Turkey for Thanksgiving

I know I just got back from England, but I think I've been in Cairo for far too long, so it's time to take off again. I leave in a few hours for Istanbul, where we will be spending our Thanksgiving. I'd actually rather be at home for the holiday, just because it's definitely one of the best holidays, and my entire family will be getting together to celebrate it without me. But I suppose I can't complain too much, what with being in freaking Istanbul and all.

I'm going to have to do my best not to think about all the fun stuff going on at home, but I know come Thursday I'll be going through some massive homesickness. I love everything about this holiday, from the delicious and insane amounts of food, to seeing all the family together, to all the stupid traditions like making fun of me for that time I accidentally swallowed one of the "I'm thankful for..." pieces of paper my mom baked into the rolls.

I've got a lot to be thankful for this year - it's been definitely the most amazing one of my life. I've always wanted to go to both Japan and Egypt most in the world, and to visit both of them within six months is incredible. I'm thankful that all my travels thus far have been completely safe and gone off without a hitch - or, if there has been a hitch, it's been nothing serious, and easy to laugh off. I'm obviously thankful for my parents, who never make me feel like crap when I have to ask for money (which has been far too often lately - sorry about that), and who support all my decisions, even seemingly-crazy ones like jetting off to Beirut during election month. Thanks for giving me all these awesome opportunities. I'm also thankful for my sisters, who are always hilarious to talk to back home, and who I can't wait to see. They're both graduating this year, so congratulations to both of them, even though that means they'll both totally be stealing my thunder when I get home.

Lets get even sappier, shall we? I'm thankful for my extended family, who I haven't seen in nearly a year since I'm always gone, but who I'm very excited to see once I get home. I'm also thankful for friends - my old ones, for not hating me for being able to do all these amazing things, and for at least faking interest in the stories of my adventures; and my new ones, for making the four months in Egypt among the best months of my whole life.

I'm also thankful for Jesus, because Thanksgiving never would have existed if he hadn't risen from the dead and defeated the Maccabees. At least, I think that's what we eat turkey to celebrate.

Have a good Thanksgiving, ya'll.