This Thank You for Thanksgiving post is going to be a little different to my usuals. This isn't going to be a recipe post. It's not even a review post. It's not exactly a round-up. And it's not even really about me (…well, except a little bit). This post is all about you, bestie! (It's a little longer than my usual …but how could it not be? There's no way I could show how much I appreciate you reading Chocolates & Chai in just 400-500 words.)

Bestie, YOU are Amazing.

When I started Chocolates & Chai in February of 2015, I had a lot of hopes. I hoped that people would like it. I hoped that I wouldn't look like a fool for writing it. I hoped that my recipes would be good. I hoped that my blog would grow. And I hoped that I wouldn't give up on it.

And so far, it's been a happy and crazy adventure! No seriously, you guys are such an awesome community. And I'm so appreciative of you reading my blog. I was always afraid that the internet trolls were going to find me. And okay fine, they did …but a handful of comments telling me to die in various creative and not-so-creative ways is nothing compared to all the love and support I've received here!

In the year and a half Chocolates & Chai has been alive, I've received around 600 comments, and over 100 emails. And that doesn't even include the countless messages, comments, and photos you guys have sent me over social media channels like my Facebook Page or Instagram!  (To put this in perspective, I've only published 39 posts.)

I cannot even begin to express how blown away I am.

So instead, I'm going to share a few memorable comments I've received from you. (By the way, if the comment captures below are a little difficult to read on your screen, just click on them and you’ll be magically whisked away to the original comment.)

And this is why I love you.

Deb telling me that she was literally going to have to make a 140-mile roundtrip in order to get the ingredients to make my Ultimate Hot Chocolate recipe blew my mind. I can barely make it across the road to pick up milk some days!

My Egg Philip recipe is special to me. Not only is it something I've grown up with (it's been passed down in my family!), but it's actually the least popular recipe on my blog. And there's something about that that makes me feel a little extra protective over it. So when Anelia commented saying that her family also have Egg Philip, and have passed their version of the recipe down for generations as well, something really resonated with me. I guess in some ways, for both of us, the recipe is a way to feel moments of the past, and to touch people who may no longer be with us.

My Fluffy, Fluffy Pancakes recipe is by far the most popular and most commented on post on my blog (for better, or for worse!). There have been many lovely comments posted on it over the course of the year, but this comment from Gemma touched so many things I hope to achieve every time I post a recipe - she's cooking for her wonderful daughter, she's not had luck with recipes in the past and she loved my recipe (I test my recipes over and over before posting, and this often means I post much less often than I'd like. It really feels great when I'm able to help someone with a recipe they've wanted), and she's included my recipe in her own personal recipe book. Now, I assume that this isn't a published book. And that's what makes it so meaningful to me. It's a collection of recipes that Gemma wants to keep to share with her family over the course of their lives. No profits, no publicity, just good times and great food with loved ones.

So I had planned to only show five of my favourite comments. But I just couldn't decide between these two wonderful comments from Zaib and Lauren, both on my About page. You see, when people ask me how I identify myself with respect to Chocolates & Chai, I'm often at a loss on how to respond. I mean, I'm a blogger, but what does that actually mean? I'm not a chef. I'm not a critic. I'm not an influencer (if anything I'm just telling you to cook more, and with the people you love). I'm not a photographer. But I am a writer. I write about food. I write about feelings. And I write about experiences.

Another of my more popular recipes is my Gooey Nutella Brownies post, and Gaylene's comment is just lovely. There's something about it that just feels so genuine and makes me so very happy! It might be that it shares a lot of the qualities I've spoken about above, or maybe I read it at a time when I really needed to read something kind, I honestly don't know. But it's special to me.

…And you. And you, you, and you too!

Of course, I've not mentioned that vast majority of you here. Know that you reading, following, commenting and sharing my blog has meant that world to me. I'll be doing my best to keep bringing you delicious recipes, blog posts you like to read, and photos that are true to the recipe.

Thank you so much for being my bestie. Let's not let that ever change.

For my fellow Canadian besties, I hope you've had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. For my American besties, I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving soon! And for my everywhere besties, Happy Autumn - it's my favourite season!

You are all seriously amazing human beings!