We Are Very Thankful

Take a look around you... remember to be thankful for those you have and what you have -- especially your freedoms. Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving (and safe travel to those of you traveling!)

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&G (and for our new, sweet granddaughters Ashley & Avery), E, H&J, and Noah (& M) 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 for the return of our youngest son from the battlefields of Iraq just slightly worse for wear and thankful that his injuries (still) continue to heal... And for our many sons (Our Guys!) whom we welcomed home earlier this year with love and tears of happiness... And we are heartily thankful for the doctors, nurses, medics and case managers who give 110% to all of our wounded military on the battlefield, in the combat hospitals, the medevac flights, and the hospitals here and abroad. We are thankful to those people and organizations that support our troops on and off the battlefield -- Soldiers' Angels, Sew Much Comfort, Fisher House...

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, Justin, Michelle, Amanda, Todd, Stephanie, Steve, Kelly, Heather, Benjamin, Ashley, Willie, Heather, Craig, Christopher, Timothy, Erika, Kyle, Alex... and our grandnieces and grandnephews Madison, Tyler, Mackenzie and Brett and Landon... 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 us and 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 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!) and who remain our friends today.

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.

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

Copyright Some Soldier's Mom 2006. 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.