Survival...

For some the holidays are a battlefield. Survival of the fitness. A time families come together to brag about the accomplishments or sulk and get angry about what they have not accomplished. Brothers and Sisters are competitive by nature. My sister and myself are the perfect example of this. In constant battle of who can do what better and faster. I am proud to say that as we have aged we no longer are in competition with each other. We have both taken separate paths in life... for her she now has a wonderful family... and for it is my career. Our family holidays are quite peaceful in that respect.

However not every family can enjoy this. As you know last week I met -W's family. Not just his immediate family but also his aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins. I was pre-warned that my experience might not be pleasant, and to just prepare myself. Jokingly -W would say, "I am just trying to scare you off!" Sitting around the table I could sense some tension from time to time. But nothing I couldn't deal with. But after witnessing a family who has tension and then spending a few days with mine I am thankful for my family. Life is too short to be in competition with each other. Instead love each other, and love each day to its fullest. That is were happiness truly lies.

So over the holidays don’t try to SURVIVE but rather look at it as a time to be happy and you will. The holidays are not a battlefield, trust me.

Oh and by the –W didn’t scare me off. We are still dating and loving it.

I am Living Single in Texas.

Thankful...

Thanksgiving is a day dedicated to giving thanks. Thanks for our family and friends... the food we eat... the homes we live in... the country we live in... thanks for breathing, for living, for loving... I am truly thankful this year.

It has been a rough year. This time last year I was driving to my dad's, as I do every year. It is tradition to spend Thanksgiving with my dad in Victoria and then spend Christmas with my mom in Midland. We have been doing this now for seven years. It is the same every year. I either meet my sister, brother-in-law, and niece there, or I ride with them. At any rate I have always been the single one at the dinner table. You can even say I sat at the kids table. Makayla and I would hang out and play together while my dad, stepmom, sister, and brother-in-law would do the adult things. I have always been fine with this tradition. It gives me a good excuse to hang out with Mak... however over the past couple of years I have been sad.

I didn't have anyone to kiss or hug. Sure I had boyfriends but they never wanted to spend the holidays with me. It was quite sad really. In fact last year I cried myself to sleep one night. The guy I was seeing for just over a year and half made it quite clear he didn't want to spend Thanksgiving with me, in fact he was glad to be rid of me for the week. I guess I found it frustrating that every year I had no-one, and I am getting older... I am ready to start sharing my holidays with someone special... but it never seem to come.

Until... this year. I have been dating the same man now since late June, that is over five months, and I could not ask for more... He is going to Victoria with me this year, and I am meeting his family as well. I have this overwhemling amount of joy, and I just can't stop smiling.

I am thankful this year to have a wonderful man in my life willing to be apart of my whole life and I his.

I am Living Single in Texas.