Thankfulness

Of course this is the time of year that we all are conditioned to reflect on what we are most thankful for.  I like to think that I am the kind of person who completes this reflection exercise more regularly than during that annual turkeyfest, but there is something about the spirit of Thanksgiving that requires deeper thought and feeling.

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for the continued health of my family, my 2009 blessing who is now 8 months old and into everything, my three year old sassy/stubborn/brilliant blessing est. 2006.  I am thankful for my loving husband, who does so much to keep me sane and all of us happy and well taken care of. I am thankful for my in-laws, who created and nurtured him into the wonderful man that he is.  I am thankful for my parents for so many many reasons, but number 1 would have to be the amazingly loving family that they raised me in.  They set the bar high and I strive to love my children as they always have loved us, and instill the same kind of loving friendship among my children that I have with my siblings.
My friend Vaike who passed away just a couple of months ago once posted on our message board about a radio show that she listened to.  There was a story on there about a man who had created such love around him, that his children just wanted to be with him.  As Vaike said, he had created a legacy of love.  She had hoped to be able to leave that legacy for her family, and I think she did.  I can tell you that my Grandmother left that legacy, and my parents are living that dream right now.
  I am so thankful for each of my sisters, and my brother.  I couldn't imagine better friends.  I am thankful for Andrea and the family that she has built.  Steve and Sawyer and soon to be baby sibling Smith are a continuation of my own family, and I am so glad that my girls will have the Smith children to grow up with, so even though I can't manage to have the large family that my parents did, my kids won't lose out on growing up around lots of other kiddos!
I am so Thankful for my family beyond the immediate people that I get to spend my day to day with.  I have so many Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins that are not only family, but people that I consider friends.  The love in my life is overflowing my heart and I feel so immensely blessed beyond any reward I could have possibly earned. 
I am Thankful for the internet, to keep me in contact with those that I don't get to be close to in miles.  I am thankful for the opportunity that I have to look at new homes for my family that will more than suffice in space and aesthetics. I am thankful for DVRed cartoons, which helps me through the days after the nights without rest, and Diet Dr. Pepper.  Oh what would I do without you?

I hope that you all have just as many or more blessings to count this holiday season.  Now on to Christmas.  I am not interested in getting out the decorations this year as we are trying to declutter and get our house ready to sell, but with a 3 year old in the house, I feel it is my duty. We won't be doing it this weekend though, maybe next week? Ugh.