30 Days of Thanksgiving: November 14

I'm thankful for the ghosts that are haunting me today. They are helping me focus on what really matters.

30 Days of Thanksgiving: November 13

I'm thankful right now for the chance I got to take a little nap today. It wasn't intended.

Our boy was up bright and early today, long before the sun even glimmered a hope to rise. I didn't mind (too much) his early start to the day. It allowed me some yoga time for me, and a quiet start to a usual loud morning.

But apparently I needed sleep! I quick rest to wait out his baby babbling self to slumber put me down for an hour, too. And thankfully, I was able to do that!

30 Days of Thanksgiving: November 12

Shame on me, for writing but not posting yesterday...!

I fed eight children lunch today. Four of mine, and four more. I'm grateful that I am able to do this. The kids sat at the table and played "Telephone," giggling at the silly things they said, and enjoying their friends.

"Are you sure?" asked the moms of the other children. "Isn't that a lot to handle?"

No. Not when you really look at the picture that played out in front of me.

30 Days of Thanksgiving: November 11

Yesterday one of my babies had another swim meet. We astonish everyone there as we all attend, all seven of us, including the littlest ones. It is important to us for our kids to support each other in everything that they do.

I love watching my girl swim. It's one of my favorite things to do. The look on her face is pure contentment, and joy. It brings a tear to my eye to watch her swim. She's not the fastest, but she's mine. And I'm thankful.

30 Days of Thanksgiving: November 10

My baby has a beautiful smile. She is infectious. Everywhere I go, people who know her tell me how she lights up their day when she smiles at them. Even me, on the mornings I need to wake her for school, she will roll over and look at me, squinty-eyed and disoriented, still half asleep, and smile at me, so happy and so wide it brings tears to my eyes. I hope she never loses that.

Her baby brother seems to have mastered that smile, too. Each time I gaze upon his face, I am treated to the same wide, happy smile. Without teeth, of course. And it makes me so happy. And for that I am thankful.

30 Days of Thanksgiving: November 9

I just finished delivering a small collection of goods to a friend who is organizing a larger drive of donations to be delivered to regions in New York and New Jersey and to families there who are without what they need to function day to day. I look at our children and realize how well off we are, and how little effort it takes for us to donate to someone who needs it. As I look at the box of diapers and wipes for my own little ones, I'm thankful that we are able to help another mom and dad somewhere take care of their littlest ones, even if it is in just the simplest of ways.

30 Days of Thanksgiving: November 8

This morning my girls had extra time to play. Most importantly it was in freshly fallen snow.  Magical first snow of the season. I wanted to be outside with them playing, but that's not always possible. I'm thankful I was able to watch them sledding from my dining room window. Too fast, no one will be sledding past that window. I'm glad we took some time today.