Thankful Thursday

I realize that it's actually Friday, and I was going to blog this last night, but unfortunately even if I'd held my eyelids open with toothpicks, I still would've fallen asleep.  Yes, I was that tired.  Why do you ask?  Well, Brad traveled for work this week and I had our little lovelies for (ohmygoodness, only) two nights, but it felt like a lot longer.  Anyway, it was the first time in a long time that he traveled, the first time since Jack's been able to comprehend the fact that he's gone, and the first time since Miss Hannah joined our lives.  Sheer craziness, I tell you.

So today, I actually have a lot to be thankful for:

* I am thankful for my husband.  I take for granted all that he does around here, and it becomes very obvious what all that is when he's not here.  We were so excited to see his face when he came home last night before swimming.  Oh, so excited:)

* I am thankful for my in-laws.  Not only do they adoringly watch our baby girl every day when I go to work (just like they did with Baby Jack), but this week, they warmly welcomed Jack and Hannah at 6:30 in the morning (such sleepy, hungry, need a new diaper, well one of them, children) when I had to train teachers on a day when Brad was out of town and couldn't help out with drop off.  I love you both, and I am so glad that our babies get to spend so much time with you.  I know it is hard to watch a baby all day, every day, and I just want you to know how much I really do appreciate all of your help.  I never have to worry about our little lovelies when I drop them off.  It is a priceless gift each and every day.

* I am thankful for my mom.  Each Wednesday afternoon she picks Jack-Jack up from school so that this Momma can have some one-on-one time with my baby girl and a much more relaxing evening than I would have had otherwise.  I actually get some stuff done on Wednesday evenings, and it's really rather nice.  This past Wednesday, I treated myself to a massage, in fact, because she also agreed to watch Hannah for a bit.  I am very lucky to have so much extra help and family that love my babies as much as I do living so close to us.  Not everyone is so lucky, and I get it.  I love you - thank you for giving up one of your relaxing weeknights each week to play with Jack!  I know he's busy-busy after school, and sometimes rather clingy, but he loves going to Grammy's to play:)

* I am thankful for writing workshop training sessions.  I love writing workshop.  Love it.  Capital L.  If I could go back to the primary classroom and only teach writing, or really the whole language arts block, I'd do it.  Writing is just my favorite, and I love that training day with teachers.  I love browsing through children's books I've heard about through various conferences with teachers and showing them how to look at all those beautiful pages through the eyes of a writer.  I just find it to be a very powerful day, and I'm glad I get to be a part of writing workshop in classrooms even though I don't have my own classroom anymore.

* I am thankful for Kimmee.  Last night, as I sat at my kitchen table and finished up dinner with Channing and Brad (Jack and Hannah had long since finished), I watched as Kimmee cleaned our kitchen and unloaded and loaded our dishwasher.  I know that sounds horrible, but it really was amazing.  I don't always love to ask for help or let people help all the time, but the truth is I always need help.  So as weird as it was to sit there while my best friend straightened up after a play date and dinner at our house, I just took a deep breath, relinquished control, and allowed it.  And it was nice.  It wasn't until Kimmee and Channing left and we were rushing to swimming at 7:15 that I realized what a huge sacrifice it was for Kimmee to stay and help us get ready for swimming.  Kimmee and Channing are usually heading upstairs at 6:45 to get ready for a bath and bedtime.  And I know this because Kimmee is very scheduled at home and every night runs exactly the same.  She was 1/2 an hour behind schedule and Channing had to be bathed and in bed in 45 minutes.  I know that Channing was still in bed by 8 because that's how Kimmee is.  She's wonder-woman.  I don't know how she does it.  My kids haven't bathed in days (does the pool count?) because I couldn't figure out how to do that without Brad.  But somehow Kimmee managed to bathe Channing and get him to bed on time even though she gave up her schedule a bit to help a friend in need.  Which I'm sure wasn't easy, and I didn't even see her glance at a clock.  Not once.  So thank you - I love you.  I know how you are with your schedule, and I really did appreciate all of your help:)

I am a lucky girl.  And I know it.