Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope your day is filled with family, good food, and a good nap. At church last night, our pastor challenged us to all go home and write out a list of things we were thankful for. Here is a partial list, in no particular order:

I’m thankful for a wife that loves me, loves my dogs, and puts up with my idiosyncrasies. We met seven years ago and I loved her from the moment I met her. My happiest days have been with her as part of my life. She thinks my fascination with computers is weird, but nobody’s perfect, right? 😉

I’m thankful for parents who have always cared about me and kept my best interests in their hearts. We haven’t always agreed on things, but no matter what, I know they are looking out for me and love me.

I’m thankful for wonderful siblings. I have a close relationship with my brothers and sister and can count on them when I need them…..for anything.

I’m thankful for a great group of dogs that live in my house. Coming home to an excited pack of happy Labradors is always a joy. They are ALWAYS happy to see me. Sharing a bed with a couple of warm, snuggly, and snoring Labradors is also a joy to me, except when they won’t get off of my pillow!

I’m thankful for a great job and great coworkers. Both jobs I’ve had in the last six years have been jobs where I’ve heard, “Thank you for doing what you do.” on an almost daily basis. I’ve worked in jobs where that wasn’t true and it definitely makes it easy to get up and go to work when you know you are appreciated. It also makes it easy to go to work when you have coworkers that look out for you and run in to help at the drop of a hat. That’s the kind of people I work for and work with.

I’m thankful for the amazing opportunities God has given me. I’ve had the chance to march in a drum and bugle corps, go to college, learn how to fly an airplane, learn to train dogs, teach science to kids, go skydiving, learn how to make pottery on a pottery wheel, ride in some historic airplanes, take memorable trips, and so much more. I’ve been so blessed to have all of these opportunities.

I’m thankful for the wonderful friends I’ve had over the years. There have been so many and they have all enriched my life in so many different ways. They have been there to share the good times with me, help me through the bad times, and share their lives with me.

–Pete