Thankful.

Each year I do a blog about what I am thankful of.

I actually started one day of the whole 'Facebook daily thankful' but then realized that would be all of my material.

So. As I am sitting in my bed, with my electric blanket pulled up to my vagina, clean laundry in piles at my feet, a snoring daughter to my right and Karma wedged in there as well, I will write what I am truly thankful for at this precise moment.

 I am thankful for coffee.
And while it may seem stupid or small, as long as I have coffee in my cabinet then I can find happiness. A hot cup of coffee does wonderful things for me. It relaxes me, it is delicious, it reminds me of my grandmother. Coffee. Yum.

 I am thankful that my children are not assholes.
I do not know how or why but they are not greedy or selfish or rude. My children are not vain they are not stupid nor are they ignorant to the needs of others. They do not talk back, slam doors are issue curses at my soul (at least in my presence.) They are loving and funny and wise.

 I am thankful for Karma.
She is a silly, floppy happy pitbull who loves her momma (Emma) with every ounce and tremble of her body. I am thankful that she howls at us when we come home every day and that she walks with me every morning.

 I am thankful for my families ability to heal.
No matter what happens in life, laughter will always come back. Losing Jorden was one of the hardest things that we faced together. But we hugged tighter, cried together and slowly made it through. I don't know how. But we did it together.

 I am thankful that I have my home.
I am thankful that my son started kindergarten in it and graduated high school here as well. Not many people can say that. My kitchen cabinets are falling off the hinges and Karma has eaten the trim off of my front door. But inside the laundry room, the wall shows the growth of both of my children over the last 10 years.

 I am thankful for my job.
I say Job and it doesn't sound like the right word. It is my passion. My heartbeat.
It is the place that I was always supposed to be.

I am thankful for my poofy.
My electronic cigarette. My health was made better because of it. A promise was kept to my children because some dude or dudette invented it.
A year and a half no smoking. That's what's up.

I am most thankful this year of Brandee and Mandy.
They are deeply embedded into the hearts of myself and my children. They are not simply friends. They are family.

They raise me up.They spoil me. They love me. They tolerate it when I whine.
They dance when I sing random songs and clap for me when I am done.
They listen when I bitch. They tell me the truth. They love my children...and my dog.
They pull out a bed into the living room and make it all fluffy for me on movie nights, Mandy picks up my daughter from school every day.
They go to Emmas music recitals and all of Shanes plays.
When I walk in circles, they let me finnish.
If I whine and throw myself to the floor, they laugh at me.
When I do a suck ass 'robot' dance move, they tell me that I am getting better.
They buy me the teeny cans of diet coke, because they make me feel like the HULK when I drink them and it makes me happy.

Mandy lets me sing into her stethoscope at the top of my lungs and even turns down the radio so she can listen better.
Mandy cooks dinner for all of us every single night.
Mandy loves me only.
Brandee walks with me every day, even in the rain.
She tells me that I am beautiful, even when I am not.
She sits with me in hospitals and makes me button necklaces because I like to chew on them.
When I am sick, she lets me fluff her boobs and lay on them.
Brandee loves me only.

They do not do it because it is easy for them.
They do it because it is hard, but worth it.
They do it because for them, we are their family too.
No matter what life throws at us, we are there for each other. We hug it out, sing it out or pout it out.

4 years ago I sat at home, alone. The kids were gone and everyone was unavailable. I picked up the phone and called Brandee. She invited me over for coffee, and I have never left.

Because of them, I am never alone.
Because of them, I am stronger.