Tonight I am feeling incredibly grateful, which is a good way to feel on Thanksgiving.  We’ve had a lot to be thankful for over the last year.  The chance to spend more time with our kids, to explore the outdoors, and make so many friends with the incredible people of Australia along the way.  
We got to experience what I believe may be my dream travelers’ Thanksgiving. We are in Perth, Australia today – just about as far as we can be from our home (36 hours door to door, in fact, including transfers and layovers).  We are staying with friends who have generously welcomed our jet lagged family into their home upon our return from the U.S. earlier this week. (These friends, I might add, are friends we made camping over Easter weekend this year.)
Today, we were able to fully indulge in our combined Thanksgiving traditions. We cooked together, our kids played together, and we enjoyed a delicious feast. There was turkey cooked to perfection on the barbie, garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry, peas, candies sweet potatoes with authentic American marshmallows, mouthwatering stuffing, and of course, pie. Pumpkin pie. Pecan pie. Whipped cream. But most of all there was friendship. We feel incredibly thankful for the friends we have made in Australia, and the warmth with which our hosts have included us in their family traditions.
Tonight we sat down with their extended family to enjoy a meal together. It was special for all of us to celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia.  When my husband told our son Finn that indeed we would be having turkey, stuffing and cranberry, he took three quick strides, leapt into the air, and threw his arms around him. Jay never even had a chance to tell him about the pies! So while we feel far from home, and we are missing our families, I also feel gratitude for the opportunity to sit down with another family and experience the connection between our familiar traditions and the adventure we are on.