Skip to main content

Quietly Thankful


At many Thanksgiving Dinner tables, family members are asked to go around the table expressing their thanks for something special in their life. The usual remarks include God, health, children, spouses, parents and world peace.

Even if this tradition does not take place today, it is the time of year that most give pause to the blessings in their life.

I am thankful for my wonderful and supportive family, neighbors and friends. My husband could not be more supportive and loving. I have three beautiful boys who care about one another. We are all relatively healthy and happy.

But today I write about what I am thankful for, but would never say at a dining room table full of people. Most people choose their cream of the crop thoughts to share among family, friends and relatives.These are not my cleaned up versions, so be prepared.


Here are some of the things I am thankful for throughout the year:
  • Turning off the alarm on a day when there is no school.
  • When my friend brings over her recycled New Yorker magazines.
  • Nutella for breakfast.
  • A sink clear of dishes. This does not happen often enough.
  • When all the kids are tucked in for the night and I can sit bundled under a blanket watching my favorite show.
  • Ben pooping on the potty.
  • Remembering to make a grocery list and actually bringing it to the store.
  • Having gas in the car.
  • Nutella for snack.
  • Coming up with a brilliant dinner idea by 4pm that includes something healthy.
  • Mondays and Thursdays - kids buy their lunch.
  • Having a relaxing date night with Ryan.
  • My exterminator, thanks Lee.
  • Getting Ben's orthotics and shoes on before the bus arrives at our door.
  • Authors who write fiction novels that allow me to escape reality for a little while.
  • Nutella.
  • Air freshener in my car - covers all smells well.
In this time of deep appreciation, think about what you are thankful for, but may not share it out loud for your public to hear.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Labels:

Comments

  1. AlisonNovember 25, 2010 at 6:29 PM

    Amen to giving thanks for Nutella!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. VMINovember 28, 2010 at 8:03 PM

    I only "discovered" it a few months ago. I have missed out on years of Nutella.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for reading my post. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. If you wish to contact me directly, please let me know and I will email you.

Popular posts from this blog

Parenting an Adult Child with Disabilities

  "Parenting an Adult Child with Disabilities" is a series on eSpeciallyBen. As Ben approached 18, it was clear our role changed as parents. We needed to help Ben transition into adulthood. These stories are meant to assist other families who face, or will face, some of the same challenges. Talking About the Future Guest Post - Matt Wilson Legal Guardianship, Medicaid and SSI Researching Group Homes Questions to Ask at a Group Home Visit Referral Packet for Group Homes Getting Assistance from a Care Manager From Group Home Placement to Discharge Reaching for Independence
1 comment
Read more

Make this Race Amazing

Mecklenburg County's Therapeutic Recreation's Amazing Race is Saturday, March 24, 2012. All funds raised go directly to the scholarship fund for summer camp. Summer Camp is 8 weeks long with over 150 children with special needs participating. Last year, over $6,500 was given away in scholarships. In times of budget cuts and loss of resources, Amazing Race is a creative way for the staff to raise money for the children who may need financial assistance attending camp. I will be posting photos from 2011 camp. I am only posting photos that do not show faces of the children, but you will get the idea about how much they enjoy the activities. You don't have to see their smiles, you just have to feel them. The staff have sent me their thoughts on how they feel about camp and I will be posting those as well. Most are trained as recreational therapists and have devoted their life's work to helping children and adults with special needs learn skills, make friends, de...
Post a Comment
Read more

Parenting an Adult Child with Disabilities: From Group Home Placement to Discharge

  Last August, we moved Ben into an alternative family living (AFL) placement, about 90 minutes from our home in Charlotte. It was a three-bedroom house and Ben was given the largest bedroom with its own bathroom.  A typical AFL in North Carolina operates like this: a person with disabilities, the client, moves in with another family, couple or an individual. The client lives in the family’s home and the family receives payment in return for housing, feeding and caring for the client.  Ben’s AFL was unusual: A couple with extensive caregiving experience wanted to run a three-bed group home but needed to apply for the license through the state. They were willing to take Ben as the first resident in a house, separate from the one they lived in. The plan, according to the couple, was to get approval for the group home within a couple of months.  We ordered Ben a double bed, headboard, 54-inch television, new sheets, towels and blankets. Friends helped us move him in....
2 comments
Read more