GIVING THANKS DURING NOVEMBER

I'm already behind, since today is already November 7! Each time I post this month, I plan to share something I am thankful for.

Today, I'm so thankful for my family: my husband Clark, our two daughters Holly and Bethany, our sons-in-law Philip and Kurt, and our three grandchildren Annika, Alexa, and Asher. Each one of them is very special to me, and one thing our family is noted for: our exceptional love for each other. There
isn't anything we wouldn't do for one another, and that love has been demonstrated many times over the years. When I was pregnant with Bethany (and was very sick), three-year-old Holly wanted to make me a birthday cake HERSELF. So my mom went to the store and bought one of those stir-and-frost mixes--yellow cake with chocolate frosting, and let Holly make it herself with supervision. Clark took photos of each step, and it was a real blessing to me.

When I had acute pancreatitis several years ago, I was in the hospital for a week before it was under control and I could return home. Bethany flew from Arizona and stayed with me, cooked me dishes I could eat without getting sick, did laundry, kept the house in order, and generally waited on me hand and foot!

When I had my first knee replacement, Holly came and stayed with me overnight in the hospital, cooked for me, and helped Clark take care of me when I came home. The grandchildren showed me their love.

Clark has done so much for me that I can't even begin to share all of it here--but we've been together through thick and thin, he's taken care of me after various hospital stays and surgeries, and generally been my rock all the time!

Our two sons-in-law have taken up the slack at their homes when Holly and Bethany were helping me, and we appreciate their caring more than they will ever know. They've looked out for us as well, and we call them our sons-in-love.

As we approach Thanksgiving, let's all remember how much we have to be thankful for in America. Is our country perfect? No, because those of us who live here aren't perfect. But God has greatly blessed America, and my prayer is that each of us will realize that in a greater way. Let's all do what we can to make our country more caring, more loving, and more helpful to each other.

Oh, and I can't forget Duke--he's family, too!

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em.