As we enter the month of November I’m so excited for what’s to come. November is a time of reflection. It brings yummy food and the beginning of holiday shopping as well. But ask yourself, what are you most thankful for this 2016 Thanksgiving? I am thankful for my family.

I was born into a very big family, and I love each and every one of them very much. Having a large family is probably not what you think. Of course, you get more cards on your birthday from your great great uncle Stan or your cousin from Iceland, but it’s a little bit more than that.

Last Thanksgiving my aunt had been cleaning out her attic for renovations, boxes on boxes were everywhere being sorted. I came across a book that had taken its place on the coffee table in her living room. Inside I found what I was looking for. The page was titled “What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?” The entries dated back to 1999. Almost all, if not all, stated that they were thankful for how much our family is able to be together for the holidays. I was overwhelmed with why. Why are you thankful for that? We all live within either a 10-minute drive to a six-hour plane ride, and it’s easy to all end up in the same place at the same time to be together if needed. But why, what is it? It’s what I call unconditional love.

Unconditional love is what my aunt describes as loving someone at their worst and their best and everything in between. No matter what you do they will always there. I was once given a very important piece of advice which I now live by. It also has some explanation to why my family is the way they are. I was told by beautiful young women that if someone wants you in their life they will put you there. I learned that is what my family lives by without even realizing it. My family is a caring, kind, and accepting group of individuals. We laugh and cry together. We belly laugh on Christmas Eve about a portion plate gag gift. We don’t sleep over our friend’s house on the weekend; we have sleepovers with our cousins our own age. There are so many of us we have a mini community across the United States. We are made up of a group of fashionistas, comedians, brainiacs, doctors and so many more. We have two different spellings of our last name when our ancestors came over. We have a nickname name for the group of grandchildren. If one falls, we all fall together. We are family by blood and choice. In today’s world blood related doesn’t mean anything. You see families who haven’t talk to their mother and fathers in years. They have completely cut everyone off. They don’t see them on holidays or send out one birthday card. My family does. My family loves unconditionally. My family is what I’m thankful for this thanksgiving. So I ask you, what are you thankful for?