I'm Grateful. Are You?

We’re off to grandma’s house through the woods this week, or, in our case, I may want to say through the waves.  

This will be our Thanksgiving view.  Beautiful Emerald Isle, NC

We’re with family this week celebrating one of my favorite holidays.

It’s hard for me to pick my favorite dish from our family meal.  It’s a big family gathering, so we have about 12 dishes. I eat so much that I would almost have to do 24 hours of Denise Austin exercise routines to burn the calories off. 

So every Thanksgiving I get as plump as the turkey, and I do have a lot of things to be grateful for, too. My husband says that I love to complain, so I thought I would turn some of those complaints into positives this week.  Here’s my grateful list for this week.

I’m grateful that every hot shower I take is always interrupted by a child, as well as every bathroom break I take.  Yes, it’s true. But I have electricity, hot water, and a warm home, so I can take those interrupted showers.  Unfortunately, too many people cannot say the same.

I’m grateful that I can’t hear the “Bill and Linda show” in the morning because of all the noise in my car on the way to school. I never get to hear one word they say as much as I want to hear, but I’m still grateful because this means my kids are healthy. We also have a car to drive and money to put gas in our car.   Unfortunately, some people aren’t as fortunate.

I’m grateful that I have to fumble 10 minutes with my child’s coat zipper in the morning when I’m already running late.   It seems that the later I run in the morning, the harder the coat is to zip. My children are fortunate to have warm coats. Unfortunately, many children do not.

I am grateful that one of my children may say, “I don’t like this!” or “This looks yucky!” when I put a hot, cooked meal on the table nightly.  This means that we have food to eat every night of the week, and, again, my children may be inappropriately vocal, but they are well-fed and healthy. Some children are not, and, unfortunately, some families don’t know when their next meal will be.

I am also grateful that my house looks like a bomb went off in it at 6:30 pm.  The kids are yelling, crying, and screaming. I’m screaming, and my dinner is overcooked because my husband is not yet home from his job.  I’m thankful my husband has a job and can provide for our family.  Many people are out of work and are truly struggling right now.

I’m grateful that a little person taps me on the shoulder at 4 a.m. to tell me his bed covers are messed up. Again, this means I have a bed, and my child is healthy, not sick, and at home with me. Other parents may not be able to say the same.

I am grateful that another little person comes in my room to tell me to get up before the sun is even up.  I cuddle with that little person, and, later, another little person joins us for cuddling.  I am so blessed to have a home, food, electricity, a steady income, a loving husband, and two beautiful children who I would do anything in this world to keep safe and healthy.  Parenting is the hardest job I’ve ever done, but I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to experience this role in my life and a wonderful partner to help me through it.

I have a lot to be thankful for this holiday, and, unfortunately, many people aren’t as fortunate as I am right now in my life.

Families need food.  Families need warm places to stay.  Families need coats and clothing. Please remember our charities and food banks this holiday season.  They are a blessing to so many people in need. 

And I have to leave you with a special note that made my heart melt this holiday. Mr. Cool worked on this sweet card while in his Cub Scouts meeting.

 Happy Thanksgiving!

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