Thankful

I have bountiful blessings to be thankful for in life during the month of November… and every other month on the calendar. 

I am thankful for the season of fall with all of its beauty and abundance.  I am thankful for my children’s good schools and the educations they are receiving.

I am thankful that “Brigadoon” was a wonderful experience for my oldest daughters to participate in and for my husband to work with.  I am thankful that it is over with so that we can be a family again, as well.  I am also thankful that in spite of awfully long hours and some really late nights, Haley showed discipline and still got up EVERY SINGLE MORNING for seminary which starts at 5:45 a.m.  I am really proud of her for that.

I am thankful for a fuzzy teddy bear being left out and that I could find my fuzzy cat snuggled up with it one day.

I am thankful for nap time… whenever and however it arrives!

I am thankful to live in the United States of America and that even Nathan can point to Ohio on the map to tell me he lives there.  He points to and says “Grammy & Pops live in New York” and that he can also point out correctly “Porter lives in Washington”.  I’ll take that at the age of 2 and we’ll move on from there.

I am grateful for high points in life and sunny mornings in my kitchen.

I am grateful to stay home and care for my children myself.  I am there for the teaching moments.  I am there to kiss their boo-boos.  I am there to see all of their “firsts”.  I am grateful for a good and caring husband who has been blessed with a job he loves and with being able to provide a steady income for our family.

I am grateful for creativity… washable surfaces and running water.

I am grateful for bright clear minds who are learning their letters and sounds, and learning to read and write.

I’m grateful for messy hands and fingerprints to wash off of everything they can touch all the time.

I’m grateful for smiling faces.

I am grateful that as the days get wetter with a chill in the air that there are still adventures to be had indoors.

I am grateful that little minds think up musical instruments to create with Tinker Toys and that camping trips are reenacted with Lego blocks.

I am grateful for sunny Saturdays and kids spending time with their Dad once again.  I am grateful for huge fun leaf piles to jump into and also that finally our yard does not look completely neglected. 

I am grateful for little boy smiles, little boy helpers and for brothers being “best buds”.

I am grateful for kitty cat curiosity and adventures close to home.

I am grateful for a roof over my head.  There are four homes just on my block that are empty and foreclosed on.  We are friends with two families who lost their homes this year.  We feel very blessed to afford our home.

 

I’m thankful to be “down to earth”.  I’m thankful for our own yard and for little boy adventures; especially when they don’t end in the ER.

I’m thankful that even a few assignments even in High School will still encourage my 14 year old to get out the play dough to create a cell model.  I am also thankful she can clean up after herself now.

I am thankful that Nathan is just starting to enjoy games like “Goodnight Moon” and “Boggle Jr.”  I’m thankful that he is recognizing his letters and is able to  match them and even know some of their sounds. 

I am thankful to have good nutritious food for my family to eat.  The use of our local food pantry which we donate to through our elementary school has increased 300% this year.  The line for the Free Store Food Bank this holiday season is eye opening.  I am thankful for “enough”. 

I’m thankful for four kitty cats in our home; especially this great big “Pooky Bear” who puts up with my kids love and affection and extra attention and even seeks it out sometimes.  He is such a good and patient kitty. 

I am thankful for the US Postal service, who is soon closing their doors in our neighborhood, that they can still be counted on to bring special pictures tucked in envelopes to far away relatives that my kids are thinking of.

I am thankful to share what I have with others.  I am grateful for diversity.  I am thankful for the bravery and courage of my ancestors.

Finally, I am thankful for fresh roasted pumpkin, the warm spicy scent of pies baking and tiny little aprons for miniature egg crackers.  I am thankful for the gift of extra time with my family.

I am thankful for a life filled with joy and wonder and miracles.