of things we are thankful for. These are contributions from various members of the family.
- Gregory: When I get up and discover that Mom already packed my lunch. (This is the kid who this very morning packed popcorn, Takis, and a dry sandwich from yesterday, ignoring the yogurt and fresh fruit scattered around in obvious places.)
- A heater to keep the bedroom warm where a window got broken in an exceedingly odd and thoughtless manner.
- A big brother who brings a replacement window pane and installs it in ten minutes.
- A garage to park my car, even if it is a primitive one with a dirt floor and no garage door opener.
- Olivia: Just five minutes without anyone doing anything gross. (Is that too much to ask?)
- A plant collection on the windowsill, especially the dolphin succulent and the string of pearls, and let’s not forget the baby cacti growing from seeds.
- Yogurt, mashed potatoes, and all the soft foods because braces…
- Rita: A heated waterer for the chickens so that I don’t have to constantly haul water for them.
- Enough turkey to snitch bits while it was being carved the day before Thanksgiving, then eat all I wanted, then have leftovers to put into my pot of Ramen noodles.
- Addy: Books with other worlds, AKA imagination.
- A fireplace so I can make fires in the house whenever I want.
- Siblings to fight with and do stuff.
- Mine: the desperate person who cracked open a squash with a sharp rock, and discovered it is edible.
- Rita’s income from her mouse trapline is drying up, with the count standing at sixteen.
- Seed heads in the garden, so pretty in a monochromatic sort of way that they look good in a vase.
- Three deer to process for the freezer, and all the scope for learning to make bologna, jerky, etc. etc.
- Kids who spin clever puns endlessly and who have Opinions About Life and push back and keep me on my toes.
- Instructional DVD courses for my child who is doing Algebra 1 because I really dislike teaching it, and in fact have forgotten what I knew about it which wasn’t ever much.
- A husband who puts driveway markers all along its edges so that we can remember through weeks of mild weather that snow is coming and the brown world will be beautiful again.
- Online shopping, because I love getting packages.
- Cheese. I am grateful that most of the cheese was not moldy.
Gabe was at work when I quizzed the children. I could sit here for another hour and continue this process of picking things I am thankful for, but right now we need to get going with our school day, which itself is a privilege. Depending who you ask and which day you ask it, of course. 🙂
Have a good one! If you feel like it, tell me something you are thankful for that is not on the approved Sunday school list.
wocket in my pocket 
Thankful that it pained us to miss the family Thanksgiving dinner when our little family all fell sick. The fact that it hurt indicates a close bond.
I am forever grateful for indoor plumbing. I’m thankful for the snow we’ve had already, enough to cover tbe ground and last a few days, since this will most likely be our last winter living in a 4-season climate. I am so thankful when I hear my kids thinking and reasoning, solving problems with zero input from me (not that I don’t like to voice my opinions 😁).
I’m thankful there are children’s books lying all over the floor because it means my girls love books. I’m thankful for a husband who plans to go clip chicken wings yet this evening so the birds stop flying out and digging up our neighbor’s mulch…. and our garlic.
I’m thankful for the Black Friday sale that encouraged me to buy the beautiful, red dutch oven I’ve eyed for a few years. And the fact that my sister is currently filling it with applesauce to turn into applebutter for gifts. Also, that I’m googling recipes for Zuppa Toscana to use up the large bunch of cheery kale in the fridge. But mainly, that today is Saturday and I get to stay home on a lovely dreary morning. There’s many things to be thankful for.