I give thanks.. for some very special people!

I am grateful to God,
whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,
as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.
2nd Timothy 1:3

Ten more reasons (well, if I can get a handle on my counting skills!) to be thankful. They are all reasons of the human kind. I think I will tell them why I am so grateful.

1. To My husband: My mom once told me that I was so lucky that I have a husband who doesn't get drunk, smoke, gamble and run around. I suppose. (I'm not about to go there.. you can just picture me standing in front of my mom with a perplexed expression on my face.) Mom also tells me that I am sooooooooooo lucky that you put up with me. That causes me to pout and turn on my heel, but let's get real here.. I am lucky. Not lucky, BLESSED! My Dad was a good guy, but I think my Mom has witnessed quite a bit in the workplace, school and social circles that she has seen things that I am just too naive and sheltered to know about (not complaining about that either). That must be what prompts her to say such things.

Dear husband, you do indeed tolerate my idiosynchrosies. You placate me on occasion. Some of my idiosychrosies you embrace and sometimes even adopt them as your own. Like when you wear clear disposable gloves when you are working with raw poultry and then look at me and say "You did this to me!" You even pour the hot teakettle water on the tops of the children's toothbrushes when I request it.. without even rolling your eyes (I know.. I have idiosyncrosies). On days when the house is cluttered upon your arrival home, you get the broom and vacuum and restore order. You help with dinner more days than not. I could go on and on about the practicalities of how you take care of me, but the bottom line is that you love our Lord, you love me, you love our babies and you never cease to show it! I love being your wife, I love you and I am so thankful to God for you!

2. To our first sweet angel, Julian: You are my right-hand-man. You were my poor little homeschooling guinea pig. But you were my eager early learner and you are our trailblazer on this journey. I love how when you get so excited, you think you might burst, so you tickle your temples. It is so cute! I love the way you always give me a big kiss goodnight and tell me you love me. Even though you are my big nine year old, you are not too big for a snuggle with Mom.. I love that, I love being your mom and I love you and I am so thankful to God for you!

3. To our precious Timothy: I love how you always have something in your hand and it has been that way since you were a baby. There is always a favorite toy. (I call you our "stuff" kid.. you like your "stuff," be it the little helicopter candy fans, a matchbox car, or even your favorite pen). You were my only baby to have a special "blankie" and it is still special to you. (Thankfully you are able sleep without it). I love the way you hum when you like when you are eating. I love that you are an independent learner and are willing to try whatever interests you.. such as teaching yourself the recorder when you discovered the book on the music shelf and for teaching the rest of us some sign language signs when you taught yourself with the Sign Language book you found on our language shelf this week. I love being your mom and I love you and I am so thankful to God for you!

4. To our special boy, Maximillian: You learned to read this past week! I am so excited for you. You learned all of your phonetic sounds and put them together last year. Now you can see the sight words and read them without trying to sound them out. I am so thankful to be with you while you travel along this journey!

I can always count on you. For a little guy, you don't seem to let that stop you. When I needed to bring the breadmaker upstairs from the basement, you carried that big thing up all by yourself without my even asking. I love how on some nights you will get out of bed and say with a long face.. "Moooom, I haven't had a "little snuggle" with you in a while." How can I send you back to bed without sitting on the couch and having you snuggle on my lap? I love that, I love being your mom and I love you and I am so thankful to God for you!

5. To our sweet snuggly blondie boy, Pier-Jérôme: You remind me that these days are to be embraced and not muddled through. I love your good manners and how you always ask before doing something.. what a great example you set! I love that you still expect me to pick you up several times each day. You are a big boy, but you will always have a place in my arms! I love being your mom and I love you and I am so thankful to God for you!

6. To our Darling Elaina: You are such a special girl!! I know, I tell you all of the time. You are so NICE. I love how you shower me with kisses. Not just sweet, slobbery two year old kisses, but you insist on giving me a kiss on each cheek, like the little French girl that you are. I love how you say "I'm nice." after depositing a kiss on each of my cheeks. I love how you are cheerful and content.

Like your biggest brother, you show your excitement with your hands. You clench your little fists together and say eeeeeeeeeee! Not so much recently, though because you are finally getting the words to work for you. It is so fun to be in your midst.

