The Obligatory Thanksgiving Thankfullness Post

Because every year, we all do it. Even when things suck royally, like they do right now. Every year something bad happens before the holidays, and this year it was Jason losing his job. However, we still have a lot to be thankful for.

I'm thankful for my kids...

Sierra is a little prodigy (in my world, anyway). She has developed this insane vocabulary in the last year, and people really can have full conversations with her. She is so clear, and she understands how to use her grammar pretty darn well, it's just weird! Currently, she likes to make mommy and daddy melt by saying that mommy/daddy/Jaymes/Echo the dog...etc is "my best fwiend." When I leave for classes on Mon and Wed, she runs to the door, waves, and says "have a good day at school mommy!" When I get home, she runs to meet me with a big hug and a loud "Mommy, I miss you!"

Jaymes is Jaymes. I love him regardless of whatever things he may or may not be doing at any given time. Right now I'm super thankful to have found an audiologist who could test Jaymes, and had the patience to outlast his uncooperative-in-the-soundproof-booth issues. I am thankful Medicaid paid for Jaymes to get hearing aids. I'm thankful that he gets to have the fun of choosing what color ear molds he wants.

I'm immensely thankful that Jaymes did realize that the hearing aids help him hear. He loves them now, and if one falls out when he's being just a little too bouncy, he runs to me and asks me to "fixit the ears." He's wearing them all day long now, even in the car. He's wonderful about it, if one gets loose or the over the ear part comes off his little ear, he immediately lets one of us know so we can fix it.

His speech is SO much clearer. And there is SO much more of it. I love listening to him talk. Today, we went to the Children's Museum in Greensboro to play, and Jaymes did so much great talking. He was able to tell me that another child was playing with the train, or that he was reading. His speech therapist has worked really hard with him on learning those "ing" action words, and I was amazed at how many actions he was able to identify as he played.

I'm thankful for my being able to go to school, finally...

It is SO nice to have adult conversation with someone other than my husband. Even math is a pleasure, because I get to be out of the house and in society. For a long time, I was stuck 100% in either the house or the pediatric therapy waiting room at Baptist.

I actually really enjoy the work, particularly the English work. I'd forgotten how good writing essays made me feel. How weird is that? Yeah, I love to write essays. Although the eight to ten page history essay due shortly is another story! I'm making excellent grades, which is a little surprising considering I was a solid C student (except in English) through high school.

Nice too, is the fact that not only do I not pay a cent for school, but I get the extra $1000 the Pell Grants pay out after tuition and books are paid for. That comes in handy for bills when the husband is unemployed.

I'm thankful for my horse...

She may be old, lame, bitchy, and lazy, but she is a cool old mare. She's gorgeous now, fat and sassy, which is SUCH a change from the way she looked when I got her. I was lucky enough to get several amazing trail rides out in Pinnacle before Lucy went lame, we even got to ride in the Yadkin!

Lucy's been on pain meds, stall rest, and having her legs wrapped for support for the last four months, and probably will not be even remotely ready to start back to work until summer. That's a little sad, but she does need hand walking, and I do too. Together, we are rehabbing ourselves back to working condition. I find that she really prefers the being lazy to actual work, surprise surprise.


I'm thankful that I finally did get to see the doctor (although her was a jerk) and got the next six months worth of pain meds (the non-narcotic variety, thank goodness) and meds for my acid reflux, which I have not been able to get my paws on in a long time. I feel much better, and much less tired. It was really exhausting to be in pain all the time and feeling sick all the time. I'm not 100% by any means, but it is SUCH an improvement! Also, all my meds are on the Walmart $4 list.

Have I mentioned how thankful I am for that list?! Walmart may be evil in many, many ways but they really did the uninsured folks like myself a HUGE favor in instituting that $4 list.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to a delicious dinner tomorrow, and trying to coerce Jaymes into eating some turkey. He loves mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, and what meal would be complete without an added "therapy session" in the mix? I will hopefully return to this blog, triumphant, with some turkey, stuffing, and yams in Jaymes' little belly.

And I do pray that the room isn't smeared with poop in the morning, because that's just not the way to start Thanksgiving day.

Have a good one, everybody! Eat some extra turkey on Jaymes' behalf. I'm not sure I'll be able to talk him into it.

All in all, life could be worse. We don't have much money, but we have family and my sense of humor remains intact. If you can't laugh at all the crap life throws at you, it would be altogether too depressing.