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* I am grateful I am in my 30’s, what a *ma-roon* I was in my 20’s!! I am grateful for facebook! Yes it sometimes sucks me into a vortex! But boy howdy have I got to cyber visit with some long lost friends and family. I facestalk everyone to see what they are doing and do so wish we were next door neighbors so I wouldn’t have to just see their lives in pictures. I am grateful for my dogs, sounds silly huh? But you see I truly adore them, and unlike children you can have a favorite!!! Maggie is mine! I love her “chicken wing” when she lays beside me when I cook, clean or really do anything…she is always there!
I am grateful for eye cream. I am now quite aware of what that “crepe paper” look under your eye is. Goodness my face is no longer as young as it used to be, not quite sure how that happened!
I am grateful for time. I find I used to think it was just my enemy taking days away. But I am so grateful that time heals as well. I look back at things I have been through and amazed I came out alive and am so glad there is distance from where I was then to where I am today.
I am grateful for food! I love when I make delicious food and my hubby drools over it the whole time as it is cooking. I love when my kids get so excited when they see chocolate chips rising in the oven. I know some will say that it is old fashion or maybe even wrong to center things around food, but I say NAY to you! I enjoy showing my love through food! ;0) I am also a hugger and kisser and a say it out louder “I LOVE YOU!!” But as a gesture of love, I do enjoy making yummy food for those I care for! I have a good food memory with those I hold most dear…I love how thrilled my dad would be when I made him something special. Cookies, meatloaf you name it! I think his favorite was my pot roast; he would kiss my forehead and tell me how wonderful I was when I made him that! He would ooh and aah then practically drink the gravy! Straw please! I loved at our last Thanksgiving together, he came up behind me rubbed my shoulders you know like…. “Well done Champ” he said “It sure looks good,” as he smacked his lips and rubbed his belly, then he said "If you need me to taste anything you let me know!"…....actually he said it every year!! But as he did it the last time I tried to memorize his voice, his smile and the love delivered in the words he spoke.
I am grateful for my Dad. I really am! He was the most amazing man that this word will ever know! My life is so much better for having such a great example in my life, even if it was much too short. I miss him dearly!
I am grateful for my family. Now most of them drive me crazy and I wonder how in the world are we are related. Ha! But I love them! And I am sure they feel the same about me! I love that I am so much older than my sisters. I am one tough cookie so I can handle a lot! Even though it has been rough sometimes and I wish I could have been spared some of the heartache, I am glad they can learn from my journey along the way. They can work on making things even better for their lives.
I am grateful for my kids, they also drive me crazy! My teenage daughter….well all I can say is that I tried so hard when she was little to teach her to talk……come to find out…I should have re-thought that...darn it! I love that girl but man alive the attitude can knock you out! But I love her like crazy and the good outweighs the bad. I love that she has a heart for children with special needs and works with them with such patience. She doesn't worry about what other people think and doesn't need their approval. She does her own things and is comfortable with it. Then there is my Matthew, who looks like my dad so much! Goodness I mean really?!?! No doubting that kid is mine! He is always going a mile a minute and he wears me out to pure exhaustion! But I love his kindness and care for others. He always thinks of other and wants them to be taken care of. I think he will make a very good hubby someday!
I am grateful for my husband. When I met Eric he was mean, selfish and not very thoughtful. I could not even believe how I felt nudged by God that he was to be mine. I believe I actually fought it, kicking and screaming a good part of the way! There was no way this guy was to be my future husband… NO WAY!! I mean since I was a little girl my daddy told me I deserved the best and to be very picky! So when Eric (who is gonna kill me for this part of the post! HA!) showed up in my life he was not the Prince Charming or Knight in Shining Armor I had dreamed of. Where the heck was my Choir Boy? My Youth Pastor I thought I would marry? And who instead is this moody, grumpy, cussing like a sailor, punk in front of me?!?! BUT…here is the good stuff that makes up for my seemingly unkind words. He has turned out to be a really amazing husband and dad! He was a bit….*ehem*cough*ummm…rough around the edges when I met him. He will admit it all too and he really truly hates how he acted back then. Now there were moments that were bad yes, but it got us to HERE…. And here is good most days! I say most, because there are days I look at him and want to leap across the room and strangle him! And even though he says no, I am sure there are days he feels the same. I mean anyone who uses your nail clippers (ya know the expensive kind for cuticles) on zip ties and heaven only knows what else so when go to use them they are all bent and don’t line up…grrr or someone who uses your good towels…oh yes, white ones…on the car…yep the greasy, oily, dirty car…you can’t help but want to strangle someone who does that! But I am grateful for him. I am grateful that he works hard for our family. He tries to do better each time he makes a mistake. He hangs out with his kids and he even volunteers….*ehem*cough* voluntold….at the kid’s school! He loves them so much, he can’t even stand it! And he loves me, not just loves me but is still in love with me. Sometimes I will be standing there and he runs across the room grabs me and squeezes me, practically knocking me over! See God knew what He was doing. Eric is just my just right, my perfect for me and I love him! Even though he clearly owes me a new set of towels!
So be grateful, even when it is hard, even when you don’t want to. It goes by fast and you never know what the next day holds. I hope you have a Happy Turkey Day *Gobble till ya Wobble* and drink lots of gravy! Straw please!
xoxoxo
P.S.......In case you were wondering Eric did NOT kill me and approved this message ;)
