My favorite time of year is finally here!! Over the past few years, I have had shockingly difficult holiday seasons. My grandmother passed away on Christmas of 2018. She was the glue that held my family together. Not only were we going through a painfully hard time during the end of her life, she passed on Christmas Day (her favorite holiday). She and all of us spent that Christmas in the hospital holding each other and making heart breaking phone calls. After that, the holidays were never quite the same. Our family was at the loss. We felt isolated without her yet, we have taken such an unfortunate circumstance and used to be what keeps us together.

This holiday season, I finally feel like my family has gotten our spunk back. The year that my grandma passed, most my mom's side of my family came down from Baltimore to visit for the holiday and spend it in sunny South Florida! It was amazing to have all of us together, especially because we did not even know it was our last time being with our grandmother as a group. This year, we are doing another family Thanksgiving and I could not even express to you guys how excited I am!!

Thanksgiving (as well as all of holiday season) really brings so much into perspective for me. Let's be real, everyone has had some rough years, but it is this time that shows you what you truly have to be grateful for. Thanksgiving makes me feel sentimental. It makes me emotional sometimes to even think about how proud my grandparents would be to see all of making such an incredible effort to be together during the times that count. During the times that you should be surrounded by your loved ones, we find each other.

Thanksgiving makes me feel refreshed. You have no idea how much you have until its walking into your house, sleeping on your couch, or keep you up all night laughing. That is how I feel every time my family comes into town. Like a breath of fresh air that I never knew I needed. This is going to be the best way to start off my holiday season!