A Week of Thanksgiving:

I intended this week to list the things for which I'm thankful, but my lists ended after just two days. After a brief interlude to catch up with some friends, to get the Christmas decorations out, to do just a little more homework, to play a few rounds of Uno, to share a non-Weight Watchers beverage or two with my husband, to cook with my kids, to wipe a tear or 140 away when my youngest child made a gorgeous prayer, I composed my final list for the week.

It will seem shallow, but this list is about the inanimate things for which I am grateful. But life without them? Not so wonderful.

telephones

indoor plumbing

penicillin

asthma meds

freezers and microwaves

washers and dryers

natural geographical beauty

laughter

great books

and

the Internet

Hope your week-end brings you happiness ~

A Week of Thanksgiving: People in my Children's Lives

Continuing the theme of thankfulness, today's post is focused on the people in my children's lives.

For doctors who really listen and hear what I don't say sometimes,

For Sunday school teachers and children's pastors who really want my children to know Christ,

For neighbors who give them extra special candy during trick-or-treating,

For other parents whose eyes are big enough to watch out for my children,

For other parents whose hearts are big enough to cheer on my children even when their own children might not have done as well that day,

For volunteer coaches who don't have to be there at all, but are,

For cousins, including a busy senior girl, who took time to be a Flat Stanley writing partner,

For teachers who want to make school and life just a little happier,

For teachers who are unwilling to let my children settle for less,

For all the people who pray for my children by name on a regular basis,

For these, just a few of the Lord's gifts to me, I am most thankful .

A Week of Thanksgiving: People in my Life

I do love how so many bloggers have spent the entire month giving thanks. It has been lovely to read about how so many of you recognize the many blessings in your lives. This week I will join you a public acknowledgement of some of the many things for which I am thankful. I'll limit the lists to 10 items a day. Maybe.

Today's theme? People in my life.

• Parents who have the kindest hearts and are healthy and able to travel.
• Sisters who understand who I am and love me.
• Checkered's sister who always finds a way to encourage.
• Friends who smile when they see me.
• Neighbors who listen to my dog bark and would rather pet her than call animal control.
• A church family who miss me when I'm not there.
• A cousin who would gladly open her door and home to me any time.
• Checkered's extended family who call me their own.
• A husband who always shows me great kindness and children who enjoy talking to me.
• Blogging friends who faithfully stop by to visit even when I get so busy I don't return the favor.

For these, just a few of the Lord's gifts to me, I am most thankful.

Friday Fragments: Readers, Forgive Me

I've come to think of Mrs. 4444 as a priest. All I have to do is type, "Friday Fragments," and the confession begins.


Sometimes I keep my car so hot during a drive in the winter that I'm afraid my body will steam when I get out into the cold air. How would I explain that one??

During the 80's, I may have -once or twice- worn knee highs under a longer skirt.

Last night when it was time for the Cub Scouts to choose an adult to get a pie in the face, I took a long restroom break.

I rarely answer my phone.

My children are being clothed out of the clean laundry which has been sitting in a basket in the hallway for more than a week now.

My children have put their dirty laundry into that basket, so I really don't know if they're wearing clean or dirty clothes.

Sometimes, if the jeans have no apparent food stains on them, I might take a quick sniff of the seat of the pants. No offensive odor=another day's wear.

My child had several Hostess 100 calorie 3 packs of cupcakes for dinner the other night. I figured that the 15 grams of fiber would compensate for a complete lack of nutrients.

Do opera singers ever sing normally --like when they sing "Happy birthday" with their families?

I told my teacher that I am enjoying the class I'm taking, but then I realized the class isn't nearly as close to be finished as I thought it was. That detracted considerably from my enjoyment factor.

I loved my Christmas powerpoint that I sent out last year and don't think I can top it this year. Then again, would yet another reference to Tim Hortons be overkill? Not that I featured a Tim Hortons sign in my Christmas card or anything...


I looked at my blog stats today for the first time in a very long while. Wouldn't it be nice if they actually told me something?

Have a lovely week-end!

Logic Defied

Overheard on Monday morning:

7 year old speaking to 12 year old brother ~

"Hey! I don't have underwear.

Do you have some I can borrow?"

Overheard on Monday night:

7 year old speaking to 12 year old brother ~

"Why did you touch my spoon?

You put your germs on it! Now I can't eat."

So Good at Judging the Neighbors

There is a family a few blocks away who have spent the last decade living in a multi-generational household. Grandpa and grandma own the small house, and when grandma got ill and son-in-law [SIL] lost his job, SIL, daughter and their four kids moved in.

It was to be temporary. But life has crazy turns. Grandma's health stabilized, but SIL never found work. Daughter occasionally found a seasonal job, but soon learned that she was jeopardizing her government assistance by working. SIL has a skilled trade, but has refused all work - even the small $100 cash jobs neighbors have asked him to do. At times while living with grandpa and grandma, SIL's own children broke the very appliances he is trained to fix. He never offered to fix them and allowed grandpa to do the honors.

The tensions built and SIL and his family have found another relative who has agreed to let them move in rent-free. But they didn't want their kids to change schools, so SIL and wife drive the kids back to grandpa and grandma's house every day. Unfortunately, SIL's car died and grandpa and grandma have given their own car to SIL and family.

All grandpa and grandma's generosity is on behalf of their grandsons. They don't want their grandchildren to suffer.

I don't think I would have been so accommodating. Then again, could I turn away the chance to provide for my own grandchildren? I just don't know.

What about you?

How Much Easier It Would Be

My friend, my dear friend, lives about a mile away. If the houses were leveled, all traffic stopped, and all people silenced, she could (if I had the wind at my back) hear me yelling to her from my house.

I love her. Really, truly love her.

And we didn't call or visit one time this summer. Work schedules could be blamed, but neither of us worked this summer. We're out of excuses why. It just didn't happen.

She was buying potatoes last week and how do I know that, you ask?

I was buying potatoes, too.

We shrieked. We hugged. We cautioned each other about germs. We played produce aisle catch-up, and then, with multiple promises to call, we parted.

I miss her even though I can't help but think if she would just blog or Facebook, it would be so much easier than hollerin' across the mile that divides us.