Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Today I am thankful for:

• My wonderful hubby. 
• Our loving families.
• Our beautiful and mostly behaved children.
• Being able to afford food in the panty, electricity, heat and nice not-breaking-down cars. 
• Being able to give our children more than what’s in these little boxes for Christmas.

In my early childhood my parents were trying to make a go at farming.  Those were tough times for farmers.  The interest rates were through the roof, and then my parents had some bad luck with some of our livestock.  During some months, competing in the rodeos was more than just fun.  It paid the mortgage.  We were together as a family and spent so much time together, though.  Those are the moments I remember. 

Riding horses on the farm with my parents and sister are some of my fondest memories.  We would saddle up and cross the fields to ride a mile or so to the neighbors.  After much talking, and a few beers on the adults part, we were usually heading home just as the sun was setting.  As we made our way back in the fading light, through trails we had crossed so many times before, I remember the creaking of the saddle leather, the smells of the summer night air, and the occassional snorting of the horses.  We knew each turn of the trail and each tree.  The low hanging branches we could barely disguingish in the dark of the woods, but knew it was there and would duck under it as we lolled on by.  As we approached the barn some of the horses would whinny to their friends that were left behind.  We would unsaddle our horses, turn them out to pasture and put our tired bodies to bed.  Those were good days. Horse sweat and saddle leather were the smells of my childhood.  I am thankful for those memories.

I am also thankful for the memories of times that weren’t so fun.  When the weather got cold in that 100-year old farmhouse it wasn’t pleasant.  Some mornings we would use the hairdryer to unthaw the water pipes in the bathroom so we could brush our teeth after a particularly frigid night.  Those cold mornings, where I would make sure I had my clothes laid out on the bed the night before.  I would pull them into bed with me to warm them up and dress under the covers.  It was so cold in my room I could just about see my breath.  We made it through, no worse for the wear. 

I wish our children could see some of our memories growing up…to experience what those moments were like.  They will have their own memories, though.  I hope we can give them memories so vivid and special.

I also hope we can instill in them to be thankful.  I know at this age it is a hard thing to teach these egocentric little ones, but once they start to understand I hope their emphathy for others comes naturally.

So…today, I am thankful for so many things.  Life is good. 🙂