Thanksgiving. Often an overlooked holiday, a hop, skip and jump to Christmas. Especially when it comes to the retail world. Today, Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful. Thankful for the life I have. Years ago I never would have imagined my home as peaceful as it is now.
Life is tough raising children and preparing for the holiday season. There were many Thanksgivings when Tommy had to drive up to Yonkers to get Thomas from residential school, have him spend the 4 day weekend with us and then take that drive again to bring him back. It was difficult. It didn’t make us doubt our decision to have him attend residential school, it made us very sad of the reality in front of us.
I’m grateful those days are behind us. Thomas is settled in a group home 10 minutes from our house and considers his home; his house. I’m quite thankful for my husband. We celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary this past month. On paper 29 years looks like many years. In real life, living it; it does not feel like that many years. Time can be so elusive, flying by some years and slowly crawling other days or weeks. I’m thankful we are in the place we are now.
So far in my lifetime I’ve learned more than I thought I ever would. Raising 4 distinctly different children and learning what makes each one tick has been something I never imagined in my wildest dreams. I’m grateful God gifted me with the ability to be their mother. I am far, far from perfect. I’m human.
I’m thankful my kids talk to me; really talk to me. And tell me the truth. There are times the truth isn’t pretty but it is real. I’d rather have the truth in my face than some made up unreal fantasy. Fantasies have a way of falling apart. In doing so they can only present the truth that’s been hidden all along.
I wish everyone a wonderful weekend full of blessings.
Menay O; mom to 4, Christian and thrift shopper on the side... 