I know I’ve mentioned this before but having a foreign exchange student is something every family would benefit from. Even if you do just a short stay rather than an entire school year.

This Thanksgiving our latest foreign exchange student’s downright giddiness to experience this new holiday helped me treat the day as something far more special that I often do. I mean, let’s face it, the day comes around every year, so it’s easy for it to be commonplace in our thoughts. But, the change in focus really elevated the holiday for us all. And listening to her say and show such gratitude for the family gathering and the food helped all of us speak more openly about the things we are grateful for. I always say get outside the comfort zone box we all live in as often as possible. It’s how we find fresh perspectives on life and grow into a better people.