The Top Things to be Grateful For…

I know, it’s cliché but I have to do a gratitude post. So, here it is. My top picks from my own personal life in random order.

1.       No more diapers. I hated diapers. Especially poopy ones. Sure, I have my occasional accident where I have to throw out expensive underwear, and I’m still knee deep in bed wetting but I disposed of my Diaper Dekor. Things are finally looking up.

 2.       Writing. It continuously humbles and amazes me how lucky I am to have found my soul work. The work that makes me light up from within and gives me purpose. I wish everyone in the world can find something they are passionate about. The key is to find it and pursue no matter what the odds. If you looked at the sad statistics about writing and publishing and rejection, we would have no more published authors because we would have all quit. Sure, I can’t afford to write full time like my dream, and I deal with rejection and fear and frustration and sometimes the writing is so hard I want to cry. Oh, but when a character pops out and demands to be seen, or the words flow and bring tears to my eyes, the pain is so worth it. Hmm, just like childbirth. But that’s not on my list.

 3.       Conversations like the following:

My oldest pops his head up and pauses in his coloring project. Then says, “Mommy, when are we going to get our girl baby?”

My head swivels around twice like the Excorsist and settles. “What girl baby?”

An impatient sigh. “I told you over and over I want a girl baby sister.”

The little one stops watching tv and joins in. “Yeah, mommy, me too. I am 3 now and I like girls- I want a girl baby.”

I try not to laugh and speak seriously. “Well, guys, if mommy has another baby it may not be a girl. God decides whether or not we get a girl. It could be a boy.”

Matching horrified expressions ensue. “Oh, No!” they both shout. “We don’t’ want another boy. Yuck. We just want a girl.”

“But if God decides it’s a boy, aren’t you going to love a baby brother?”

“NO!” The older one thinks about it. “If it’s a boy we have to give it back.” I realize then if I ever got pregnant and had a boy (another pregnancy is not going to happen BTW) the poor kid would be ostracized. My boys are definitely a team. Poor unborn baby boy wouldn’t have a chance.

“Then I’m sorry to say we better not take a chance and have another baby. Just in case it’s a boy,” I said.

Silence descends. The little one is ok with that and returns to the tv. I go back to my reading and then my oldest makes his decision. “It’s ok, mommy, go ahead and have the baby. I will just tell God that it has to be a girl or he needs to take it back.”

Life just doesn’t get any better than a conversation with your 3 and 5 year olds, does it?

 4.       Teacher/parent conferences when they are good

Please notice I emphasized good and this doesn’t count for teachers who have to actually DO the conference. I also say this because it is my first and not my 325^th. This may go off my list next year. This year, I was lucky enough to hear my son is doing well in kindergarten and is a beginning reader. He also likes to write stories like me. As I write this, he is creating his own book of the alphabet. So my dream to have an author and a Mets reliever is still alive and good. Oh, one more disclaimer. My soccer star (not) did not do well in gym. Seems his teacher believes he is not following directions well enough. Hmm, shocking.

5. Technology.

I love caller id. Yes, a dinosaur but I am still grateful to know who is calling and being able to decide whether or not to pick it up. Ezpass is included in this too.

6. Chocolate and Coffee. Both a mom and writer’s best friend.

7. Being a vegetarian. I feel as if I am helping turkeys on a worldwide scale. I also get to eat all the good stuff like the sides without getting stuffed and sleepy.

8. Health, wealth, family and friends. That covers the rest. I am consistently grateful for any moment in life when the above is true. And wealth nowadays equals paying the bills and having food and a place to live. All the rest is extra.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!