it's still raining... a reminder

I had a really nice day yesterday. I got to spend it with my Mom and my Dad just helping with a few chores and talking for most of the day. It wasn't planned out, it just happened that way.

Dad needed a lift back into the city for a quick test and Mom needed to stay home so I gladly volunteered. I hadn't seen Dad in a week thanks to some bronchitis I picked up while waiting at the the hospital when Dad and Joanie had their surgeries.

Oh. Yeah, about that...

I neglected to share that here for you non-facebook friends of mine and I feel awful. Not to worry, both Dad and Joanie are home now with one of Joanie's kidneys now doing wonders to help our Dad. :)

It's a little cliche, but there has been a meme floating around the net over the past few weeks, I think it may have started with Oprah Winfrey, but it has been a challenge to publicly post things you are thankful for. every day, try to post something new that you appreciate, leading up to Thanksgiving.

I resisted largely because I've never been big on fads... even though I'm a sucker for cutesy stuff like the LEGO games. But the real challenge is there to truly stop and think about what I'm grateful for.

Funny enough, the topic of memes came up in conversation with Mom and I used that one to help describe the term. Later, as Dad really needed to be resting, he stopped me before I left and said he wanted me to see a music video...



I'd never heard this song before (and I'm glad I could link a video with subtitles). If it has rained, it has certainly stormed in my life but, as I fought back and got choked up, it actually made this challenge of naming what I am thankful for pretty easy. So, indulge me.

I am thankful for God even though I might have hurt and will probably hurt again. I am thankful for my Mom and Dad who introduced me to Him. I am thankful for Jody who, as ill-equipped and fragile as I am, has weathered with me through some absolutely black and crushing times. I am thankful for my sister who, despite the miraculous match that she was for Dad's kidney, did not hesitate to volunteer for the surgery with my nephew at home not even really crawling yet. I am thankful for Josh, my brother in law, whose feet haven't folded underneath the weight of being a new dad. I am thankful for my cousin William for leaning on all of us because we hold each other up. I am thankful for the rain and the storms in my life because them remind me that I am not alone.