THANKFUL

 

So, it’s November, and everyone on Facebook has been doing their daily posts of “I’m thankful for….”  I haven’t been participating in this daily ritual, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about the things that I’m thankful for.  I’ve been thinking about it a lot.  So here is my list, all at once, in no particular order – some of it silly, some of it not.

 

1. I am thankful for, aside from the occasional virus or common cold, my children are HEALTHY.  There truly is nothing more important than that.
2. I am thankful for the crazy way our family came to be – it’s what makes us interesting and normal at the same time.
3. I am thankful that when we were at our lowest low, the universe guided us toward adoption, and five months later we brought home our oldest son.
4. I am thankful that VERY soon after that, the universe and Mother Nature delivered him a little brother and sister. (Technically I delivered them, but you get my point!)
5. I am thankful that my children are so close in age. It has its difficulties now, but I know they will be the best of friends when they grow up.
6. I am thankful that I still have family and friends in Vermont. This month it is 20 years since I moved away, and I definitely consider Virginia home now, but I always get excited for every opportunity I get to visit where I grew up.
7. I am thankful that when I told Mitch that I wanted to go to Vermont for Thanksgiving this year (which translates to: Let’s pack a ridiculous amount of stuff into the van and strap the kids in for what will surely be an at least 12 hour trip through questionable weather!), instead of raising an eyebrow, he smiled and said “Sure!”
8. I am thankful for my mom, and everything she has done for me my entire life. I could get specific, but we would be here all day!
9. I am thankful for wine.
10. I am thankful for the part time job I have that allows me to bring in a decent amount of money and still essentially be a stay-at-home mom.
11. I am thankful for my home.  It is a disaster and needs to be painted and de-cluttered and better organized, etc, but it’s mine. And someday I will get it into the shape I want.
12. I am thankful for the neighborhood I live in, and the neighbors I share it with. They are THE. BEST.
13. I am thankful for my two best friends. These special women have been with me through thick and thin. And even though we don’t get to see each other as often as we’d like, I know without a doubt that we will always be here for each other.
14. I am thankful for the family I was born into. Not perfect – but whose is??  Wouldn’t trade any of them.
15. I am thankful for the family I married into. I won the lottery on this one for sure!
16. I am thankful that my brave big sister is recovering ahead of schedule from her DOUBLE KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY. Just something else I can admire her for.
17. I am thankful that, even though my aches and pains are increasing as I get older, I still have all of my original parts (unlike my sister) and for the most part, they serve me well.
18. I am thankful for the preschool that all of my children have attended/are still attending. It’s a place where they feel safe and have fun, and get well prepared for kindergarten.
19. I am thankful that my children have all of their grandparents nearby – one of them in their own house!
20. I am thankful for all the help I get from family and friends on a daily basis. Being a mom is hard, but the love and support of others makes it much easier.
21. I am thankful for good books and good television when I need to escape.
22. I am thankful for my big sister and my big brother. They make me laugh and keep me in check.
23. I am thankful that my children have a dedicated, involved father who is always ready to get down on the floor and play with them.
24. I am thankful for chocolate.
25. I am thankful for my five nephews.  They are all smart and funny and pretty sweet.
26. I am thankful for my one and only wonderful niece. She is smart and funny and very sweet.
27. I am thankful that I was an aunt for many years before I became a mother. It gave me some clue on how to take care of babies!!
28. I am thankful for wine.  Wait, did I already say that???
29. I am thankful for the good food that is cooking right now and that I will be able to complain later about eating too much of it!
30. I am so very thankful for my wonderful, wonderful husband. He takes such good care of me, of us, and loves us unconditionally.  He is my hero and the absolute love of my life.

Happy Thanksgiving – may you all have a very, very long list of things to be thankful for today and every day!!

Back to School !!!!

Well, here it is nearly Thanksgiving and I'm just writing about this now.  We've had a VERY BUSY FALL!!!

 

Big doings around here back in the month of September!!  Tyler MOVED UP TO FIRST GRADE(thanks to a very confident kindergarten teacher and a three week spell in summer school), Evan STARTED KINDERGARTEN, and Madelyn STARTED PRE-SCHOOL!!

 

 

Elementary school started first, on the day after Labor Day.  The boys were ready - and SO WAS I!!!!  It was a fun summer, but I was looking forward to a little peace and quiet around here.  

 

The morning started with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and freshly ironed polo shirts and khaki shorts.  The obligatory Back to School photos:

 

Evan sure is gaining on Tyler - only about a half inch separates them!

 

And off we go!!!

Evan was a little nervous, but I knew that in his red (favorite color) shirt and Superman sneakers, he'd be just fine!!

During orientation the week prior, parents are given the opportunity to sign up to come in and help during lunches the first week.  It's a great idea, since for most kindergarteners, this is brand new territory.  Schedule-wise, the best day for  me to join Evan's class for lunch was on the first day.  It worked out well because I was able to tell Evan in the morning that I would see him in just a couple of hours and that helped to ease his nervousness.  But it was clear when I joined him in the cafeteria that he was already adjusting very well!

And here is the happy boy at the end of the day:

On Friday, it was Tyler's turn for a lunch date!

 

 

On Thursday of that week, Madelyn had her orientation at pre-school.  We learned in late summer that our beloved Ms. Belinda (who had been Evan's teacher in the 3's "Busy Bees" class) would not be teaching this year.  I worried because I had been telling Maddy all along that she would be in Ms. Belinda's class! 

 

But when we showed up at orientation, we met Mrs. K!!  Right away I knew she'd be a wonderful teacher.  I loved her enthusiasm and demeanor, and she reminds me very much of Joy, a friend of my in-laws whom Mitch has known his entire life.  I was very comforted by that feeling.

 

So here's our girl checking out all the great toys in her classroom!!

 

Madelyn's friend Madeleine was also starting preschool and they are in the same class!!! :)  On the Saturday before, the girls and the mommy's went out for a celebratory lunch. (We also have a tradition of going out to a birthday lunch in December since the girls are only 6 days apart!)

And here are our girls on the first day of school:

The backpacks are SO BIG!!! :)

So crazy seeing my "baby" girl march into that school!  I'm glad it's only two afternoons a week because I'm not ready to let go of her entirely!! I know it's necessary for her to go, and it's such a wonderful environment for kids - SO glad I found this school! - but it makes me sad.  She's growing up so, so fast. *sigh*


So far, so good.  Everyone is enjoying school and working hard.  And now the holidays are upon us and there is no sign of anything slowing down anytime soon!!!