All Are Safely Gathered In

Thanksgiving is coming up. It sneaked right up on you, didn't it? I was so busy planning for Christmas presents to sew that Thanksgiving kind of crept in there and took me unawares. I mean... I KNEW it was this week... but for some reason felt like I had more time. Maybe a time warp smack in the middle of the week.

nope.

I'm going to skip Taekwondo tonight and work more on getting the house ready for the company coming on Thursday. The next few days will be a scramble. Every break I get from work will be spent on a problem area in the house. I'm so thankful I have a job from home! Otherwise I'd have to plan ahead... and that's never going to happen.

Let's see... Things I'm thankful for...

1) first and foremost, I'm thankful for a God who loves me unconditionally and sent his own son to save us. He knows what I need even if I don't. And because of Him, I know that all this earthly stuff really doesn't matter.

2) I'm thankful for my husband. He is my rock and if I didn't have him to vent to at certain times, I would explode.

3) I'm thankful for my kids. God gave them to me, knowing that I'm not the perfect mom. They're making me realize things that I should have been thankful for a long time ago. Like sleeping all through the night, having a clean house, etc. :) They're also making me realize that everything is a precious gift that we shouldn't squander.

4) I'm thankful for the extra little bits of time I get to spend with Meri and Maddy while they're still home. Chauffeuring them when they let me. Having them chauffeur me...

5) I'm thankful for my parents and how they raised me. I didn't realize at the time how much they sacrificed for us kids all through the years. I'm sure I was a very ungrateful child then.

6) I'm thankful that my son and his wife are living here. I know that sounds weird... But I know that with their situation, this is the best choice. I'm thankful that she and I get along so well.

7) I'm thankful for my future grandson and look forward to holding him in my arms and singing to him.

8) I'm thankful for the early morning cappuccinos with Meri and movies on Friday nights with Maddy, even tho she falls asleep half way through... We still need to finish Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid. Maybe this weekend.

9) I'm thankful for a job! Especially this one where I can run inside and move the laundry ahead if I need to, or put a batch of bread in the bread machine for supper during a short break.

10) I'm thankful that even though sometimes things look bleak, God has an open window for me. There is always that open window and if I can clear my head I'll see it.

11) I'm thankful for all my imaginary friends! That's you, in case you hadn't heard me refer to you in that manner before. My kids dubbed you that. Thank you all for reading my mind numbing posts, even when I'm really reaching! I value the friendships I've made through blogging.

This is a good majority of my side of the family from last years reunion. Thankful that I'll be seeing a lot of them this weekend!

Then of course, there's a whole list of things that I'm not thankful for... yet. But I've got to get my head on straight so that I can see the lessons God has put in them for me, so I'll be thankful later. For now I'll put them on my list of grievances for that other holiday coming up... Festivus, the airing of grievances... Trust Seinfeld to come up with a new holiday!