A few things I'm thankful for: 2012.

Josh and I just got home from a big Thanksgiving feast at my aunt & uncle's house. Which was loud and hot and fun and as entertaining as ever. And, hilariously, the "adults" still switch into French when they want to say anything that they don't want us "kids" to hear.

So now that we're all settled in for the evening, pajamas on, woodstove cranking, and cats calm(ish), here are a few of the things I gave thanks for today:

• Josh, who is my best friend and my favorite person, my compatriot in snark, fellow aficionado of costume dramas, board games and jigsaw puzzles; who teases me about the ever-growing piles of books, but is always willing to read something if I think he'll like it; who is always the first person I call when I have anything of importance—or, for that matter, anything utterly trivial—to communicate.
• My sister, who is just as contrary and stubborn as I am, but in a good way, and who is also one of the smartest, most passionate, most entertaining people that I know.
• My parents, from whom I picked up my love of fiber arts and movies, music and food. They read to me every night when I was little, and they're very definitely the reason I was reading at age two.
• That I got to see Collomia before she moved back to the Alaskan wilderness.
• Ann and Paula and Mainely Murders.
• Our winter shares from Wolf Pine Farm.
• That I reconnected with Adam a full decade after losing touch, and that it happened completely randomly while I was in NYC for...
• ...this year's Kidlitcon, at which I finally connected—in person—with people I'd known online and admired for years (as well as meeting many others for the first time). I really don't know how to express how grateful I was (and am) for being so warmly welcomed into the fold with such camaraderie and love and humor.
• The onlinekidlit community: you are my kindred spirits and bosom friends, and I am better for knowing you.
• The unbelievably beyond-any-imaginings hostessing talents of Amanda.
• My fellow Mainers, who voted in favor of equality earlier this month.
• The various and ever-hilarious dramas at my workplace, my dynamo of a library director and my officemate, who is both my polar opposite and my comrade-in-arms.
• Our little house, our idiot cats and cranky dog, the never-ending piles of books, our evenings of good beer and bad tv.