My Wonderful Thanksgiving       by:Christina Ledzion

Dear Diary: It's the first of November and I'm all set. I got all my candy from yesterday which is
half gone already, and it will probably last until the end of this week. Mom and Dad want me to
think of what I am thankful for and then share it with my family at our huge Thanksgiving dinner.
I know it doesn't sound like a big deal but EVERYONE will be there. My Uncle John and Aunt
Kim will come up from New York with my cousin Anthony. And my Uncle Ken and Aunt Mary-Ellen
will be here with my cousin Megan from Texas, and, gosh, everyone in my family will be there!
Well I should go. I’ll write more next week, and tell what I put on my "I’m thankful for" list.

    "Chloe, darling, time for dinner," Mom said with a big shout.
    "Okay. Be there in a second." I stuffed my dairy in my drawer and could smell the pizza from the
kitchen. You usually can't smell too much in Florida (over that nasty smell of our water.)
    I ran down stairs and took my seat next to my older brother Steven who was 16
and my little sister Briana who was 10. Oh yeah, and me. I'm Chloe Tiver and I'm 13 years
old and Princess of Babylon. Hey, if you don't believe me, I'll ask my sister, she'll tell you.
"Briana, aren't I princess of Babylon?" I said with my chin sticking up.
    "More like princess of Babble-ton," said Steven. "Get it? You talk a lot."
    "Shush up, Dork wad! I was asking Briana." I turned my attention to Briana. "As long as I'm the Queen you can be the princess."
    "You got a deal Chickerina!" she said as we gave each other a high five.
    "It's time for a family meeting." my mom said. She gets all choked up about family meetings, like she doesn't get to talk to us enough.
    "I'm just here for the pizza mom, so I'll leave now," Steven said. "Can I leave? I am at a really cool part in KINGDOM HEARTS where I get to make a Gummi Ship."
    "NO YOU MAY NOT YOUNG MAN! WE NEVER GET TO SPEND ANY TIME WITH ONE ANOTHER AND YOU CANNOT TREAT ME LIKE THAT!" Then she started crying as she ran up the stairs.
    "Wow, she's in a bad mood or something." Me and my brother chuckled and my sister laughed without knowing what it meant.
    "Steven, Chloe, go up stairs," said Dad. "And Steven no more games for a week, and Chloe you can't come out of your room till we know what your thankful for. Write it on a piece of paper and give it to me when you're done."
    "Dad, she better not. She will never beat my list from last year. World peace and the game Mario Party 2. Remember how many Mario Parties I got? At least 6 Right?"
    "Son, how can you ramble that long? You seem like such a quiet guy. Try to be a quiet guy. Now both of you go to your room and we will call ya'll down for pizza when we start to feel sorry for you."
    My brother and I ran up the stairs knowing that if we didn't run, the belt would be chasing after us. My brother then slammed his door, very upset that he couldn't play his new game.
    I started walking then, quietly absorbing the air in the hallway, knowing that I could be in my bedroom until tomorrow. I finally reached my bedroom, got out a piece of paper, and sat at my desk thinking. "If I were to say what I am really thankful for, I'd say a phone in my room and a satellite dish connected to the T.V in my room. Oh that will warm my relatives heart and soul."
    I started drawing pictures of hearts and stuff, then I thought to myself: what do I have that other people don't? And that's where I got this poem:

                   What are you thankful for?

When I ask the question what are you thankful for, what do you say?
I say that I'm thankful for a roof over my head every day,
And for great parents to show you compassion and how to pray,
Friends who show you a whole new world and how to play,
That teacher who shows you how to make a pot or a vase out of clay,
And leaders who show you how to lead the way,
And that is how I learned it all . . . Day by Day.

Dear Diary: When I read my poem at our Thanksgiving dinner, Mom started to cry and Dad looked
at me with a twinkle in his eye. My family was so proud of me. Whoa! I made it after all. I'm so happy
it's over. My brother's happy too. Not for me but he's THANKFUL that the week is over. O Boy.
Kingdom Hearts again.
Briana is THANKFUL that my cousin Megan is sleeping over today; and me—I’m THANKFUL that
now my family has a reason to be proud of me.