MY family

I wrote of being thankful for my family growing up. Now, I will share with you my thanks for my family growing old!

My brothers, who you read about on Saturday, helped to shape who I am. I am NOT a very dainty person. Six brothers will do that to a girl. Don't get me wrong, I clean up pretty well, but I can challenge you men-folk in nearly any sport and am proud of it.

The brothers, along with Momma, taught me to never play easy. It's 100% or nothing! My mother taught me to play boggle and scrabble. She whooped my butt for many years, til I began to get better and better. I won an intermittent game or two and then it was me who was whipping butt. Did I feel badly? Nope! She wouldn't let me. She always said, you always play to win . . . or why play? But don't you ever gloat or lose sight of good sportsmanship. This is something I continue to strive at even to this day!

Now I could slather you with stories of the birth of my children, but everyone has a 'story' about the birth of their children. We all believe our kids are special . . . and they are! Mine have offered me courage, strength, tenacity, and determination. Did I really want those things? Probably not, but it was the hand I was dealt. How I handled those tumultuous times spoke volumes to my children and shaped the people that they have become. Any issues that we faced . . . we faced them 100%, expecting to be victorious. And now, my cup runneth over, as I watch them face their challenges exactly the same. It is a beautiful gift to create human beings. It is a blessing for them to turn into beautiful people! I have been truly blessed. I am thankful for them.

My husband, God bless him, has endured much! He is a gift of unbelievable magnitude. He loves me, protects me, plays with me, challenges me, trusts me, pushes me, and honors me. We have shared tears and hardships and hurdles. We have moved beyond them all, mostly with sarcasm and laughter. It's a beautiful thing. I adore him and am thankful for him.

Lots of folks are married and have children. Sometimes we get too caught up in the daily grind to really see what's in front of us. These treasures we can spouses and children. We take them, too often, for granted and neglect to share our hearts openly, tangibly, and frequently. Life runs us in haphazard directions and we lose sight of the enormity of a hug, the intensity of an 'I love you,' or the impact of a simple conversation.

Take time, today, to truly be thankful for your family.