Thankful

I am thankful.

For my amazing husband, who I have been with for almost 11 years. For the fact that he has supported me, first through college, and now so that I can stay home with the kids, giving them love and being their first teacher. For the support he gives me, and the way he makes me laugh.

For two healthy and beautiful children. For their smiles, their shining eyes, never having had to sit by their sides in a hospital or worry about whether they would be around tomorrow. For how happy they are, and how much time I get to spend with them.

For family.

For my mother who loves her grandkids enough to come to Sam's IEP meeting with us, who contributes to our marriage by babysitting so we can spend time together, who has loved me and helped me find my way many times. For her husband, who is another amazing grandparent who loves my children and wants to share his world with them.

For my father, who uses frequent flier miles to help us visit him and other family. He is so smart, for all the things he has taught me. For the new relationship I have with him in the last couple of years.

For my amazing stepmother, who is also an incredibly loving grandmother and a wonderful mother to my little sister. For the friendship and bond I've felt with her in my adult years, I feel so lucky to have her as part of my life and my kids life.

For my stepfather, who helped raise my sister and I. For the way he taught me to drive, to change the oil in my car. For how we built things and he made it so that I'm not afraid of a hammer and nail, or of trying to do things for myself.

For my sister, who is one of the coolest people I know. For the things she teaches me about food and farms and the things I know she will teach my kids. For the way she has nurtured my son sot hat she is one of his favorite people in the world. For the way we laugh together.

For my little sister, who I fell in love with at first sight when my Dad and Stepmom carried her of the plane from China. For her smile and the way she teases me, for the way she plays with my kids. For the way she taught me that family is not only in your blood, but in your heart.

For my Mother in Law and her husband, whose love and generosity has brought tears to my eyes. For my Father in Law who has given us a place to live and whose jokes still make me laugh. For my Brother in Law and Sister in Law who are just good people, and through whom we've been blessed with amazing extended family in her parents.

For my amazing friends.

For the best friend whose children I love almost as much as my own, who understands me so well that I think of her as a soul mate. Who I can reconnect with even when it's been weeks, and who I absolutely love.

For the cousin I'm not really related to, who has become a close friend to share my life with.

For the friend without whose amazing heart and generosity I don't know how we would have gotten through the first half of 2010.

For the women who listen to me, who understand me.

For the support they've given me through the hard times. For the way they've encouraged me and helped me on my quest to lose weight.

For the way that their companionship rejuvenates me.

For people I've gotten to know online, the comments they've left on my blog, and the support and community I find there.

For a steady income, a car to drive, a roof over my head.

For life.