Thanksgiving - Day Nine

I am thankful for my job.  Am I thankful for it every day?  Nope.  As a matter of fact there are more and more days lately that I wish I could quit my job and have more time to spend cleaning and decorating my house, being the supportive Mom, loving Wife, and good sister, daughter, and friend.  However, I do realize how very lucky I am just to have a job in this time when so many don't.  I also have a good job that pays me well, teaches me a lot, and provides me with opportunities to learn and grow.  I also have such great co-workers and Superiors that are supportive of me at all times.  Yes, I am thankful for my job.  I guess that explains why I have stayed with it for 25+ years even when I have my "unthankful" days.

Thanksgiving - Day Eight

I am thankful for trials.  Trials teach you.  Trials FORCE you to be strong.  Trials make you who you are.  Without the trials I have had in my life, I would not be the person I am today.  I would not have learned the things I have learned.  I would not have been able to serve others through sharing my experiences.  I am thankful for trials to help me remember that there is a greater plan for me and that everything happens for a reason - even though I may not know that reason for a long time to come.

Thanksgiving - Day Seven

Thankful for my sweet kitty, "Lily".  For those of you that know me well .. I am NOT a cat person.  I am a dog person.  However, you probably also know that we have a cat.  The reason is a lonnnnnng story that I will have to tell you another time.  However, she HAS grown on me and I love that darn thing.  I work at home and so she and I are pretty much here together all day long every single day.  She follows me around, rubs up on me, sits right next to my laptop while I am working and has to lay right by my side when I lay down to go to bed at night.  What have I done to deserve being the one she loves so much?  I will never know!  But I will say, when I am having a bad day, her sweet little purrs and her snuggling can always make me smile.

Thanksgiving - Day Six

I am thankful for a safe neighborhood with close neighbors that look out for and care for others.  I have always said that one thing I love about the community we live in is the fact that everyone looks out for one other.  We know each other's kids and our kids know neighbors well enough that they would always have someone to turn to in case of emergency.  How does the saying go?  "It takes a village to raise a kid"?   I'm glad to have my fellow "villagers" to help me with mine.

Thanksgiving - Day Five

Thankful for texting.  Yep - I know it sounds silly but texting has been a lifesaver in many situations in our family over the last couple of years.
Texting made it easier for my Sister and I to provide/get updates while at Drs appts or Hospitals with my Mom before she passed away.
Texting was one of the main ways my Brother and I communicated during the last months before he passed away.  I was always worried about waking him up if he was resting so I could text him and he would get back to me when he was awake.
With a teenager, texting is NECESSARY to keep track of the kids!!!
And I have even gotten my Dad to text which had been GREAT since he doesn't love talking on the phone because it is hard for him to hear.
So, yes. I am thankful for texting to allow me to communicate with those I love at any time!

Thanksgiving - Day Four

Warm apple cider.
Keeps your insides warm.
Keeps your hands warm.
My favorite drink for cold Football mornings or while out enjoying our favorite Fall or Holiday activities.
YUM!

Month of Thanksgiving - Day Three

I am thankful for the time I got to spend with my Brother.  You may or may not know that my Brother, Steve, passed away from cancer in February of this year.  A couple of years ago he came to my house to tell me that he had been diagnosed with cancer and that it didn't look good.  He told me he wasn't looking for any help but that he just wanted someone to know "in case something happened" to him.  From that day forward - for 25 months - I was dedicated to making sure that he didn't have to go through any of his sickness alone.  His wife had passed away from cancer 12 years earlier and he didn't have any Children.  He was also what some might consider "antisocial" and kept a very small circle of close friends.  But I was not going to let that be ok.  I was not going to let him be sick and die alone.  I went with him to all of his chemo sessions, I missed only 1 Drs appt, I accompanied him and sat with him through 4 surgeries and the aftercare that was needed.  I learned how to care for his port and remove his needle when he was able to do chemo at home.  I made many midnight runs (as did my Husband) to go pick him up at his house and bring him to ours because he didn't want to be alone.  I made numerous trips to his house just to sit and hang out with him because he didn't want to leave his house but was lonely.  I called insurance companies, made Dr appts, helped him pay bills, went and picked up groceries ...

I am not telling about all of these things to "toot my own horn".  I am sharing these things because I am SO very grateful for the chance to do these things.  During all of those chemo and Dr appts, or the visits or drives to and from those appts or my house I got to talk to my Brother more than I had in the previous 30+ years.  We talked about anything and everything and, to this day, I hear advice he gave me pop into my head on a regular basis.  My Husband got the chance to know him.  He got closer to him than probably some of our more immediate family is.  Even my kids got close to "Uncle Steve".  Those of you that knew Steve will never believe this but I think at times he actually liked having them around.  Caleb would want to lay by him when he was staying with us.  Parker was always checking on him to make sure he was ok.  And Uncle Steve, in his own way, let those boys know that he thought they were "ok". 

I loved my Brother so much.  I always have.  I hear stories all the time about when I was just 1 or 2 years old and he would always take me everywhere with him even though he was a 16 year old boy.  But I have the best memories of him from the time I was able to spend over the last 2 years.  He told me stories about his life, he told me how he felt about things, and he trusted me to take care of him.
For that time, I am so thankful!  And even more thankful that I was able to be with him, holding his hand, when he took his final breath - he wasn't alone.