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| from our family to you & yours, with love! ♥ |
God's Graciousness!
Say what you will on this one; I know for a fact that I don't deserve anything that I daily consider to be mine, and I sure as shine didn't do anything to earn the life of liberty & happiness that I have. If there's one thing I do know about this day, it's that the road to comfortable life was one paved well before my time, through the promises of Christ. If you may doubt my resolve in this arena, I would love to talk with you! ♥
My FAMILY.
That's a given, yes, but let's face it: Family ties are what can bring out both the best and worst in us, and at the same time validate much of why we do what we do. With my family being as blended as it is, I am beyond grateful for the bonds that've been created by way of our unique little collection of family that sometimes supersedes those created by blood. We love, banter, disagree and resolve with the best of them, but at the end of the day, we are there by choice for one another, and have zero doubt that we won't ever fall without being caught.
Sydni.
She's 5 now and brings to the table everything I apparently did when I was 5. I can't say that I remember much of my single-digit years, but from what the older family members tell me, she's a spitting image of little me. Never in a million years would I have ever imagined learning as much from such a tiny person as I have through my daughter. I see the world through an entirely different light when I'm with her, and am reminded of the innocence, compassion, unconditional love and forgiveness that is clearly missing in so many adult lives.
Rob.
I am dating my best friend. Time has sealed much of the emptiness and emotional static that had taken over me towards the end of my own failed marriage, and at that time I wasn't sure that I wanted, let alone would ever want to invest myself into another person again for fear of reliving the same set of disappointments. With the patient, compassionate honesty from which he himself stems, he helped me reach into and focus on rebuilding the deepest parts of me that had been so damaged. He was patient. He was kind. He was funny. He waited until I was ready to start over, and when I was, he was there to ensure that not one second of insecurity would find its way in. He is still that person, and has given so much of himself not only for my sake, but for Sydni, and for us as a family unit. I absolutely am dating my best friend, and although he might say he needs me, it's me who has grown and continues to grow because of him.
Our Uniformed Men & Women
Life in America hasn't been a calm ride over the last few months; the national headlines reflect the chaos and boiling tempers of both sides over the altercation between a Black teenager and a White cop, that left the teenager dead. Emotional turmoil has erupted into nationwide riots, looting, destruction of property and violence. I've never personally experienced life on the front-lines, but whether it is overseas defending the same freedom of speech privilege that we here at home are abusing, daily endeavoring out into local law enforcement, or anywhere in between: Men & Women are risking their lives, safety and inclusion in their own families for the rest of us. I have seen so much hatred in the last few weeks alone, directed in its majority to the police forces around the country, and it makes me sad. Yes, there is corruption in nearly every organization, but to those men and women who choose to exercise honesty, integrity and dedication to the oaths you took, I applaud you and want to remind you that you are greatly, greatly appreciated.
My.. AND Your Employment.
I take my job for granted sometimes, but more often than that, I take other people's jobs for granted, too. We are one giant circle of service, and I fail a lot at recognizing that without the HVAC repair tech, we might be cold this year. Without the Electric companies, we'd be sitting around in the dark. Without the grocery store clerks, we wouldn't have anything outside what farms could directly produce [which, imagine that... I love the thought, but that's for another day!]. NO job, no matter how menial it seems, should be taken for granted; I am thankful for mine and the lifestyle it aids to provide me, and for you, your employer & the work ethic you clearly have to maintain your job.
Good Health.
Cancer SUCKS. Muscular Dystrophy SUCKS. Autism SUCKS. There is a seemingly endless list of sucky conditions that strike maybe when least expected, and rock families and individuals to the core. I've seen the ripple cancer causes to a family; within my own family, we've seen it. I've watched incredible people deteriorate physically - though not mentally - at the hands of MD. I've enjoyed the company of Autistic children, and realized they are sensational humans. I have experienced the shattering heartache of suicide resulting from unresolved depression. I wish NONE of those people had to suffer by way of affliction, but I know the lessons we derive from their journeys are hard-fought and usually well-applied to the prevention, treatment and education to others. As an adoptee, this is an issue that has always been in the back of my mind; I do not have extensive knowledge of my biological medical history, and at any moment, I could lose the health I have to something genetically-predicted. I am blessed, I know this, to have my health. That my daughter is healthy. That my parents, sister, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends are, for the most part, in stellar health.
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There's a multitude of other things for which I am grateful this year [and every year, for that matter], but that's a solid start and I'll leave it alone for now. Tonight, I was fortunate to spend Thanksgiving with part of the family on my mother's side. My cousin Stephanie cooked a dinner that was not a speck short of divine, and we celebrated my birthday.
It's Thursday, so it's fitting to throw out a #TBT in honor of this Lego table! Sydni found it in the basement in no time, and as it happens, this is the same table my cousins and I played on for hours when we were the same age. Love!
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| mini me @ the lego table we had as kids! |
And this..... is a memo for myself for a later date, to remind my cousin Mark that we'll need a few things for the house ;). These are just two of the pieces he's crafted for his own house - 3 if you include the wall shelves behind the bar. Mark's a wood-working mastermind and I'm thankful for that, too! :D
Happy Thanksgiving, to you and yours. I hope it's been incredible, just like ours!
xo | cmd
