Giving Thanks

Being thankful is an interesting concept when you are sick and life doesn't look the slightest bit like you thought it would. And isn't it appropriate how as soon as you sit down to write about gratitude, your two darling, angelic children start an every-man-for-himself, all-out screaming match two feet in front of you and your thankfulness? And how when you finally get them calmed down, your 7 year old tells you, "Mommy, I'm all wet!" And you notice that you, too, are all wet. And that's when you discover that your 3 year old has found a stray bottle of liquid laundry detergent and has now made a huge, gushing river straight through the middle of your playroom, engulfing all toys, books, etc. in it's path. And now, you and your grateful heart are covered in sticky, icky, stinky laundry detergent.

I am thankful for my two screaming, mess-making kids! I am thankful that I have ears to hear my children bickering (though some days I may beg to go deaf so I can get a hearing aid and TURN IT OFF). I am thankful for my hands, which daily wipe butts, sticky hands and faces, and clean up messes you can't even imagine! I am thankful for my voice, which has great practice yelling things like, "NOOOOOOO!" and "STOP!" and "Do you need a time-out?!"

I am most grateful for the ability to temporarily ignore the river, now oozing out of the playroom, long enough to sneak some chocolate and contemplate my thankful heart. I am deeply grateful for friends and family. I truly would not be here without them. Now if one of them would please come over and help me figure out how to clean up this mess, I would be eternally grateful!

Happy Thanksgiving!