Turkey Day

I hope you are having a happy Thanksgiving. When Grant was three days old, we had to take him to the emergency room for a fever. It was his first Thanksgiving.  They did a spinal tap and gave him an IV and drew his blood and hooked him up to monitors. I couldn't hold him. I was filthy because I hadn't even showered since we left the last hospital. Zach resorted to swearing at the doctors a few times. I just sat on the window seat crying most of the day. For dinner we ate hospital food. It was sad. Every year I think about that Thanksgiving and I feel thankful that time always passes and I know on my worst days things will get better.

I am thankful for Collin's quiet determination and Grant's loud enthusiasm. I am thankful for Zach's patience and Claire's smiles and coos. I am thankful for the humility and compassion I have learned from being a mother. I hope I don't have to learn much more of it.

I am thankful for my mom who taught me how to bake bread and my dad who introduced me to squash and sweet potatoes and all sorts of things I used to think were gross. I am grateful for my siblings and my in-laws and loyal friends.

I am thankful for my college education - especially my stats class that taught me to always ask questions and my humanities professor who always found comedy in art and literature. I am thankful for my boys' teachers who teach because they love it.

I am thankful for Target and Costco and my minivan and indoor plumbing. I am thankful the garbage truck collects my trash every week. I am thankful for computers and cameras and the Internet and modern transportation.

And... I am thankful for friends who like me enough to read a long rambling list of things I'm thankful for. Thanks everyone! Happy Turkey Day.