I'm thankful. I am blessed with a house, food, friends, and freedom of religion. Running water is taken for granted. As are flushing toilets, electricity and even high speed internet access.
My van died recently and buying a new one would have been an inconvenience and a big-time budget stretcher but not an impossibility. Even so, Kevin's dad gave us his car on loan indefinitely until we buy a new one. I am thankful for this.
I'm thankfor the 99% being willing to protest, give up comforts, and stand up to injustice. I'm thankful for the 53% who shoulder so much of our country's taxes and needs. I'm thankful for the 1% who also speak out for injustice and step up to do their part.
I'm thankful for nieces and nephews... all the fun cousins my kiddos know and love to play with. I never had the cousin thing growing up. My mom is one of two and her brother never had kids. My dad is one of five but he is not close to his family and I never knew any of my cousins on his side. I have older half siblings but for the most part, growing up, it was just me. Siblings I didn't miss. (Attention. Stuff. All mine!) Cousins... (Built in friends at all family get-togethers) I missed.
This past weekend, for the first time since Bethan and Stella arrived, all the Stratton-side cousins were together for an early Thanksgiving.
(Oh yes. This group together makes for a noisy house.)
I'm thankful for my husband. Specifically I'm thankful for how much he loves his kids and comes up with fun ways to spend time with them. Friday night he took Kaden and Blue to a father/son camping retreat he found out about because a guy he works with was going. The boys loved the paddle boating, lake with tall slides and rock wall with a zip line, but mostly I think they loved their special time with Daddy.
I'm thankful that we've gone three months without Blue peeing on anything or breaking anything on purpose.
I'm thankful for TWO amazing vacations this year. One to celebrate our ten-year anniversary and one to celebrate a wedding and beginning of a marriage.
I'm thankful for my collection of Christmas albums. I'm usually a stickler for waiting until after Thanksgiving, but Sarah McLachlan's Wintersong may possibly have already been keeping me company when I'm up late reading. (Shhh. Don't tell Kevin.)
I'm thankful for the Fragile X Community. Online or in-person, I know I have people who have answers to my questions.
I'm thankful for Fragile X research and all the advances from this year.
I'm thankful for whatever technology allows me to stream Pandora through my TV. My Mumford and Sons station makes for many a happy late afternoons when I'm cooking dinner.
These guys:
They are noisy. Sometimes they smell bad. No matter how often I clean their bathroom it is always a mess. They fill my days with good and bad, but they are mine. And I am so thankful.
And I'm thankful that tonight begins the baking, baking, baking and prepping, prepping, prepping. MFI Thanksgiving in the hangar tomorrow. Thanksgiving Day at our house - the count is at 15. LOVE it!
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