All the Things for Which I am Thankful.....

I thought that I would try and list them just so I can keep perspective: 1. My 3 kids-for the most part healthy, smart and full of life. Tristan is good at pretty much everything and is our most sensitive, Jack is full of spirit, becoming that A student we always hoped he would be, incredibly athletic and compassionate with those younger than him, Savannah is so bubbly and has never met a stranger in her life. She loves to run and play and just has fun with just about anything she does. 2. My husband--that he is not deployed this year. For always supporting me in all of my new endeavors, for loving me, for thinking that I'm even more beautiful now than when we met, for finally loving Christmas almost as much as me! For his ability to start a business while still in the Navy and while I always tease him about his anal retentiveness it sure paid off in the business. 3. My job-I absolutely love being able to take care of those tiny, fragile lives and help them to grow and develop and be able to send them home. It is a miracle to watch how they progress and know that I had some small part in it all. Plus I get my baby fix! 4. For my Uncle's progress in the burn unit....it's almost been 4 weeks since the explosion and he has made huge strides...there is still progress to be made but for awhile there we weren't sure if he would make it out of the hospital, then how serious the injuries would be, now his burns are healing well and he just needs to make progress in his swallowing. 5. For the 90 years that I was able to spend with my Grandma. Her death has at times been hard to bear, but the memories that I have of her and our times together are too numerous to list. She was an amazing woman, and I miss her. 6. My black dog Bailey who we also lost this year....yes she was a dog, but for many deployments she was my sounding board, my crying partner, the one who I could hug or tell my worries too...she was always there and the hole that she filled is still very empty. But she had 10 wonderful puppies who provided love to several different families and for that I am so grateful. Cheers Bailey! 7. My parents...we haven't always agreed, or got on, but you were always there for me and I like to think now that you are proud of who I am and of what I have done. There have been tough patches and all of you have risen to the task and helped me get to the top...especially through nursing school while Jaesen was deployed! Thanks and I love you all. 8. For moving all over the place. I know my friends who have lived in one place just about their whole lives may not understand it but, I have friends all the world. My children have seen places and spoken other languages, experienced riding the Shinkansen, petting koala bears at the Australia Zoo, searched for seaglass in Saipan, eaten Spicy Crabs in Singapore, boogie boarded in Hawaii. I can safely navigate through any countries customs while toting kids and bags and loved every second of it. And back stateside I have seen places I never would have otherwise: Cliff Walk in Newport, RI, Sam Adams grave in Boston and eaten at the oldest restaurant in the US there as well. Eaten at the Hotel Del in San Diego, hung out on the beach in Florida on both coasts, camped in the Hill Country in Texas, and oddly enough, here in Nebraska have run into friends from being stationed in California, Florida, Texas, Rhode Island and Japan. I am sad that our times of moving are coming to an end, it will mean that I have to start purging every couple of years on my own! 9. For small things like a glass of wine at the end of the day, a great sunset, a good fire on a cold night, roasting marshmallows, a good book, taking a good picture, chatting with a good friend who I haven't seen in ages, playing Dance Party with my kids on the Wii, making hot cocoa with fun marshmallows for the kids, Christmas lights, watching my husband at Halloween, brushing my daughters hair, volunteering at school, cheering at my kids sporting events, our National Anthem-which just makes me feel goose bumpy, a clean house, gelato, bird watching, coloring with crayons (yes I still like to do that!) clean sheets, listening to my kids sing, cooking, choosing the perfect gift for someone, working out, music to fit my mood, watching my kids grow and learn.

And today I am 42....

As I sit here eating toast and fruit that my kids made for my breakfast I am reflecting back on the many birthdays past. If I cut it in half I distinctly remember my 21st birthday sitting in my Aunt's house in California. A lot of family singing to me while my mom gave me my pearl earrings...that one is very memorable. Or my 40th birthday here in Omaha...Jaesen took me to Mahogany, we drank Cristal (thanks to my parents), I had 40 roses perfuming my house...that was a good one too. I remember distinctly when I turned 8 or 9, not sure which, but it was when I lived in Colorado, going out to pizza with a whole crew of girls from my soccer team, little blond hair done in two braids. I have spent a lot of them while married without my husband, it seems he is cruising or deployed a lot during the month of November, but he always seems to remember that it's there. My birthday does get overshadowed often by that of Tristan's just 4 days away. I remember that year very well....we went to Dave and Buster's to play games and we rode these weird little horses as if we were in the Kentucky Derby, hoping I would go into labor....but, no. He waited until he was ready to make his appearance the night before Thanksgiving. What is it about birthdays that makes some people cringe? I love it, I love to feel special, love that my kids make me toast and arrange some fruit on a plate and come to me in their pj's and sing me their best rendition of Happy Birthday. I love that my parents all call me and sing to me too...that my husband will tuck me into bed at night and whisper happy birthday one more time to me...I think people are afraid of turning into something as they age. I am not afraid of that, I embrace it! Because if it means I am more like my Grandma (all of them!) or my mom, or because I try and be better for my kids, or I just sulk into myself to take a day for me, I am okay with all of that. Because as I have gotten older I have realized that I am beautiful, I have a good heart, I like to drink good wine, I love to surprise people, I love to bake and cook and write and have animals and dirty fingerprints on my walls and kids who drive me bananas. I love that I have lived....I've travelled the world, learned many languages, have friends around the globe, served my country, flown helicopters, taught school, become a nurse and a mother. I definitely don't cringe with the passing years, but look forward to each new year wondering what new and exciting thing may happen...and yes, bad things come too (this year being a prime example!) but I like to think that they remind me of how lucky I am, how important my family is to me and how much I have left to do. So raise your glass and let's have a big toast to birthdays, both mine and yours!!