Thankful.

I have a lot to be thankful for.
An abundance.
And I am thankful for all of it. Every single bit.
I've seen posts through newsfeeds of friends popping up on Facebook of daily thanks.
Giving thanks each day.
I've wanted to jump on the bandwagon for quite a while.
November 1st came and went and before I knew it, it just felt like I was too late to the game to start them.

So here I am.
Ready.
And since today is ACTUAL Thanksgiving, I'm right on time.

I am thankful for the obvious things, my family, a roof over my head, healthy children.
But the other stuff. The stuff between the lines is what I'm extra thankful for this year.

I'm thankful for my house.
A house that is constantly, full of noise.
Robust giggling, straight from baby bellies.
And it's not always giggling.
But you know I'm thankful for the shrieking, the crying, the little shouts of defiance and independence too.
Because a house full of noise, means a house full of people.
My people.

 And man, I just love these people.
If I had nothing else in the world, but them, I'd still have everything.
I am so thankful for all four of them.

I'm thankful for little hands.
All six of these little hands are different shapes and sizes.
They vary from really little to not-so-little-but-still really small.
Thankful for the creativity these little hands give live to.
Creations of many walks of life.
Lego towers and painted pumpkins.
But the real masterpiece is their actual hands.
Soft. Delicate. Delicious.
Thankful for those little hands that still reach up in the middle of a bedtime story to feel my cheek.
When they interlock with mine, unprompted on a walk.
So thankful for thirty fingers to lick syrup off of.
Six little hands to be thankful for.

Thankful for this guy.

Because this whole gig would be a lot less vibrant without him.
His humor.
His love.
His arms wrapped around me.
He is my comfort, my home, my best friend.
Thankful he chose me.
 

Thankful for the father he is to our boys.
The kind of dad that deserves medals, praise, extra hugs.
We are so lucky.
So blessed.

I'm thankful for siblings.
The siblings given to me.
Sisters.
Best friends.
Thankful for the late night laughs and bottles of wine we share.

The siblings I've given to them.

Thankful for their compassion and love they share for one another.
Thankful for the unprompted hugs and kisses I see them willingly exchange.
Thankful for these relationships and bonds that are wildly strong and never ending.
I'm thankful for coffee.
It's steamy and delicious.
It's rich.
And it helps me power through my day.
The smell of coffee. The sound of a fresh pot brewing, as the goodness drips to the bottom of the pot.
It reminds me of home.
Of mornings.
Many of which seem to start entirely too early.
Coffee and snuggles are always the beginning of a new day.
Thankful for each day.

This year has just been filled with so much color.
So much liveliness.
So much love.
So much noise.
SO MUCH HAPPINESS.

My cup is full.
My house is happy.
My children are a delight. The light of my life.
And my life? 
My life is completely different than I could have ever imagined.
My life is more than I could have ever asked for.


You build these castles in the sky, not entirely sure of what matters.
But now I think I know.
They say not to sweat the small stuff.
But the small stuff is what seems more important to me.
And I may not have it all.
But I do.
I have everything I need, everything that matters.

 I have all of them.

All of this.
All these little hidden wonders.
Like sticky floors from tossed bowls full of oatmeal.
And a backyard full of buckets and balls.
A table full of Sharpie decor.
It's the little things.
And I'm thankful for all of this.

Lastly, I'm thankful for another wonderful year to share with all the loving people who surround me.
Thankful for all the opportunities past and present.  
Thankful for it all.

funnies.

 I used to lots of posts about what funny stuff Mason was saying. I called them Mason-isms. Have I ever done a Max-ism? I can't even remember. He is at that age now where he says the cutest little things. It makes it way way better that his voice is so deep and so high all at the same time. He speaks cave-toddler.


I'm going to try and combine all their funnies for one post every month.
Here goes the October 2012 edition.

1. Mason learned a lot about maps and location and continents and such this month at school. He was explaining to me that at the bottom of a map was a key to explain what was where on a map. I kept nodding and uh-huh'ing. Then he said and this right here is the directions. NORTH. EAST. SOUTH. WEST. Quickly he did a little sing songy "Never eat soggy waffles!" Mason you are so smart, my natural reply. Because, y'all he is. We were about to broach teh next topic of his day when Max chimed in loudly and forcefully from teh back seat - "NO!" Mason and I exchanged glances. Confused glances. No? Okay then Max. "No. MASE! NEVER EAT TOMATOES". And then we all laughed a lot.

2. Mason's school enforces "old fashioned values". Also known as MANNERS. We have always been pretty good about reminding him to say the basics you know, please, no thank you....and simple ones like that. The other day he wasn't feeling too hot, so he got to stay home with me. The littles were at preschool, so it was just us, hanging. We wanted to get out of the house so we ran by Target for a little snack...as we are leaving he opens the front door of our house and goes "Ladies first". It was equal parts adorable and shocking. I kind of just stood there wondering when he became such a MAN and soaking up his proud, cherub looking face. He was staring back, but not all lovingly like I was. More in WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU GETTING ALL DOE EYED FOR MOM kind of way. He was like "Well, you *are* a lady...right?". Burn.

3. We painted pumpkins a couple weeks ago. It's an easy tradition to keep up with while their little. This year was Alexander's year to cover his face and body in paint rather then his pumpkin. While simultaneously eating it. Max kept scanning for me to intervene - I was coming to yank the paintbrush fear not. "Alexander YUCK we do not eat paint". As I'm walking off I hear Max whisper "Try blue and purple. Red is yucky". Welp, I tried.

4. Out to dinner and our server had her lip pierced. Max's eyes grew five times their normal size and he exclaimed, "PAPA HERS GOT A HOOK IN HER MOUTH. LIKE A FISH!" It took everything in me to not die of laughter right then and there.

5. Me: "Max I love you. So much".

    Max: "Yeah. I love your phone."

And they say chivalry is dead? HA.

6. Randoms. The way Max says "Why of course" whenever I ask him if he wants to do...well, anything.  Prim and proper around here folks. Why, of course :)

Those are the funnies I can remember. Next month I'm chronicling as I go.

I WILL NOT FORGET THE FUNNIES. Because in this house they are pretty much endless.