Thanksgiving

For a moment, I'm going to jump on the Thanksgiving bandwagon. Then I'm going to take that bandwagon and do some off-roading. I hope you will stick around for the ride.

Everyone during this week, every year in the USA, will take time to stop and give thanks for whatever it is we are thankful for. What am I thankful for? Firstly, I'm thankful for a God who loves me when, in my eyes, I can be unlovable more times than not. Next, I'm thankful for my husband and how he also loves me, appreciates me and who has the ability to make me also appreciate myself. I'm thankful that he is giving and that he works so hard, through some not so fun jobs, to provide for us and love our family in that way. I'm also so thankful for how he loves our son.

Speaking of Lil' D, I'm thankful that he is who he is. An amazingly smart and curious little boy who at 13 months found those little feet of his and has not stopped walking since. Having him in my life has changed how I see the world. It has changed my entire world, and I love him more and more each and every day.

Our family owns, what I think, is a very cool old home with a lot of character. Are there things I'd like to change about it? Of course. But still, I wake up in the morning, and I am in MY home. We have heat, air conditioning, food to eat and most modern convenience. It is a wonderful feeling.

The thankfulness does not stop there. While I'm not really thankful that my husband is deployed, I am thankful at the opportunity it gives to be able to spend Christmas and New Years with my family and friends back east. Every day I get more and more excited about it. With new family married and born into our little pack along with all the old stand-byes ;-) this holiday season promises to be very special indeed.

At this very moment, as I sit here and type this while Lil' D watches the Macy's Day Parade on tv and plays with our dog Ebony, I'm thankful that I don't have to cook dinner today. That blessing is bestowed on my in laws, Earl and Laura, of whom I am also thankful. They put up their Christmas tree for Derrek, so spending this day with them will be very fun, and very yummy.

Looks like I'm thankful for a lot. The trick though is to remember just how blessed I am every day and to appreciated the blessings, no matter how big or small that find their way to our families life.
The bandwagon off-road tour will have to wait until this evening. In the mean time, choose to be thankful and to love today. It really is a lot easier than the alternative.