I am Thankful:

Warning: This post has a "sappy" warning label attached to it, because I'm feeling a little nostalgic and my left over pregger's hormones still aren't quite under wraps yet so ... just so ya know.

I am thankful for my husband. Seriously, even on those days when I feel like I'm going to lose my brain if he says ONE MORE ridiculously sappy thing to me like "I always think you're beautiful!" even when I'm lying on the couch in my pj's at 2 in the afternoon, haven't showered yet, and still have eye boogers from the night before. (gag) Even on days when I'm so frustrated that I have to lock myself in the bathroom for a little ME time... I am thankful. I am thankful that SOMEONE saw fit to put a man on this earth that thinks I'm beautiful at all, much less on those 2 in the afternoon/pajamas/haven't showered yet days. I am thankful that there is at least ONE person who truly, no matter what, loves me and puts up with all of my moods from the blackest to the lightest and has never once judged me and is always there for me... even when for his own safety he has to be there for me from the other room.

I am thankful for my kids. Even though we never planned for Nadia, and we weren't married, and everyone was disappointed in us, and no one thought we would ever make it because we had went and "stuck" ourselves together, and even though that one priest told me that B was pretty much doomed to live a far inferior life due to my mistakes, and even though I didn't breast feed past 6 weeks.... I am thankful that SOMEONE saw fit to send me my Nadia. I am thankful that she is an obviously happy, obviously loved, by BOTH of her parents, and obviously healthy little girl. I am thankful for Calvin, even after having to muster up the courage to try for another baby when people were so hurtful and judgmental about the first. Even after all of the pain and disappointment of trying over and over and over (and over and over and over) again for 2 and a half years. I am thankful that he FINALLY came into our lives and was celebrated as all babies should be. I am thankful that my kids ARE. Not because they are anything, Just because they ARE.

I am thankful for my friends. That there are people in my life that I can call when my kids and my husband are driving me CRAZY and they will laugh with me, or cry with me, or rant and rave with me, and then spend the rest of the conversation reminding me why I love them and why I am thankful for them. I am thankful for people who can not only laugh at me for my quirks, but love me for them.

I am thankful for blogging (as cheesy as that may be). I am thankful that there is a place I can go to celebrate, to gripe and complain, to ramble on about my every day, boring life, and that there are actually people out there that care and that actually read about it. I am thankful that I can come here in the mornings or afternoons or whenever I have a moment and read about your lives and your kids and your every day lives and that 9 times out of 10 I walk away laughing. Seriously, I talk about you all like we've been friends for AGES instead of just a few months. I relate to where you are in your lives and to things that happen with your kids and where you are spiritually and I take comfort in knowing that I'm not always alone in my experiences.

I am thankful that I live in the same town as my family and that I don't have to travel great distances by car or plane to visit with my Mamma and Papa, or my brother and sisters and that my kids are getting the opportunity to grow up surrounded by their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Something I did not get to do.

I am thankful that I've never had to hire a babysitter because there is always family to be with my children when I can't be. I am thankful that should I ever have need of a baby sitter that there are a handful of wonderful young people that I used to babysit for that would happily be with my children and that I know I could trust to care for them as I used to for themselves.

I am thankful that I have a home that has electricity and heat and blessed air conditioning and running CLEAN water. I am thankful that I have more than I need and I am thankful that we do our best to share what we have and whatever we can with those who have not and can not.

I am thankful for our cats and for the birds and squirrels who hang out in our back yard.

I am thankful for the opportunity to BE thankful for the many many many blessings that abound in my life, whether I deserve them or not.

I am also thankful for less sappy things like:

coffee- without which I could never make it through my mornings

tea- without which I could never make it through my afternoons.

spellcheck- without which I would post horribly misspelled words

Blogfriends- who link to such awesome things like other blogs! and Pandora radio (thanks Tammie!) which is this amazing little thing that plays whatever kind of music you like and are in the mood for. For example, I typed in "Celtic Christmas" over 45 minutes ago and it will probably stay here all day!

Books- without which my life would be empty and devoid of meaning

and just.... so much more.

And wow... this blog was so sweet and sappy that I need to dunk it in my coffee. *laughs*

Happy Thanksgiving to each of You!