On the drive to Cape Breton on Friday, F piped up in the backseat – quite out of nowhere – to tell me he was really thankful for his blood. My blood helps me be active, Mama, he explained and I had to admit that he was right. He went on to say he was thankful for dead turkeys we can eat because we need to eat to be strong and when we are strong, we can do lots of other things.

This kid, you guys.

On Friday night, I asked F again what he was thankful for. My blood, turkey and my mom, he replied – in that order -sending the kitchen full of family into hysterics. I’m thankful I made his top three.

As I often do when I’m home, I set out for a run on Saturday afternoon. It had rained all night, and there was a hint of rain in the air that made me question whether or not I should have worn a proper jacket. Around the third kilometre, the rain began and within a matter of moments I was drenched. The fourth kilometre saw strong winds that made me run a little sideways, fighting against the cold. And then, about halfway through my fifth kilometre a beautiful rainbow emerged.

Friday was my Nanny’s 87th birthday, but it would have been my (late) Papa’s 91st. When he died on May 3, 2010 we saw rainbows over his home. I’ll never forget that day, and we spent much of Friday night reminiscing about him. There isn’t a day that he’s not missed. Seeing that rainbow on my run yesterday was a gentle reminder that he lives on with us, with our laughter around the Thanksgiving table as remember the yearly debate over whether turkey or salt cod was a better meal.

I finished the last two kilometres of my run smiling, overwhelmed with gratitude and tired muscles. I awoke this morning with stiff quads and slightly sore hips and knees, thankful for my cozy bed and the adorable bed-hog snoring in my ear. Sometimes we forget what a privilege it is to be so inconvenienced by the little things like achy muscles from a good run, or a poor night’s sleep because our child took up most of the bed and somehow kicked you in the right ear.

Today, I’m just thankful.