Month of Thanks - Day 1 :)

Today starts November - I have lots of fun information to share.  This time of the year is my favorite - I LOVE fall and I like that I get Halloween, now Princess's birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.  All those holidays equal lots of time I get to go home to Tennessee and spend time with my amazing friends and family!! I'm also looking forward to an upcoming day in NYC with my mom (suppose to be my SIL too, but she got a NEW job (YAY!!) and can't come now). I am also trying to plan an Ohio weekend so I can see my loves - I'll keep you posted there.

Looking down on Alcoa as we take off!

Now for the most important part - Month of Thanks - for the first day of this month, I am thankful for the opportunity to live in New Jersey.  To be apart of something amazing! As all of you know by know Hurricane Sandy SLAMMED into our barrier islands - the coast is destroyed and a lot of families have lost absolutely everything.  Sunday - United Airlines was awesome enough to squeeze me onto a flight to Newark since my 8pm flight was cancelled. I can honestly say I have never been as nervous to fly as I was that day.  Heading back to the north east knowing a Hurricane was coming and that the Philadelphia airport was closing meant something BIG was coming. 

The flight was bumpy and many points I looked for a bag as I was scared I was going to get sick.  I forced  myself to try and read but with the turbulence I couldn't without getting sick. I forced myself to try and sleep. It worked for about half of the flight. By the time I woke up we were told that we were over Philadelphia and didn't have much longer till we landed and were waiting for clearance from Newark. I looked out the window and the sky was definitely getting darker.  I just wanted to be down and home.  Thankfully my friend Bobby came to pick me up in Newark. It was windy and rainy, but nothing to bad at that point.On the way home we got the notice that school was going to be closed Monday (kinda of a given but good to know for sure). Now, when we got home, he helped me make a quick food run and had dinner with me before he left.  I checked in with my girlfriend Lisa, who is 8 months preggo and in Norfolk on the base as her hubby is out to sea.  She was safe and secure.  After Bobby left, I tried to get some stuff done around the house but ended up just crashing.

Monday I woke up and turned on the news.  They just kept saying how bad it was going to be.  Dollface texted me and told me that the girls and I were welcome over there if I didn't want to be alone.  After going back and forth I figure it was for the best.  I packed myself up then went to pick the girls up from the boarder. We ran a couple errands and ended up at Dollface & cuzzo's house around 1.
Cuzzo was home from work not to long after that.  We stayed glued to the TV and news almost the whole day.  Thankfully, we never lost power at their house.  Scarlet wasn't a fan of all the wind and noise outside.  Kyle went out at one point and she stayed glued to the window till he came back!

 I am thankful for our power and safety.  I am thankful that most everyone I know is safe - some still without power or heat, but they are ok.  I am thankful that my friends like T with shore houses are ok and their houses are replaceable but they are not. I am thankful to see a lot of people I have meet from here head out to help others and to start the rebuild process.  New Jersey and New York both have a HUGE rebuild ahead, but I can tell you now that these people are ready to start it and get through it.  I look forward to being a part and helping out with community clean ups. 

 

I am extra thankful for my CrossFit Aspire family - and being able to go Tuesday and get my head off of everything, get out of the house and #GetAfterIt! Here is the crew who WOD'ed in the dark on Tuesday as our box didn't (and still doesn't) have power.

What are you thankful for today?

~xoxo
M