Temperatures were cool and emotions were high, but aside from the cell phone service cutting in and out, you almost wouldn’t know the surrounding areas of MetLife Stadium had been through a natural disaster. It was business as usual in East Rutherford, NJ.

And regardless of who was donning Giants’ blue or Steelers’ black and gold, I was just excited to be out of my dark and frigid house, sharing a couple of hours with avid football fans who, like me, found a way to make football Sunday happen.

As much as I was hoping for the Steelers to get another much needed win on the road, part of me wished that if there was a way to share a win, just once, that it would have been on that day. If there was a way to boost the morale of everyone who sat in that stadium, or watched at home, I would have wished for that. Because I know the exhilaration I felt after leaving MetLife with a 5-3 record made my house just a little less cold, and my blessings a little more counted.

In the last few days my Facebook feed has been filled with family and friends from all over the tri-state area stating what they are thankful to have each and every day. For family, for friends and loved ones, for hot showers and hot meals, and for hope that we will rebuild what’s been broken here in New Jersey.

So now it’s my turn. I’m thankful for all of those aforementioned things. I’m thankful I had enough gas in my car before the rationing to get me to the football game I had been waiting for months to see. I’m thankful both teams played hard for their fans. I’m thankful for the Steelers winning another one (obviously!). I’m thankful for Steeler Nation, a pseudo second family, who has been sending prayers and well wishes and donations since Sandy hit. I’m thankful for my 3G network and iPhone to be able to post this blog from my phone.

And finally, I am thankful for the fact that not only did I get to go home blaring “Black & Yellow” as loud as possible on the New Jersey Turnpike, I got to go home, because I still have one to go to.

My prayers go to those who don’t.

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Written by Jenna F.

Jenna was born and raised in Central New Jersey surrounded by diehard Giants fans (and a few Jets fans, too). Her interest in football was actually sparked on the sidelines as a cheerleader, and with some of her family being from all over Pennsylvania, it was clear early on that her colors would always be Pittsburgh black and gold. She received her BA at Rutgers University in English, and later her MA in Journalism from the University of Miami. You might catch her cheering for some other NFL teams, but if you do, it’s because they have fellow ‘Canes or Knights on their roster. Her other interests include drawing, photography, graphic design, fashion, make-up and beating her dad at fantasy football.