Happy Thanksgiving! Remember all of our blessings today

Caroline and Zack were in charge of the turkeys this year, with the Gnome of Victory and Celebration looking on.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I’m blessed. I know it and I don’t take it for granted after a tough spell.

I remember to pause on this day, and most others, to be sure, to take a moment and reflect on all the good things going on in our lives.

Adopting the boss’ relentless positive action approach, we’re going easy on identifying the turkeys this year.

Certainly I can never express enough thanks for my family and friends, who stick by and encourage me and guide me back to the proper path when I go astray, as I do.

We've spread out across the country, but still stay in touch through the wonders of modern technology – like the Words With Friends app!

Here are only a couple things I’m grateful for:

It was difficult to leave journalism and the people I worked with. But we're having all kinds of new adventures.

I’m thankful: That my wife and I both have jobs that we enjoy. Leaving journalism -- and a position at MLive that I loved, with people who I loved and admired -- was a difficult, difficult decision. But I’m proud to work for the governor. I believe in what he’s doing and know that our state will be much better off in the long run.  It’s been quite an adventure – meeting new people, seeing different people and experiencing amazing things.  A friend and former boss told me, “You’re in for the ride of your life.” I think he might be right.

The whole family gathered at Mt. Rushmore for presidential fun.

I’m thankful that my son is in his senior college and close to going out in the world. He’s known for years what he’s wanted to do, found a wonderful program with internships that placed him in the field. I’m proud of him, and it’s exciting to think about all the people he’ll help as a social worker as he embarks on his career. (It’s OK for Dad to be thankful, and still a little nervous and even scared.)

Turkeys! OK, everyone knows college is expensive. But the only time I feel that we’re not getting our money’s worth is when we walk out of the book store. Charging $100+ for most of the textbooks is, well, unjustifiable.

I’m thankful that Mom Nelson took us on an amazing family road trip to South Dakota! Mom knows that I’m a big fan of all things presidential, and there aren’t any bigger presidents than those on Mt. Rushmore. What a fantastic adventure we had, also exploring the Crazy Horse monument, museums, Big Rapids’ presidential statues, a missile silo site, the world’s only corn palace and the wild and wacky Wall Drug, where a giant jackalope attacked the Gnome of Victory and Celebration.  (He recovered.)

I’m thankful that we were able to visit Florida and spend time with Mom and Dad, Jenny and her family and John.  Here’s a call you never want to make: “Hi, Mom. You know how the flight is going to land at 11:30? It’s been delayed until 1 a.m.” And here’s a call you really, really don’t want to make: “Hello, Mom? You know the flight that was supposed to arrive at 1 a.m.? It’s now landing at 2:30 a.m.”  And here’s a call you dread making, especially at, say, 1 a.m. “Hello Mom, now they’re saying we’ll arrive at 4 a.m.” I’m thankful I wasn't’t told to get on the next flight back home! Being greeted at the airport at 5 in the morning is a sign of true love.

I’m thankful there is a near-endless supply of bad postcards. A fun hobby turned into a popular column on MLive that I can continue here at Mets Guy.

Turkeys: Sports writers who refused to elect Mike Piazza – or anyone else – into the Baseball Hall of Fame last year. Luckily the 2014 ballot just came out and the writers have a chance to correct this grave error and let Mikey take his rightful place alongside Tom Seaver as Mets in the hall!

I'm thankful: Did I mention I have awesome nieces and nephew? I don't get to see them as often as I like, but we still stay in touch. And I'm always on the lookout for things to send them. It's fun being the mischievous uncle.

I’m thankful that my buddy Will has been blogging through the 1,000 days until his 50^th birthday with a favorite song and a story. It’s always a great read, and a wonderful life story. And my buddy Greg chronicles the ups and downs of our favorite baseball team – and the story beyond the story, told with passion and a sense of great community. Mets fans are a different kind of family.  

Some times being a band dad means standing in the rain most of the day in Detroit. But it's all good.

I’m thankful to be a band parent. OK, there’s a chance I used to poke gentle fun at band parents. But, through Caroline’s involvement, I've learned about the incredible work the kids do and all the things that go into a marching band show. As a parent chaperone, I get to help. I pretty much move the marimbas and not get in the way. But I get goose bumps rushing to get all the equipment on the field, stepping back and watching the kids put on an amazing show – and scrambling to get it all off the field. Walking onto the turf of Ford Field this past was a thrill I’ll never forget.

I've learned that even when I think times are tough, we are still so blessed. Today I'm making sure I look around and celebrate who we are with and what we have. Life is fragile. Embrace and appreciate those around you today.