Sunday, November 14, 2010

My Thanksgiving

In the spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving, I wanted to take a moment and talk about what I am feeling most grateful for this November.

1. My husband. I am grateful for my husband. He does all sorts of things for me and really takes care of me in my current "condition". He genuinely loves me and cares about my physical, mental, and emotional well-being. More than that, I am grateful for who he is, what he thinks about, his own interests, and our common interests. I love hearing him laugh, whether it's at something I said (he actually thinks I'm funny) or at something on the television or at something on his computer that I would never understand until I had his level of computer-savvy. I love that he encourages me in my personal interests. It might sound strange, but I am also very grateful that he doesn't need me. He doesn't rely on me for food, for laundry, or for his spiritual welfare. Ours is not a Gretchen saving Faust relationship. I am grateful that our marriage is one of partnership and interdependence. I think we each do better together than apart, speaking from experience. ;-) But I don't feel pressured to be the "perfect" wife or to be his savior. For that I am very, very grateful.

2. My mother. My mother has served and sacrificed for me from the time I was in the womb, risking her own life in the process of giving me mine. More recently, I have come to appreciate her even more. Not just in light of my own feelings as I am about to become a mother myself. But also because I have witnessed how truly the calling of a mother never ends. I don't think I ever can express what it means to me that my mother drove across the country and cared for me for an entire month this summer. I can only say that I hope to have that same selfless love for my own children. And that I miss her. I am grateful for my mother, her love, and her friendship.

3. My father. After we found out we were having a girl, I tried to explain to Linus how special daddies are to their daughters. They just are, and mine is no exception. I was reminded of this very strongly this summer during my illness. Not only did he go without my mom for over a month, my dad was also there on the phone any time I needed or wanted to talk with him. It amazed me how much better I would feel after our conversations. His straight-forward medical advice was always comforting, and he was always upbeat and encouraging. I know he had a lot on his plate at the time, with work and my mom being gone. But he was always so supportive of me, and so excited for me. I am grateful for my daddy.

4. My baby. My baby has taught me a lot already, and she's not even born yet. I just feel so grateful for her. Ever since I've been able to feel her moving, she's constantly reminding me why I'm doing this. She helps to comfort me when I don't feel good, and she has helped me move beyond my physical discomforts to feel excited for her. I am excited to meet her, and I am grateful for the love and the bond that I already feel growing between us.

5. My body and my life. Bodies are miraculous. I am truly in awe of them. Everything that they can go through and still function -- and in some cases support a new life at the same time. I am so grateful for my body and my life. While they may not be perfect, they are miraculous to me.

6. My faith. I am grateful for my faith in the Lord. Without that, and without Him, none of these miracles would be in my life. I might still have a body and a family, but I would never have recognized them for the miracles they are.

3 comments:

The Old Cowboy said...

That's what old cowboys are for.

REC said...

I love my husband and children also. Today I am thinking a lot about my own father and mother.
There is a very special bond between Mothers and Daughters. I was glad to be of service this summer and ever amazed at how resilient our bodies actually are as we were all wondering if you would ever feel good again.
It is important to recognize those things for which we are grateful and even more important to express that gratitude.
The Eternal outlook through our Faith is the saving Principle in the many upheavals of life.

Thora said...

Speaking of Fathers and Girls and the bonds they have, Lydia's favorite person in the world is Avram. She wanted to marry him, until she found out you can't. I can definitely see you daughter and Linus bonding that way (well, not the marrying, but you know what I mean).