You shocked me recently, when your first real sentence was "Daddy can fix it!" You bet he can. Daddy fixes most things around here. Then when we were blessed with some clothing for you grow into and I mentioned to your daddy that you could wear the Bitty Baby outfit when you are five, You exclaimed "I not five, I two!" with your two little fingers up. I guess you know a whole lot more than I give you credit for. I love being your mom and I love you (or as you say "I yuv you!") and I am so thankful to God for you!

6. My friends old and new who support me and never cease to inspire me: I could go on and on. Just know that I give thanks for each and everyone of you. I include my blogging friends here, too. I have been so pleasantly surprised of the kindness I have found online. I love you and I am so thankful to God for you!

7. To my extended family: I love you and I am so thankful to God for you! I know, I cannot get off that easily. I have all of the family who share my genetics.. my adoptive family and I am so grateful for my in-laws. They raised my husband.. so they have to be good folks, right! I love how kind and generous you are. I LOVE that you support how we are raising our children, that you keep our house rules when the children are with you and that you are never critical of us. Again, I say: I love you and I am so thankful to God for you!

8. I give thanks for my "Tummy Mummy" and my adoptive Mommy. My "Tummy Mummy" gave me life and my adoptive Mommy gave me A life. Even though, I don't have memories of my beautiful mom, her traits and ideals live on in her daughters. Just like her, my sister can put together a feast for a crowd with next to nothing in the fridge or cabinets and it is always delicious.

To my mother, Violet: It was so strange to hear the how ten years after you delivered three babies in a row, Dad decided that he wanted another baby and you said "Yes." For years, I thought I was a "Surprise Baby" but that is not the story your sisters and your daughters have told me. Like our Blessed Mother's "Yes", your "Yes" to a baby at a rather inconvenient time has left me grateful beyond words. Without our Blessed Mother's Yes, I would not have a shot at eternal life. Without your yes, I would not have had life at all. I thank God for you. I love you and I pray for your soul.

To my mom (who has spoiled me rotten since August of 1977): I am thankful for all that you do for me. Your generosity is so appreciated. What I am most thankful for, though is that you have come home to join us at the Lord's table. When I became Catholic you would say "don't preach to me" whenever I mentioned matters of faith, but not so much these days. Our children would say, "why doesn't Nana go to mass?" I would tell them that you stopped being Catholic when you married Grampy. Then the children prayed for you every night to go to mass. I never told them to, they just had it on their heart. When Julian was preparing to receive his first Holy Eucharist, you went to confession and came back to church after 50 years! Well, knock me over with a feather.. oh me of little faith.. I was blown away. I would have thought the Pope would marry before you ever went back to church! The children have so much to teach us about faith, don't they? I love you and I am so thankful to God for you!

9. I give thanks for my two Dads. Both are have passed from this world, but while they were here, they both did what they could to "give me the world."

To my birth Father, Kenneth Jerome, or KJ as he called himself: You kept me out of school in Kindergarten and First grade for days at a clip. We would ride T to explore the city of Boston. I can't help but think that you would have given a big thumbs up to homeschooling your grandbabies. Even though my time with you was short, it is still important to me. I am thankful we were able to give you a kiss goodbye before you passed away when I was pregnant with Timothy and that you were able to meet Julian as a baby. I am most thankful to you for asking Mom to have another baby, even when she thought that her childbearing years had passed. I love you and I am so thankful to God for you!

To my Dad who gave me a home and a future: I am thankful for all of the sacrifices you made for me so I could have the opportunities you never had. Your example of generosity and selflessness has impressed me for life. I loved that when I told you I was planning to home educate, you simply said "Don't." Then the very next day, you showed up with bags full of early learning toys and supplies which you had went out and shopped for. The boys loved their Grampy and you are missed. I love you and I am so thankful to God for you!

10. Lastly, I give thanks for the gift of Faith. I give thanks for the Saints who intercede for me. I give thanks for My Guardian Angel, whose efficacious protection has kept me miraculously in one piece through a few decades. I give thanks to Jesus who died for me (and you!). I give thanks for the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit and I give thanks to God the Father who knit me in my Mother's womb to give me this life.. this life that is turning out different I could never have imagined or dreamed.. and way better!