We have A LOT to be thankful for!!!!

Bride and I are so blessed, we have so much that I am embarrassed for all I have to be thankful for.  I am most thankful that Bride is in my life, she has made me into the man I am today and I am a better person because of her influence.  We have been together a while now and not a day passes that I am not thankful that she is in my life.  We have rode out good times and bad times and here we are, she has stuck with me – through all of my idiosyncratic behaviors.  I love her and she iswhat I am most thankful for.

I am thankful for the blanket of freedom and protection under which I sleep.  That blanket is provided by our Military - a couple of those folks I know but mostly they are folks I do not know.  They volunteer to be the blanket makers, mostly kids when they start out but some stay and like any job that one likes, they make a life out it.  They are burdened with more responsibility at a young age than most of us will ever have in our entire lifetime.  Unlike most jobs though, theirs is somewhat thankless and has them making sacrifices that most of us free Americans can not even comprehend or fit inside of our spoiled little heads.  We take them for granted and sadly they know that, and still they make those blankets for us.  I am thankful to each and every member of the Military, past present and future.     

I am thankful to have so many great friends in my life, each of you make me happy.  Ya’ll are the green thumbed gardeners in my life that have allowed the blossoms of friendship to flourish throughout my life.   By using Facebook as my search engine I have reconnected with old friends, spanning each period of my life.  I have relived many old memories and it is nice to see what everyone is doing all these years later.   My friends are the family that I have chosen.  There is nothing wrong with my biological family, I consider them my friends as well.  My friends are the ones who know me best, know about all the baggage I tote around and do not judge, they only ask if I need a hand carrying them.  I am thankful for you all, for loving and being loved. 

I am thankful that my Niece decided to uproot her Ohio life to follow her dreams.  I remember that first call, it started with “remember when I was 12 and asked if I could move down with you and Aunt to go to school”.  She moved to Florida, went to school, graduated and starts her first job in her new field on the Monday the 29^th.  She has brought so much joy to our lives in so many different ways, to see life through a 23 year olds eyes was more fun than when my eyes were 23 and going through it.

I am thankful that I am so blessed in my life.  I am a financial dynamo – NO - but I am very happy and contented with my life.  I am able live in a nice place, I am able to give back some to the community in which I live and I am able to see the simple beauty in the everyday things that surround us all.  I do not grieve for the things I do not have, I am however VERY thankful for the blessings I have received.