November Thankfulness Day 6-Modern Medicine

Today I am grateful for modern medicine. I am grateful that if we have to be sick or have anything majorly wrong with us, that we're around now and not 100 or even 20 years ago.

Sean has the croup right now and it is modern medicine that kept us from going to the emergency room for treatment. Modern medicine allowed a surgeon to repair sean's heart to keep him alive.

Vaccinations keep my kids from getting diseases that used to kill people. Yes. I know those diseases still kill people & they're still nuisances to people who contract them, but so far my kids have been able to stay clear of RSV, Rotavirus,, polio, chicken pox, measles, mumps, rubella, flu, etc.

Thank you to all the medical professionals who continue to make advancements in the medical field to keep my babies & us relatively healthy

November Thankfulness Day 5- Sibling Bond

Today I am thankful for the bond shared between a sister & her brother. It's an amazing bond that is reserved only for them. 

November Thankfulness Day 4- Peace & Quiet

Today I am thankful for peace & quiet. It's not that I don't love the constant chatter of my loving children, but there comes a time each time when I relish in the joy that is quiet. When I can enjoy a glass of water or something to eat that doesn't involve sharing with anyone. A time when I can goto the bathroom and not have anyone trying to get in or talking to me through the door.

A time when I can peruse the internet with no regard about what's on my screen. I can watch TV and not have to worry about the lesson my kids are learning.

But most of all..... my time of peace & quiet is a time when no one is pulling on my shirt or climbing on me.

Yes..... today I am thankful for peace & quiet.

November Thankfulness Day 3- Little Reminders

Let me paint a picture for you. A mother & her child are sitting in the living room looking at various pictures and somewhere along the way stumble upon a wedding picture of mother & father. Little girl asks whether she can wear that princess dress and have those flowers when she gets married. Mother melts. Mother asks, "would you like to see more pictures from mommy & daddy's wedding?" Little girl says, "Yes mommy." 

And mother is reminded of the happiness & love she felt on that day. She is reminded why her Ketubah hangs above her bed.  

  

Mother remembers that her 3 year old is not & will not always be difficult. 

So today I am thankful for the little reminders. Little reminders that my life is a good one. 

Does he understand?

I always wonder if Sean actually understands what I say to him. Is he actually learning? How long will it take him to learn "that"? 


And then you're sitting there having dinner & Sean starts doing the Itsy Bitsy spider fingers & looks at you. Then he gets excited when you sing it. WOOT WOOT! As you settle in, you ask...... "do you wanna do itsy bitsy?" And he puts his spider up to do it with you. And you sob. You cry a happy cry. He learns! He understands!!! 


Sean is starting to show that he understands just about everything we tell him. I couldn't be happier. Way to go Sean!!!! 

November Thankfulness Day 2- Innocence

Today I am thankful for innocence.

I am grateful that my children teach me to see the beauty in everyday innocence.

(Photos by Meredith)

A thankful November day 1

Hopefully..... I'll be able to post every single day & tell you what I'm thankful for this year.

Today.... I am thankful for my family. My husband, my children and yes even the dogs. I may not like every one of them every second of everyday, but I'm thankful to have them around. And yes, I promise, even the dogs.

I receive joy everyday watching my children smile and watching them learn the hard lessons in life. You know the ones that ultimately end up with someone very upset. I get to watch as they learn how to make themselves happy again and I see the lightbulb go off "Hey! I figured it out and I'm happy!" It makes me happy to see them look at something new with their mouths hung wide open & looking with disbelief. It makes my heart sing to hear Meredith say "ub ou" (a throw back to her younger days) and to see Sean say "I Love You" with his eyes & his hugs.

I see my husband come home & weave himself into our evening lives. And I'm grateful. Grateful that he comes home every evening instead of "running out for a quart of milk & a pack of cigarettes". Grateful that he works hard everyday so that I'm able to to stay home with the littles. I'm thankful that my children love him and that he has figured out how to relate to them. I'm grateful that even though times are rough sometimes around here, we have figured out how to compromise & work things out. We've figured out how to be & that we can be honest with each other.

And the dogs. Dutchess & Brewster. My ever loyal companions. Even though I threaten to find them new homes almost on a weekly basis, I'm pretty sure there are no other dogs that would take the kind of beating they take from my kids. Meredith has climbed on them. learned where teeth are by pulling their beards up & opening their mouths. Sean has pulled the ears and climbed on them. Meredith used to pull them around the house by their tails. Heck.... she even made herself quite comfy in their bed, with them in it, while watching TV. And they take it. They have never once growled or snarled. The dogs let the kids stick their hands on the food & water bowls. They clean up under the kids' chairs and are always there when I need them.

So today and always, I'm thankful for my happy little family.