Thankful

This morning, so early that I can see my reflection in the window by where I sit ... I thought about the things I'm thankful for in my life.  Like most of you ... there are many.

My life.  The lives of my children and husband ... and my family.  I have three sisters and a brother and their families, and two Mothers and two Fathers.  How blessed can I be?  We all get along and we all love each other.  We're a close family and all these years we've been blessed with health.

We take so many things in life for granted, until harsh reality comes knocking.  Up until less than a month ago, my family had never known that gripping fear and possibility of losing one of us.  Of course, we've had our ups and downs with surgeries and illnesses that we get over .. but we've gotten over it and life went on.

Less than a month ago, my brother in law Kenny was diagnosed with a large brain tumor.  A week ago, he had surgery.  They weren't able to get all the tumor, and it is cancer.  It's hard for me to even write that word, and it's almost if I don't say it .... it isn't so.  But it is, and we're facing a battle.  I want to wrap my arms around my sister and protect her from all that is ahead of her and Kenny and their two boys.  I want to wave a magic wand and make it all go away.  I want to give them another twenty-six years together ... and I want my family to not have to deal with this.  This is a first for us, and we don't want to be in these shoes.

We've been in a crisis and it ruffled our feathers.  During Kenny's surgery, as the day wore on ... my sister kept getting sicker and sicker.  She'd been through a lot emotionally as the day drew closer and we thought she was worn down and had the flu, when in fact she had a small bowel obstruction.  Robin ended up in the same hospital in Indianapolis admitted and facing surgery.  As it ended, Robin was transferred to our hospital since Kenny was coming home and things are looking up for her.  Hopefully, she'll come home tomorrow.  Kenny made it home for Thanksgiving at Mom's, and through out the day we all went to the hospital to visit Robin.  She's okay.

Yesterday at my Mother's, it was wonderful to be with my family and be together.  I saw everyone in a different light and I vowed to not take life or my family for granted.  Even though it's unspoken, I know we're all feeling that way right now.

In a brighter light, the picture above is my sister Kim and her husband Danny.  They just celebrated thirty years together and we did a little photo shoot out by the woods at Mom's house with their family.  Kim was loving it ... Danny wasn't so keen on it ... but like a good husband that loves his wife, he at least cooperated, and like most men, after they see the pictures, they love them too.  I got a few good ones and I bet within a few days ... they'll be hanging on their wall.

So in closing ... remember the good times, ponder on them and take the time to make more.  Fix the problems and forgive, for when it's all said and done in life ... you, your family and God is all that we really have.

I hope your Thanksgiving was as good as mine.

Hugs.