Grateful For Family

I know we all say it but I REALLY feel it! I am so grateful for my husband, he is fun, funny, SUPER patient, loving, smart and did I write patient? I love my kids, all seven of them! I've heard people say, I don't think I could love more than one child or whatever number. It doesn't mean I love what they are doing every minute of the day. I feel very inadequate in my loving of them. But when I ponder on the many joys they have given me over the years I am grateful they are mine! I read or hear how many teenagers can be difficult. Mine can be but it's over piano, Eagle Scout projects, chores, messy rooms and picking on siblings not drugs, and other things (yet). I know it could be worse and it could GET worse so I am grateful and praying they stay difficult in their own ways that I can barely handle! I tell them how grateful I am that they are good students in every way and that they have good friends.

I am grateful for my parents who are also VERY patient with me. They let me be my quirky self and let me learn on my own to trust them and I am grateful for their love, help and guidance. I am grateful for my in-laws who are also VERY patient--must be where Tim gets it from! They are not the typical in-law stereotype that is portrayed in the media. I am grateful for my siblings, we had so much fun growing up with air bands, wiffle ball, UNO on road trips... I am grateful for all my sister & brother in-laws and nieces and nephews. I enjoy all the family gatherings and all the love shared because of the great people involved! I miss those who live far away and feel so blessed for the other family members who live close by. I know that because of them my family is happier and healthier in many ways.


Maybe because of my recent surgery I am more sensitive to my gratitude of my family for the prayers, thoughts and help to me and my family. I really appreciate the goodness of my family--we aren't perfect but trying hard to do our best and help each other! I feel I have especially benefited from family close by since we have 2 sets of grandparents here and now all my siblings and their families and a couple of Tim's siblings close by. My children have something I never really knew growing up in California far from family. The upside is we had great friends who became family to us. We have great friends here too but today I felt like expressing my gratitude for my family!