Celebrate good times--come on...

We just got back from my cousin Matt's wedding in Chicago. It was interesting, watching them pledge to love each in sickness and in health (yada yada). Even though I know they both sincerely meant those words and will do their very best to honor them, everyone knows (everyone with kids that is) that all bets are off when the kids come along.

Really, there should be a wedding vows upgrade that happens when you leave the hospital with Baby #1. The new vows should read something like "I promise to love, honor, and cherish you a moderate amount during the hours of 7am to 9pm, and will try not to nag or otherwise browbeat you. However, I will not be held responsible for anything said after lights-out, and am entitled to hate your everliving guts if you say one more thing about how I don't load the dishwasher right, or how 18.5 months of MY rocking the baby every SINGLE night are somehow cancelled out by YOUR rocking the baby at night for one week."

Well, it's a suggestion, anyway.

This weekend, we're going to Adam's annual Christmas office party in Raleigh, which I'm really looking forward to. I'll let you know how it goes....

Thanksgiving

As much as I like to gripe, I'm thankful for a lot of things this year.

I'm thankful for my family and home. To wit:

I'm thankful that Daniel is learning to use a spoon to feed himself, and not just to fling food around, even if that means he holds the spoon in his right hand, and puts one kernel of corn into it with his left.

I'm thankful that Ginny is gentle with her brother, at least when I'm watching. I know she takes a swipe at him now and then when my back is turned, but it's a real drag to put everyone in timeout every five minutes, so I appreciate not being absolutely forced to witness the violence.

I'm grateful in fact that the kids love each other so much, in the same way that the Wild Things love Max: "Oh please don't go--we'll eat you up, we love you so."

I'm thankful that we're making the bills, at least the ones that I'm able to find at the end of the month (kids like to take stuff to color on, which can be a problem.)

I'm thankful that we have our jobs. Period.

I'm thankful for our health, even though I'd like to get rid of the caffeine addiction and stop feeding my kids Little Debbies. However, mental health is also important so those two things might have to stay.

I'm thankful for our friends, for those that call and those that don't.

I have been so busy this month that I haven't had much of an opportunity to write, but I plan to get back into it...I hope. The baby just woke up from his nap--a sign?

Ok, I'm back.

I'm grateful for so much and wish that I hadn't spent so much of my time this year complaining or repining. I hope that I can make a resolution to spend more of my time this year celebrating and counting my blessings. Of which I have more than my fair share, without a shadow of a doubt.