Being thankful in a busy and pessimistic world

I am awesome not really, though.

Sometimes I'm tempted to think that I'm seriously amazing. YOU with all your kind words are a contributor to this (thank you very much, by the way!)

Take today, for instance.

• I made it out the door ON TIME this morning. Score. Thanks to Steve for getting up with our youngest early riser! 
• Productive day at work- great lessons, fun times with the students, filed a bunch of paperwork, edited several writing pieces, hung out with the coworkers, etc, etc. 
• Phone call with long distance friend on my way to the store
• Stopped at TJMax to purchase shoes for Steve's cousin's wedding in December. Cute shoes, decent price. 
• Grocery shopped at Wegmans and remembered (most) everything on my mental list. 
• Arrived home amidst happy chaos, put groceries away and cleaned out the fridge and dry goods cabinet 
• Made Steve and kids' lunch for tomorrow while the kids spilled things on the kitchen counters and floors 
• Banana bread mixed and baked in the oven
• Served dinner/fed Noah- thought I would have a nervous breakdown every time they dropped noodles on the floor
• Cleaned kitchen and eating area from all that mess
• Dishwasher is currently full and running
• Bath for all three kids (with Vicks because of course they're getting sick before a major holiday!)
• Made Steve's dinner in time for it to be ready JUST as he walked in the door
• Hot tea with honey & banana bread for bedtime snack
• Gave Noah his bottle and put him to bed
• Blogging with my favorite big boy and watching Curious George before twin's bedtime 

And the night's not over. 

I feel like I've really owned the day.

I rock.

But of course I remember....

It takes so many people to keep our family running well, especially Steve who is a hard core father, provider and husband. Both of our families love and care for our kids and for us. There's no way, absolutely no way it would work as well as it does if any one of these things was taken from the equation.

Tonight I am thankful for family-

• For the grandparents who play and care for our little ones, who fold our laundry, make us meals, who look forward to babysitting and consider it to be FUN and enjoyable, who pray for them and encourage them & build relationships and memories with them
• For their aunts and uncles who talk to them like "big kids", snuggle with them, chase them, wrestle them, are patient with them, visit them and spoil them
• For their great grandparents who send them birthday and holiday cards, who sing them songs and give them hugs and teach them all about tractors and trains and nature.

We love you.