My Thanks

My American friends tell me today is the day I'm to give thanks for all the blessings in my life. I don't want to break it to them, but I did that last month when our Canadian thanksgiving rolled around. Our thanksgivings are similar in that we stuff ourselves silly with dry turkey and then further feast on homemade pies until our waistbands are threatening to cut off all circulation to our legs and we are surrounded by friends and family who alternately amuse and annoy us.

It's family holidays at it's finest.

There is a wee difference in the Canadian thanksgiving versus the American version. Ours is better. We don't use real turkeys. We use unicorn meat. It's a well kept secret. I'm risking my citizenship simply by telling you all this.

The things I do for you.

In keeping with the spirit and celebrating virtually with my American friends, I thought I'd share with you a few of the things I am thankful for in my life. Because one can never give enough thanks for the things in our lives. Or at least, that's what my Grandma always used to tell me.

I'm grateful for the medical system we have here in Alberta and in Canada in general. I'm thankful for each and every person who had a hand in my child's care and who continue to look after my remaining three children to ensure I have another day with my kids when I go to bed at night. Modern medicine gave me almost five years with my son and I cherish each of the days I had with him. And our health care system has saved Jumby's health on more than one occasion. Our health care system may not be perfect but I can't help but be grateful for how it has served my family.

I'm thankful for koolaid. And for having blonde children who were easily manipulated into sitting still while watching cartoons so their mother could colour their hair and freak out their father when he came home.



I'm thankful for each photograph I have of my son and for people who came into our lives and preserved the memories for me. I'm so thankful for people who read this blog and remember they knew my son and send me never before seen photographs of my boy. There are no words to describe the feeling of discovering a new unseen memory of your child when you can no longer make new ones. Thank you Melissa.



I'm thankful for the man who makes this all possible, first by graciously donating his sperm and then by busting his hump to support our family. Boo's a good sport when it comes to my teasing him on this blog and I can only chalk that up to the fact I am a fabulous wife he's got a great sense of humour.

I'm not so thankful for that hairstyle in that picture though.

I'm thankful for my dog. Yes. My dog. He kept me company for years after Bug died and he keeps me warm at night when Boo is away from home. Plus, he loves me best and tends to point his arse cheeks away from me when he farts so, what's not to be thankful for?

I'm thankful for my all my nieces and nephews and the love they shower me with. I'm especially grateful for my nephew, the Worm, who storms into my house, steals my cookies, jumps on my couch and pelts me in the face with snowballs while his mother is at work. I'm even more thankful that he keeps coming back, even when I lick his eyeballs.

I'm thankful, ever so thankful Jumby found me. And that his genetics allow for me to grow out his hair to highlight his awesomeness and to annoy his father. I don't know what we did to deserve this kid in our family, but I'm never giving him back.

And lastly, I'm grateful for Fric and Frac. I'm so thankful I have the two of you. I'm thankful for the people you are and I'm looking forward to meeting the people you will become.

There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not thankful for my kids, the ones still alive and the one who isn't, and for the people who fill my life with love and laughter.

Also, I'm thankful for pie.

Homemade pie, not the store bought crap.

So enjoy your day of thanks America and thank YOU for being filled with so much awesome.

Here's to everything we have to be thankful for, including little boys learning to talk.