I am thankful this year for new experiences, for scraping by, for stronger bonds and for the continued health of our little family. I am thankful the tornadoes stopped 2 miles short of our house in April, thankful that instead of mourning our losses that weekend, we went wading in the Hiawassee River.
I am thankful that both vehicles have been running strong all year, that there have been no major repairs to contend with.
I am thankful that Jake's braces are off and that he did so well, that he wears his retainer without being reminded and that he was able to study for and pass a major rite-of-passage test all on his own and that his confidence is so high.
I am thankful we have been able to pay for Chandler's braces and that her oral surgery went very smoothly. I am thankful for her creativity and her steadfast stance in life, putting her priorities so well, to create and write every day, to laugh until she gasps for air, to surround herself with wonderful friends.
I am thankful for Ben, with his hair sticking up and his troubled eyes when he works through an idea. I am thankful that his mind is so different from my own, that everything he does is his own work, his own process and that he can figure out what needs to be done next.
I am thankful for Matt, who gets up every single day and shuts off the alarm and gets ready for work and has never groused that I sleep in and who is always happy when I wake up to start the day with him. His patience only grows with the passing years and his happy acceptance of me, of the kids, of anything we come up with next is the base on which all my dreams are laid.
I am thankful for the life I have, the days I spend, the people I love and that I have the freedom to homeschool.
