Thankfulness

Happy Thanksgiving!  It's hard not to be thankful this time of year. 


I have been counting my blessings all year.  I haven't written about this on my blog, because I want to be respectful of privacy, but I feel the need to share.  An immediate family member had a health scare in the spring that required a week of testing at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.  It was a very scary and stressful time.   Have you ever heard the saying, "It's all okay in the end.  If it's not okay...it's not the end."?  That totally applied.  Everything is alright now, but it took months for things to go back to normal.

I am sorry to be so vague, but it is not my story to tell.

All year I have imagined the "what ifs".  What if it can't be fixed?  What if it's cancer? What if it is debilitating?  What if I lose a loved one?  What if everything is not okay?

And now that we are through this trial, I can't help but wonder...

What if I forget all that I learned?  What if I forget to be thankful for my blessings every day?  What if I neglect to tell my loved ones how much they mean to me?

I don't want that to happen.

I am so blessed.  I have an amazing husband.  Our marriage is eleven years old and in it for the long haul.  He loves, supports and challenges me.  (And he can drive me crazy too but the feeling is mutual.)  We make a really great team.  We don't always agree but we do always love one another no matter what.  He accepts me for who I am and I am so thankful for that!!!!!  He is a great father and provider.

I have three incredible kids.  I'm not sure why God picked me to be there mama, but I really lucked out.  They are all so funny, caring and VERY imaginative.  We laugh every day.  We cry most days too but I'll take the crying if I get to experience seeing their personalities develop.  I'm not sure I know three funnier girls. 

I feel very blessed to be a stay-at-home mom.  Travis has made that dream come true for me and has never complained about it.  (Even when we were on a VERY tight budget.)  We waited a long time to have kids and I don't want to miss a thing.  Of course I would like my "job" better if it didn't involve so much housework but who am I to complain?  Three tornadoes follow me around as I try to clean each day but I wouldn't have it any other way.

We are very thankful for our families.  They were with us supporting us through the health scare.  They all helped out in lots of BIG and small ways.  Mom, Dad, Stacey, Carrie, Kate, Karen, Lisa, Bonnie, Kurt, (plus spouses, nieces and nephews) we are so thankful to have you all in our life!  We really appreciate all the support you gave us.

I am very thankful for my friends.  They have been with me through ups and downs.  They have supported me, uplifted me and loved me in my darkest times.  I am so lucky.

I have watched helplessly the past few months while people very important to me have lost loved ones.  It is hard to know what to say or do.  Nothing I say or do can take away the pain.  But what if we let their struggles change our life?  What if we start TELLING and SHOWING people how much they mean to us?  It would be a great way to honor those who passed.

So in honor of Brad and Irv I am writing this post today to let the people I care about know how much I love them.

Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope you have a lot to be thankful for!

Lori