An Evening to Be Thankful For

Thanksgiving. Was. Fantastic.

Everything came together wonderfully and my other thirds (Claire and Tony) were so helpful and organized. Tony and one other person picked up the plates and silverware on time around 12:30 p.m.

While the boys were doing that, I went to Penny to pick up a few ingredients to make a cheesey spinach dish - it turned out pretty good!

Then a few of us met at 1:30 p.m. to get the room all set up - we moved around tables, put up decorations, set the tables, and grabbed the drinks for later. There were just enough of us to get the job done.

I ended up at Reichwein Haus for about an hour before the dinner to hang out with Tammi and Allie. I had to head over a bit earlier in order to make sure everything was in order. People slowly started arriving and, around 7:45 p.m., there were so many people in line for food that it was crazy! There were way more than the 100 that had signed up to attend.

We had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, and then the side dishes and desserts were all a pot luck situation where, if you attended the dinner, you brought something to share.

We had everything from veggies to bread to soup and everything inbetween. The desserts were just as varied and just as delicious.

Rachel, me, and Chelsea at Thanksgiving dinner. Photo Cred: Chris Ferguson

I ended up picking up what I could with half of the people still around in order to help a bit with the clean up. I then got the chance to Skype my whole family over at my aunt and grandma's house! It was so good to see them all. :)

This year, I am thankful for the opportunity that has been given to me to participate in this German co-op, for my health, the health of my family, and the happiness that I have found in the last few months.

I am so lucky to have found the friends that I have here in Reutlingen. I look forward to many more shared experiences with them, as well as for all of the new students I will meet beginning in February.

I think this quote most aptly describes what the last six months of my life:

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I've ended up where I needed to be."
-Douglas Adams

Despite not going where I expected to go, I know that everything in my life happens for a reason; this experience, and everything that has happened thus far, has all happened to shape my future in the way that my life is supposed to go.