Thankful for What?

There was a question on the little card that comes in the program at the Sunday church service, the usual Thanksgiving question: What are you thankful for?

I have been thinking about that all week. So far, the list is long and far from complete. The obvious things--family, friends, place to live that is paid for, food all come to mind, but it is more than that. Today, for instance, I went to the local high school to confer with the principal regarding a matter involving a grandson. It is a nice place, physically, but not somewhere I would choose to be, so I am thankful that I don't have to be there, either as a student, teacher, or staff member. Actually, my first thought upon going in there is that I really don’t understand why we make them go there everyday. Luckily, their friends (girl) are there, so they see a reason to go. Personally, I think they could learn more in home schooling.

When I took a person to another nearby town to register for a class in alcohol awareness, a class that is taught in the probation office, I am thankful that someone a long time ago convinced me that alcohol (and cigarettes, for that matter, along with other drugs) are not good for me, and for the most part, I have made it just fine with only a few prescription drugs along the way. I am also quite thankful that person has made tremendous progress in the last year.

When I inject myself with insulin to control my blood sugar levels, I am thankful for the advances in treating diabetes. Our grandfather didn't have those advantages to treat his diabetes, and died early from a stroke.

I am thankful that even though I did not start college until my fifth child started first grade, that the opportunities for education were so available that I was able to work through to the completion of a doctorate, work for more than thirty-five years, raise those five kids, and still retire while I am able to be active.

Splenda. I am thankful that even though the sweet tooth probably has not helped my health, I am able to indulge it without repercussion, at least as far as the sweet part is concerned.

Although it is confusing and probably over-hyped, I am thankful for Medicare Part D, the prescription drug part. It may not save a dime, but then again, maybe it will.

Although I have never brought myself to write a Christmas letter, I am thankful that I have enough good things to fill one. If I were to write a Christmas letter, it would be much more realistic than most of the ones I read.

I am thankful that our town has a community Thanksgiving service, and maybe next year we will get the time right and not walk in for the last song.

I am thankful for our NoLongerMobileHome, paid for, warm, cool, and certainly not like anything anyone else lives in. Have you ever seen an L-shape mobile home?  

I am also very thankful for each and every member of my family, even though there are a few I rarely see or hear from, and especially the one who is my constant companion and partner. Life with him is good.

I am happy that

• Samantha (granddaughter, Amy’s daughter) is moving from Tucson, Arizona to Fayetteville, Arkansas. That is much closer to Marshall, Texas.

• Ashley (Amy’s daughter) is working at WalMart in San Marcos and living the life she chooses.

• Jami (Nancy’s daughter, our granddaughter) is getting close to graduating from Texas A and M in Commerce, and for her marriage that started this year.

• the place where Beth (Jami’s daughter, age 1 ½) stuck the pencil through the roof of her mouth healed, it wasn’t the quarter inch over that could have killed her, and that she really didn’t have scarletina.

• Aron (Nancy’s son, our grandson) and Melissa’s baby Hailey arrived safely in May, and is such a sweetheart, and that Aron’s gout is better.

• Dave took me to see his chiropractor and I am MUCH better.

• we got to meet Ed and Junie in St. Louis and saw the places we lived there and spent a nice day at the Forest Park Zoo.

• I got a White Castle hamburger on the way home.

• someone else paid for us to stay on the Riverwalk in San Antonio for three nights, that we got to go on to Corpus Christi and see old friends as well as Dave’s sister Linda and family.

• we have beautiful pictures from the digital camera; that I have a new serger; that Dave has a new (used) Gulbransen organ; Amazon and Ebay for buying and selling.

• Habitat for Humanity for giving me something useful to do; Second Story Software for making my annual correspondence with the IRS easier, and Makita for making good power tools at reasonable prices.

• For Lowe’s.

Can’t imagine anyone reading all this nattering, but if you have, I hope it inspires you to share yours; you may remind me of yet more.

Happy Thanksgiving