Thankful Thursday - Yesterthought

I know.. it's Friday. This blog is titled Yesterthoughts so I am allowed to be late, right. Also, I had surgery for my broken ankle yesterday, so I think you will overlook the "Thursday" and simply consider the "Thankful" part. Lets get to it.

1. I am most thankful for my family. I couldn't even begin to convey how absolutely enamored I am with my SWEET TREASURES and my husband, too.
2. I woke up. From the anesthesia, that is. I know, I had nothing to worry about. But they make you sign that form. The one that lists the possible complications, including making my husband a widow. The anesthesia doctor went over them with me. She was very reassuring, yet honest. She actually told me that anesthesiologists are expecting a rash of anxious patients because this movie is hitting the theaters soon.
   
3. I had the most incredible caregivers at the hospital. My surgeon spent twenty minutes on the phone with me this morning since I don't remember him talking to me after surgery. I guess the lights were on but no one was home. I was really confident in this surgeon actually because of his confidence. He did not give me lots of options (like our pediatricians do.. they give me a list of options for our children.. until I finally say.. "what did/would you choose for your own children?"). Dr. G. told me his plans and he continues to advise me with certainty. He told me on the phone that so far he has accomplished what he intended with my surgery. I am especially thankful for how this doctor has responded to my concerns. He is patient and honest. He was kind to my mom and boys when they accompanied me to my appointment and not once have I felt like something on his 'to do' list or been made to feel rushed. My pre-op nurse was a gem. She home schooled her girls and kept asking me questions about our home school while inserting my i.v. to keep me distracted. She was so encouraging and actually fun to chat with. Then the post-op nurse was so, so kind! She waited on me hand and foot (literally!). Not just me, she brought Julian a yummy hot chocolate and his choice of popsicle and my husband a coffee fixed just the way he likes it! These good folks contributed to making my most unpleasant experience rather bearable. I feel blessed.
4. The generosity of others - this is a list unto itself!

• My mother-in-love (to borrow a term coined by Lindsey - imitation is the sincerest form of flattery) took 4 huge (probably 8 in a regular washer), loads of wash and dry laundry home to do for us and has sent it back, clean, soft and folded! My f-i-l taxied two of our boys to the dentist this week. They also blessed us with groceries and eggs and potatoes from the farm! These beautiful flowers arrived from them today.
  
• My mother has come by each day and cleaned our kitchen from 5 children having lunch on their own. Not to mention bringing two of the boys home from the dentist this week, taking me to my doctor on Monday, treating me to a pumpkin spice latte and a treat from the coffee shop for each of our children. She also kept Timothy overnight for my surgery and did lessons with him, too!
• My dear friend (and first year home schooler of her two children) kept our three youngest yesterday. She sent their backpack home with a report from the day. She fed them well, took them on a hike, included them in their home school day, read good books to them and treated them with kindness and love! What more could we ask for! I am also thankful to my three that went because they were good eaters and well-behaved. No fighting, no tears and even no TV! She offered to let them watch The Walton's and the children preferred to play together instead. Gotta love that!
• My co-workers! The wonderful girl who brought me the donations they collected on the night that I fell, found my house on her own (not too easy with the quirky Mapquest directions) and brought us FIVE BAGS of groceries collected by all of them. I am overwhelmed by their generosity and kindness! The groceries were such a treat to my family because there were items that would not-in-a-million years found their way into any shopping cart of mine.. like Christmas Oreos and E-Z cheese in a can to name a couple. My junk food deprived husband and older sons were over the moon! There were also good things like individual applesauces and fresh fruit and even items on my husband's shopping list such as paper towels and toilet tissue!
• The delicious meals sent over by wonderful friends and loved ones, keeping my family well nourished.
• Also covering my toes is a hand-knit sock. It was donated by a kind, anonymous-to-me soul to the Day Surgery department and placed on my foot by the post-op nurse. This pretty pink hand knit sock makes me smile! (I had Timothy snap a picture and Pier-Jérôme jumped into the shot.)

5. My creature comforts while I am hanging out on the couch.

• The Laptop (given to me by my dear friend) - my lifeline to the outside world for now.
  
• The Mp3 player (passed on to me from my sister and b-i-l). "My music has been added to the mix, such as Praying the Rosary with St. Thérèse of Lisieux (Elizabeth always has such good recommendations!), Marie Bellet and my old favorites, too! Next to add is Paul Potts.
  
• TIVO which records a nice selection of cooking shows for me on the Food Network.
• The first four books in Jan Karon's Mitford Series from the library sale this past summer. I am on my last of four, so I hope to get another credit on the (introduced to me by Amy thank you again, Dearheart!), to order the next one. I am out of credits because I recently used them up on yet another Boxcar Children book for my voracious reader as well as Orthodoxy by Chesterton and The Spirit of the Liturgy by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (pre PB16) for our library as well as Peter Duck by Arthur Ransome for a future read aloud. Paperback Swap is great!

• The cozy kitty who is addicted to me! Really. He thinks my torso is his bed. I send him on his way and keeps coming back.
  
• My new cozy robe (Thanks to my doting mother!)

6. Good Nutritious Food! My sister encouraged me to eat lots of protein. Yesterday Julian prepared the most delicious over-medium eggs with a dash of salt and lots of fresh ground pepper for me. They were so good that my husband prepared them for again today...this time with Ciabatta toast. I have enjoyed yummy soup prepared by my mother-in-love just for me! Delicious hamburger soup with lots of garlic and tomatoes and other nutrient rich veggies. It was so comforting and just right for being snuggled on the couch. Our pantry is well-stocked so there is plenty to eat. That is a huge thank you to our Lord who provides for us.
7. Our small house. I have lamented that I am the old woman who lives in a shoebox. Yet, hobbling around on crutches and leaving the cleaning of our "palace" to the responsibility of others for the time being makes me appreciate our humble and cozy abode.
8. Good medication that is easing my discomfort. My wise Dr. has given me good advice on pain management and so far so good. I have just enough aches to offer up for others, while keeping in a cheerful disposition.
9. My husband. As my mother-in-love says "he's a keeper!" Yes he is. He is using up his vacation time to care for me. He is taking such good care of me and our SWEET treasures. He is keeping my tea mug full. Tonight for our dinner he prepared my favorites. Sauteed Cabbage and Mushrooms to go with fresh spinach salad with grape tomatoes with sliced grilled chicken tossed in a homemade raspberry vinaigrette. The house is cleaner under his direction. He has ensured that the laundry is caught up and put away. The counters are clear and wiped down, the toilet and sink are gleaming and the rugs are vacuumed! But, y'know what.. he did not get to all of the lessons with the children. I kind of liked that. It shows him the trade off I make. I can either have a perfect house or well-educated children. The children come first. I am not knocking his cleaning, though. No sir. It was his priority today. The children did art for hours, they did some reading and created with magz. It wasn't a full day of academia, but it's Friday and we are clean and well fed! Thanks be to God and to my darling!
10. I am thankful for the prayers of loved ones and faithful women I have never even met personally. Their prayers are efficacious and they are sustaining me. I am also thankful to the lovely Diane for inspiring me and that wonderful mom in Minnesota, Margaret, as well!

If you are still with me, reading this long(!) list, I thank you. May God Bless you, richly!