Thankful

We have much to be thankful for this year...

I am thankful for my dear husband who loves me unconditionally, who thinks I am beautiful, smart, witty, funny without any evidence to support those ideas... who is my rock and practices and lives "love, honor, cherish" every single day.... and whom I have always loved and will always love, honor and cherish.

For our children J., E., H. (and her husband J.) and Noah who are self-sufficient, loving, happy adult-type people who gave us grey hair and wrinkles and aged us way too fast... and who make us smile and laugh and beam with pride and make life worth living every day. We are especially grateful this year for the return of our youngest son from the battlefields of Iraq just slightly worse for wear and thankful that his injuries continue to heal... And for our many sons (Our Guys!)who remain in the fray and who brighten our days with every email and message and about whom we worry and pray... and who we are looking forward to welcoming home soon with love and tears of happiness... And we are heartily thankful for the doctors, nurses, medics and case managers who gave 100% to our son when wounded and who give 100% to all of our wounded military on the battlefield, in the combat hospitals, the medevac flights, and the hospitals here and abroad.

For the love we have for and receive from our siblings and sibling in laws - Tom, Laura, Fred, Dick, Michele, Karen, Mark, Linda, Bob, Paula, Mary, and Dan and our nieces and nephews... Megan, Michelle, Amanda, Stephanie, Kelly, Heather, Benjamin, Ashley, Heather, Christopher, Timothy, Erika, Kyle, Alex... and our grandnieces and grandnephew Madison, Tyler and Brett... who give meaning to the term "family".

For our many friends new and old who share their lives and love and families with us even when there are many miles between us. And for new friends in foreign lands who rushed to help our son and then reached out their hands in friendship to comfort and aid us and to whom we are forever indebted and look forward to seeing again one day soon. For new friends who share a bond via the internet that is a wonder of the spirit... And for friends far and wide who joined in prayer in our hour of need and who proved that prayer is more powerful than medicine (or at least a key ingredient!)

For our beautiful home... for the food we eat... for our good health... for the love and devotion of our pets... for the wonders of Nature He has placed at our doorstep.

But this year -- as in every year -- we are especially and eternally grateful for our many Freedoms and for the men and women who serve in our military around the world protecting our Freedoms and our families and our way of life from those that seek to destroy it.

Dear Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Sailors: We THANK YOU all. You are in our thoughts and prayers this Thanksgiving Day and every day.

Please pray for Dave, son of Military Mom and brother of Sgt. Dan (currently deployed to Iraq). Dave is seriously ill and had two heart valves replaced a few days ago, is still on a ventilator and undergoing dialysis. Stop by Dan's and Cathy's blogs and let them know you're thinking of them.

Wishing each of you and all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.

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I am Thankful:

FOR THE WIFE
WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT,
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME,
AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND
WHO IS ON THE SOFA
BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER
WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME,
NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM EMPLOYED.

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE
BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,
WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING,
AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING
I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS
WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH..

FOR THE PARKING SPOT
I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING
AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH
WHO SINGS OFF KEY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES
AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN
CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.

FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE
FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.

AND FINALLY, FOR THE SOLDIERS
DEPLOYED ALL OVER THE WORLD
BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT I AND MINE
CAN SLEEP PEACEFULLY TONIGHT.