Giving Thanks

November 24, 2008

Greetings!

Well 2008 is nearly over and I have yet to actually write as many updates as I would like. There is always 2009- right? I am trying to appreciate the everyday occurrences in my life so I have decided to sit down and compile the top ten things which I am grateful for during this Thanksgiving season!

10. I am grateful that the Bubs (aka Jace, Jaceroo, Jelly Bean, Bubby) is not the man of destruction any longer. He truly is growing up, and I can actually hop in the shower and not fear that my house will be covered in Kool-aid, that the Windex bottle will be empty and sprayed on every surface in the house (except for glass), and that he may have managed to climb on the top shelf of the laundry room (which incidentally is 6 feet, 2 inches tall) and scream at the top of his lungs for the rescue party to attend him.

9. I am grateful that my husband sits with me at church and has only a few meetings on Sunday morning.

8. I am grateful that Nursery begins in 7 weeks for Coops (and one of those weeks is stake conference), and Mitch will no longer need to drive him home to Backyard Grandma. Actually he has only done that on a handful of occasions, but it is funny, so I wanted to record it and remember it for posterity’s sake. Mitch too will soon be able to enjoy the last two hours of church, and Grandma may actually get to watch her football games rather than wrestle with an overly tired Cooperoo!

7. I am grateful for dark chocolate!

6. I am grateful for a backyard with hours of potential entertainment: a killer play structure that will soon be outfitted with antique radios compliments of Grandpa John, a patio with plenty of room to ride scooters and the like, and a gorgeous pool that I want to dive into as soon as it is HOT! The boys, of course, will swim in it now even though the temperature lingers around 70 degrees. I, on the other hand, need the temperature to linger near the 90’s. We may not be able to afford any landscaping, but we have goals for next year!

5. I am grateful for three boys who love school, who love to learn, and who literally pick up everything that I present to them. For now, I will revel in the easiness of learning, for I know that it will not last forever. It also makes me think of the students I once had who struggled with everything that I presented to them. It also makes me grateful that my former students tried as hard as they tried those many years ago. I do not think I rewarded their effort near as much as I should have.

4. I am grateful that Aiden and Greyson love to ride their bikes and that they literally taught themselves how to do it. They both hate to fail (I wonder where they got that from, Mitch? or should I say, self?), but since it was sweet success for them both instantly, I had no tears to wipe away, nor knees to bandage! Now, of course, not all of our journeys are this easy, but since I had two other little ones at my feet during both of these bike training dedicated days, I say THANK YOU!

3. I am grateful that I only have one in diapers. I once had all of my children in diapers (I had three at the time.). Amazing! I also have no babies on a bottle or the binki, and Bubby can dress himself, get a glass of water from the fridge, and put on a Diego movie if necessary. Even Coops is so much easier as he is able to answer my yes and no questions with a nod, he signs eat and drink independently, and he is beginning to stop crying when I ask him to use his words!

2. I am grateful for Backyard Grandma who literally helps with everything that I need. She helps with Halloween costumes, popcorn goody bags, mending, organizing, picking up toys, my endless chores, and watching the boys as I run to school, go to appointments, go to school, and even have a date with my husband! And best of all, she actually enjoys it! And I am sooooo grateful that my boys adore her too. Cooper seriously loves Grandma more than myself, however, it is due to the fact that she picks him up at even the slightest whimper. At least when she is away, he does not require the same attention from me. For this, I am grateful too!

1. I am grateful for a wonderful husband who literally helps me as soon as he walks in the door and actually says thank you for the many things that I do each day for the family. He expects the boys to treat me with respect and demands an apology from them if they deviate at all from this expectation. As he says the prayer during family prayer, he models appreciation for me, and, as a result, the boys offer me the same gratitude. He is considerate, caring, and faithful! He literally loves and cherishes me despite my follies, and truly I think he wants to live with me forever. Lucky for him, he gets to.

My list could go on indefinitely as I think about my easy pregnancy, the countless people in my world who love me- both family and friends alike, the countless blessings I receive from a loving Father in Heaven, and the countless times my Savior forgives me for all the times I require forgiveness. For this list today I say, to be continued because the boys want to play Club Penguin on the Internet!

Love to you all and Happy Thanksgiving!

Kim and her sensational six boys