Thankful for the Skidlets...

My life was changed forever the day I met these three amazing little people...

...who grew into these three delightful musketeers...

... who one day became these three admired and much-loved friends.







I am so grateful for Stephen, Meredith and Jeffrey!
Giving thanks for them and because of them... with great love!

The Blessing of Special Friends

What could be better than a friend -- someone with whom to laugh, cry, work, play and pray? Today I am grateful for my friend, Kristin -- for her joy and humor, for her creativity and curiosity, and for her honesty. Her undivided heart is an inspiration. Her smile lights up any room. This fine friend blesses my life!

We Interrupt This Listing for a Brief Rant

Tattoos

Why?

I simply do not understand.

Number 13. Changing Seasons

Have you ever noticed how people avoid the number 13? Some buildings don't have a 13th floor. Some folks won't sit row 13 on and aircraft (and some aircraft don't even have a row 13.) In the midst of all this gratitude, I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable by showing up in the number 13 spot, so... let's give thanks for someTHING! I am thankful for the changing seasons, especially Fall. There's nothing quite like waking to a crisp morning, colored leaves and that special something in the air.(No, I do not mean mold and pollen.) Here's a little poem for Fall

Falling

Flipping their crimson curls,
the trees shake their heads.
Burgundy, gold and brown leaves
float farewells
through crisp air.
Against a balsam backdrop,
the true-blue sky
sings of summer.
But the wind,
nipping at the waves,
whispers “change!”

Number 12 - The Bookies!!

When counting things that count in life, books are important, but relationships are always on top of the list. I am so grateful to be part of this little knot of women (and now, one man has also joined us) who meet once a month to discuss books we've read. Perhaps being part of a book club has become a bit of a cliche -- but really, who cares? I love the Bookies! It is refreshing to read books (mostly good ones, but there have been a few not-so!) and then have meaningful conversations about the impact the stories had on our lives.

We've read many books in the years we've been together... classics, contemporary fiction, and yes, even some biographies. I am grateful that the Bookies taught me to appreciate biographies.
We have different tastes and are sometimes at different stages in our lives, but that simply adds to the interest of the group. A few members have come and gone, but basically we have the same core group and there is never a break in the conversation. Silence is not a problem for any of us.

Sometimes there have been challenges in organizing -- we all have different ideas about what to read. There have been years when it's been all spelled out in advance, months where each person takes a turn selecting, times when we examine the lists of other groups and periods where we float from month-to-month, searching for the next big idea. The group is not overly thematic, overly structured, overly serious -- but each person has ideas and all ideas seem to be welcome.

Who are the Bookies? Well, there is Dolores (a movie expert exactly my age!) brimming with life and vigor, there's Jean with her hilarious sense of humor (not to mention tennis player extraordinaire with good taste in greeting cards!), there's Ruth (world renown composer!) the most thoughtful of our group and able to argue all sides of a dilemma but end up right where she needs to be, there's St. Lyn (our best-dressed-glamour gal), who in spite of a hectic family schedule and caring for an aging parent, always has time to look up good context and tie in other themes. And then there is Carl (famous concert pianist), our token person of the male gender who was reading-all-of-the-books-anyway-and-sending-his-comments-via-his-dear-wife so really he was part of the group all along and we love him!

This is a small but mighty band of intellectual giants who make the first Thursday of each month something special. Surely, there is no topic this group could not conquer... with style! The Bookies are truly a gift -- and I'm grateful.

1 Listed, 999 to Go!

Working on the thousand gift list today, I began to notice many small things that inspire gratitude, like:
2. The way light filters through the bedroom curtains just after dawn
3. The crisp, cool morning and damp grass on bare feet
4. Freshly painted woodwork in the family room,
5. The furiously wagging tail and look on our beagle's face first thing in the morning
6. The taste of fresh juice... really fresh juice
7. A bouquet of sunflowers on the kitchen table
8. Being surrounded by books...lots of books... and more books -- there's something about books
9. The 'laurel blue' linen curtains in my office -- such a soothing color
10. My tattered Bible with post-its and book marks falling out of it

And then there are the big gifts -- such as the one mentioned yesterday -- the big, transforming, wonderful gifts of special people.

11. Today I am grateful for my Dad, Ernie-Bert -- the big-hearted, giant of a man who is so loved and missed. He would have celebrated is 86th birthday this year. September 20, his birthday, passed unmentioned for the first time -- an oversight that now hurts my heart.

He died in January 1997, after a long and debilitating illness. But what a life he had! He had an amazing ability to relate to people, was at once tough-minded and kind-hearted, and truly looked at life in a unique way. His sense of humor, punctuated by "ernieisms' brought light and laughter to just about everyone he met.

He was not just a father, but also a friend -- walking with me through some of life's darkest hours. He was present in my life, when presence was the greatest gift of all. From him I learned both who I am and whose I am.

I am so grateful for his life and his legacy.

Now, let's get this show on the road and wind things down....