Thanksgiving List

This article was written by Janene W. Baadsgaard and I have to post it cause I want this to be saved. This is so perfect and fitting in my life right now.

I am grateful my children demand I talk to them when I don't feel like talking, feed them when I am not hungry, and change their diapers even when I am all dressed up and ready to go somewhere special. I don't think I would discover the world outside my own needs without them.

I'm grateful my children haven't learned how to hold back their tears when they're sad, laughter when they're happy, or screams when they're frightened. They constantly remind me that emotions are for sharing.

I'm grateful my children have broken nearly everything in my home and used a crayon or ink marker on the rest. They've taught me that things aren't important, but people are.

I'm grateful my children start out small and helpless so they don't become aware of my incompetence until they're teenagers. By then, we've both grown so accustomed to each other, we somehow manage to make it through the rest of life together.

I'm grateful my children get their pants dirty, pick their noses, burp without saying "excuse me", and quarrel in public so I'll never be able to get too arrogant, proper, or judgemental of other people's chilren.

I'm grateful my children always need new shoes, piano books, perscriptions, haircuts, fieldtrip money, tution, food, toothpaste, and underware. That way, I don't have to waste my time thinking about a new sofa. Its difficult to get wealthy and think about lixuries when you have to buy toilet paper and milk by the truckload each week.

I'm grateful my children question my every command and giggle when I get angry. It's difficult to feel powerful or self-rightous with kids around to remind you of how funny you look when you are pointing you finger.

I am grateful my children insist I hug, kiss, rock, or put my arms around them often. Otherwise I think I'd forget how the sense of touch is so healing.

I'm grateful each of my children is unique when the same strange, inexperienced mother raised them. Somehow they don't seem to let me ruin them much.

And lastly, I'm grateful for the gift of children in my life. God willing, I'd like to fill the rest of my days with those interesting people who call me mom but eventually Grandma.