Due to a rather hectic schedule and a coldfromhell that had me asleep at every possible moment in between everything else, I am seven days behind on my gratitude, so this is going to be one big blog post! I'll try to condense, but some things will be harder than others to keep short. So here, in no particular order, are some of the things I have thought about recently and am extremely grateful for:
* The Girlfrenz - I cannot imagine life without these women. We have been friends for more than 3 decades, since childhood. They know every embarrassing thing about me, and love me anyway. They have been there for every moment, big and little, one of them is also Godmother to my Wild Things. It's no wonder that when life's pressures push me to the cracking point, my Hunny says "Pack your bags and go spend the night with the Girlfrenz." If it weren't for them, I would never have stepped foot on a plane knowing I would be coming down without it. I know I still give you a hard time Princess, but you should know I am truly so grateful for the experience of skydiving with you. Sorry your video guy jumped with me instead. We try to spend our birthdays together, and I am embarrassed to say I missed this last birthday get together because I over-committed myself and stretched myself too thin. But my Girlz forgive me because they rock and I can't wait to see them again soon, and have a nice Mexican, or maybe not-good-Italian, dinner. I could write a book about my Girlfrenz. What I should do is get a good video camera and just start recording all our time together, and eventually make a movie out if it because It would make people laugh hysterically and cry with joy. But I will leave it at this: I am so lucky and grateful to have had you in my life all these years and I look forward to growing old together and embracing mischief as we do. Love you Girlfrenz!!
*My cousin, Kris. I have plenty of cousins, and I adore all of them, but Kris is the one who has always been more like a sister. She has always been there for me. She has raised two boys and always has a knowing smile and a bit of advice when my boys act too much like boys. She has a wicked sense of humor and can always make me laugh. She even trusted me to take care of her baby girl, Daisy the dog, when she moved and couldn't take Daisy with her. Like the Girlfrenz, Kris has been through every up and down, and never let me down. Thanks Cous. You are the best. Love you more than words can say.
*Our school district. We are so lucky to live in such a great district. Having three kids with varying degrees of special needs can be a bit of a challenge when it comes to navigating education. We are so fortunate to be in a district that has been exemplary in supporting all my kids. Especially Nick. Too many districts would let kids like him just fall through the cracks because he happens to be smart. Thank God our district recognizes how the very unique challenges of Asperger's can hold a child back, and addresses that, and sets our kids up to succeed in spite of their challenges. Elijah has also received stellar support and despite his learning disabilities, loves learning and being in school, and going to his "special clas," as he calls it. Even though we homeschool Gabe, when he attended in the district, he had amazing teachers, and I can say that every teacher we have had from the time Nick started Kindergarten, has truly been outstanding.
*Veterans - Veterans Day was this weekend, and I, along with everyone else I know am very grateful to all those who serve to protect our freedoms. That group includes my dad, my uncles, my friends' dads, and my friends (Charlie and Kristin come to mind just now). Thank you.
*Angels on Stage: I am going to dedicate a whole separate blog post to this organization soon, because there is so much I want to share and let people know about them. For now, let me just say how grateful I am for what these people do for my kids and all the kids they serve. As I see Nick come bursting out of his shell this season, I am reminded what a gift these people are, and how truly special and unique this organization is. Life changing, in so many ways. Best thing to happen to my family since my kids. Thank you. From every nanometer of my heart. I love you all more than words can convey.
*The Village: You know who you are. Due in no small part to my involvement with the aforementioned Angels on Stage, I have found my village - that group of moms who share this crazy journey of "special needs parent." They are my safety net and my sanity. When I feel utterly broken and not at all good enough to do this, they remind me that I am and they help make me feel whole again. They appreciate those moments that, coming from a typical kid could only be described as disturbing, but with our kids are the source of a great deal of laughter. Because if we can't laugh at the absurdity, we will never make it. Good golly, do we ever laugh! We laugh and we cry, sometimes a lot, and we pick each other up and carry each other when need be, and we make sure each of us knows we are never ever alone, no matter how isolated we may sometimes feel. They save me. Thank you God, for this Village I love so dearly.
*Love - How lucky am I to have so many, and to love them all so much. My Hunny, my parents, my children, my brother, cousins and family, My Girlfrenz and my Village . . . and the list doesn't end there. My life is so incredibly full of so much love. Whatever did I do to deserve all of it? God takes care of us so many ways. My heart and my life are so very full. Thank you God, for each every one you have put in my life.
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