an see another portion of my family I don’t see all that much. It’s funny just to look back and think about how the holidays have changed. Not necessarily for the worse, but just different. That’s the best way to describe it.
I’m so thankful this holiday season for what I have on my plate though, that’s for sure.
First and foremost…I’m alive to even see another Thanksgiving. We forget that everyday is not guaranteed. It really isn’t. Think about all of the friends and family we have lost along the way that we all pictured would be here with us in 2010. I’m employed. It sounds silly at first, but with an unemployment rate of almost 10%, yeah, I’m thankful for my job and working fulltime being able to support my wife.
I’m thankful for my family. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss my family. As old and boring as Peru can be…I miss it everyday. I mean my goodness. I remember all the old days when I get to thinking about these holidays and it’s something I will always miss. I only hope that my child will feel what I felt then and have what I had and still have now. My hometown will always be my hometown no matter where I end up and my family will always be my family no matter where I live. This Thanksgiving, I will not be in Peru. No waking up to my dad checking the turkey and no seeing my brothers, sisters, nieces and nephew. I won’t see my mother who I rarely see either due to my distance and life just…being in the way at the moment. I love my family so much and Thanksgiving is all about that right there. FAMILY. This is why I tell all of you to thank those around and tell those that you love…that you indeed love them. After getting out of the gym last night I talked to my dad briefly. The phone conversation ended with him saying that he wanted to call and tell me Happy Thanksgiving only because he didn’t know when he would get a chance to tell me due to my schedule. I don’t know about you…but that sucks. I tear up just thinking about it. Great the security cameras here at work are going to catch me tearing up and they’ll have it on record forever, haha.
It’s funny, I kept trying to brush off the fact that I wasn’t going home this season for Thanksgiving, but now that I’m at work…and I’m watching Poker After Dark again…it just hurts more. I’m sorry I cant be home this holiday. But I know all of you guys at home well enough to say that you would probably respond with, don’t be sorry, that’s how life works. And sadly…it is. I don’t mean to get all sentimental, but I’m am.
My Thanksgiving this year will consist of me waking up at 3:30pm and going out to eat with my wife, who I love with all my heart.
This brings me to my next one which is me being thankful for my wife. Without her, I’d just be a lonely guy who has no one to lean on everyday when I need someone to tell me it’s gonna be okay. I’d be alone this Thanksgiving with no one but a cat…maybe not even that. I’d be sitting in a room, watching tv, wishing I was home. I’d also be without a woman who makes me think everything in the world is gonna be all right one of these days, when you and I both know that this world is only getting worse. But that’s just it. Amber gives me life. Of course God created me, butAmber gives me an earthly gift that no one else can give me. she knows how to bug the heck out of me and knows which nerve to hit in order to make me react, but I love her for that. She knows how to make me laugh, cry, smile, sad, mad and so on. And that’s just it. She knows me so well that she knows my emotions like none other. She knows how I work. She knows me better than you ever will. And I thank God for what he has given me. she likes to parrot what I say if it’s something stupid, which is often, and then tells me I do the same thing to her. Which I deny, deny, deny, but know very well I do, lol. But Amber, I love you every single day. Thank you for being with me this Thanksgiving and sacrificing family for me. I know that when a couple is married, everything changes and those sacrifices are expected, but it doesn’t make them any easier. You could have made all kinds of cases for going home, but you didn’t. I guess I mean that much to you huh? Well God bless you Amber and you family for being so understanding and realizing the situation.
Don’t get me wrong though. I love my job, but my family means more. Even if I ever get my dream job…my family and friends will always mean more.
I thank all of my coworkers for being so awesome. I know it might seem random and maybe none of them even read this blog, but I want everyone to know that the people I work with everyday make my job so much more enjoyable. I never would have guessed that working master control overnights would be fun, but they sure make it that way. I was given a chance to show what I could do and everyone has been so helpful and understanding while I’ve learned the ropes on how everything works in the biz. So thank you guys at WFIE. You guys mean a lot to me. Truly.
I know I have kind of said it other ways, but I obviously wanna thank God. I was put on this earth for a reason and given the family that I’m given for a reason and put in EVERY situation I’ve gone through for a reason. I still don’t know the specific answers to any of those, but one day I will. Even though I miss my family like a fish misses water right now…I know it will be okay. I hadn’t missed a family Thanksgiving in 22 years and this is one of many more Thanksgivings in the future. I may or may not miss any more, but I may miss a ton more, I don’t know. But I know I have family and friends out there who are thinking about me and hopefully each of them knows I’m thinking of them.
God bless you all for everything you do and everything you have done to make my life what it is today. Thanks to all of those who never liked me even. Because of you guys, I got stronger. I changed and became a better person. I’m sorry to those who I ever mistreated, but again, I have learned from my mistakes and am thankful for them. Live life with no regrets. Live life embarcing the fact that you even have something to look back on. Memories make us move. They really do. Times change, but memories don’t.
So as I leave for the night, I think about how tomorrow will be a day to be thankful for, just like any other day. I have a wife waiting for me back at home, ready to pick on me and show me love when I need it most. I’m not alone this holiday season. I still have family, and I still have friends. I just won’t be eating dinner with them this time around. But Nick grab that wishbone bro, and make sure you cut the turkey right. Go ahead and take all the cake and pie. I don’t need it. Rachel have fun with the girls and boy at dad’s and give them all kisses from Uncle Matt and Aunt Amber. And give yourself a hug too. No matter how bad anything in life goes, you got a brother and sister in law in the south ready to be there for you. Dad, you’re probably checking on some food dish as I type this. Sorry I can’t be home this Thanksgiving but just know that the food tastes great. It always does. Picture me going back for thirds and forths and then regretting the fact that I ate so much dessert. Mom, tell the boys what’s up haha. I miss all of you guys and wish I could watch them boys play some ball. I can’t wait to see you Christmas, along with the rest of the family. Dave and Amanda, sorry I have your daughter 3 and half hours away from you guys this Thanksgiving but thank you so much for giving birth to her. It wasn’t you choice to have a girl, but your choice to even have a baby in the first place. You all mean the world to me. You as much family to me as my own blood relatives.
Geez, I’m a mess right now. I got tears all over my shirt and now watch. Someone’s gonna walk in and think that I’m getting all emotional while watching Poker After Dark. I’ll just play along though and make up some story like…yeah…I’m upset because my favorite poker player lost all his chips. That should work right?
It’s just one time I know, but it’s the first time and I always knew this day would come. It doesn’t make it any easier though. It’s family. For both Amber and myself.
So God bless you all this Thanksgiving holiday and remember who’s helped you along the way. Trust me…no one gets through life alone. There’s always someone. So be thankful and show some love people.
I love you all and Happy Thanksgiving.
Peace.
Ok, Matt, now the tears are here as they have been off and on all day. Just know that we miss you two and love you two very, very much. I too know that there will be many Thanksgiving celebrations that we can enjoy with our families. Just don’t go toooooooo far away, cause more tears will be a comin but, you are right, we need to be thankful and joyful of family and friends and only God can and will be in control over where we are and who we are with.
See you in 3 days!!
Love ya & God Bless 🙂
Mama Davis