Countdown to Thanksgiving: People I'm Thankful For

I posted these on Facebook each day leading up to Thanksgiving:

This is my one and only sister, Amber. I don’t have another sister to compare her to…but I’m fairly certain she’s the best sister in the whole world. If we go more than a few days without talking on the phone it’s unusual and it’s common for us to talk multiple times a day. She’s my confidant, my therapist, my partner in crime, the one I can brag about my kids to (and actually cares) and that I can complain about my kids to (and doesn’t judge). We have a pact that if either of us die we will be the first to the other person’s house to clean it and go through the unmentionables drawer before anyone gets there (she’s the only one I would trust to see my house at its worst). Most of my creative ideas come about after brainstorming with her. If I could describe her in one phrase it would be that ‘she cares’. Her family, her marriage, her friends, her neighbors, volunteering, anything she is involved in or anyone she is involved with she cares deeply about and wants to make it the very best she can. She’s a super mom, a devoted wife, a loving daughter/sister and good friend. I love you Amber and am so thankful for you!

This is my oldest brother Jamen. Our childhood relationship was a bit rocky- I was a brat and he made me terrified of blankets. But I can still remember, shortly after I was married, calling him to ask for some advice and after hanging up the phone I paused and thought, “Wow, Jamen is a really cool guy.” And my love and admiration for him has only grown over the years. Seriously people, my big brother is amazing and one of the first people I turn to when I need life advice (he definitely inherited that trait from my mom-he’s a great counselor). He has become one of my heroes. He’s witty, intelligent, kind, accepting and one of the hardest working men I know. When I was trying to find a picture of us together, instead I kept coming across pictures of him holding and playing with my kids. Watching him be the husband, father and uncle he is, has been a privilege. I love you so much big brother and am so thankful for you!

This is my other older brother Jace. Oh man, where to even start with everyone’s favorite ;). Jace is our funny, adventurous, charismatic, suave and always sarcastic brother. I think it was about the time he worked at a video rental store (and used to bring home videos for us to watch and would sometimes bring home videos he knew I would like “Hey a new Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Movie came in today.” Yes, thank you!) that we became friends by choice and not just because we were siblings. I also remember us sitting on my bed one night talking, we didn’t know exactly how it worked, but we both felt like maybe we had chosen to be brother and sister in this life so we could be friends forever. I still don’t know exactly how it all works but I do know I am so thankful for our friendship. I cried when he left for Brazil for two years and couldn’t sleep the night before he came home. When he’s sad, I’m sad. When he’s stressed, I’m worried. When he’s happy, I’m happy for him. I heart you Jace and am so thankful for you!

This is my younger brother Scott. If there was a definition for a human teddy bear in the dictionary, you’d find a picture of Scott. He’s the manliest of men, but also has the biggest heart in the world. And the best laugh in the world. He’s so quick to laugh and he has one of those laughs that you can’t help but smile when you hear, and it makes any joke 10 times funnier. He’s responsible, sensitive, positive, easy going and fun. Even as kids, he was just a really nice guy. I’ve told this story before to our family (sorry you have to hear it again) but it perfectly illustrates the kind of guy Scott is: When the 6th Harry Potter book came out (I think he was about 15) Scott wanted to pre-order it and pick it up at the store at midnight, but he didn’t have a ride, so he asked if I’d be willing to take him. I said yes, as long as he let me borrow the book to read as soon as he was done. The night came and I took him to the store at midnight. He went to the cash register, and gave his name. The clerk found his name on the list, gave him the total and then left to go get his book. When I heard the total I was shocked, it was about twice as much as I would have expected the book to be. I told Scott as much and asked if he had shopped around to find a better price. He said he hadn’t shopped around. I then proceeded to give him a huge lecture about responsibility and money. The whole time he kept saying “ok…ok...” and his head hung lower and lower. Finally, the clerk came back with 2 books, gave them to him, he paid and we stepped aside for the next person. I was so confused. Me, “You bought 2 books?” Scott, “Yes…one for me… and one for you.” I almost started crying right there. The reason the price was twice as much was because he bought twice as much. He spent his own, hard earned money on me, to thank me for driving him and because he knew how much I loved Harry Potter. Not only that but he took my misdirected lecture with more grace and humility than most adults can manage, let alone a teenager. This is the kind of guy Scott is. The kind of guy that puts others before himself, and finds joy from seeing others happy. I love you so much Scotty boy, and am so thankful for you (and my Harry Potter book…that I still have and cherish). n

This is my youngest brother Daniel. He’s our sweet, preforming, outdoorsy, adventurous, nature loving cowboy. But I still can’t help but see my little, baby brother. I remember my dad taking me to see him in the hospital the day after he was born. I sat in a hospital arm chair holding him and I’ve been in love with him ever since. I spent the majority of our childhood trying to baby him and act like a second mom. I loved bossing around my little brothers well into their teens and Daniel was always so sweet about it. He never complained and went along with all my crazy ideas (like teaching him and Scott a choreographed dance to the Sugar Plum Fairy song for Christmas Eve when they were 8 and 5). At first it was hard for me to admit my kid brother wasn’t a kid anymore, but over the last several years, getting to know Daniel as an adult has been awesome. We went to Zions National Park last month and while we were riding the Tram to our trailhead he started a conversation with 4 passengers that were sitting by us (two 20 somethings and a middle aged couple from New York) within 30 seconds he had them smiling and laughing, while he told stories and gave hiking and trail advice. I just sat there in amazement watching all this. I’d never seen anyone put complete strangers completely at ease so quickly and easily. One of my favorite things is seeing his name on my caller ID. A lot of times he’ll call me for advice or because he needs help with something, but sometimes he will call me- just because and he always put a smile on my face too. I love you Daniel and am so thankful for you.

These are all my in-laws! (Ok technically one is my step-mom and 2 aren’t married into the family, but I love you all, and I’m running out of days, so I’m grouping you in this category) In movies, tv shows, books etc. In-laws kind of get a bad rap. They’re portrayed as weird, over-bearing, competitive even hostile. I’m so so thankful I have NEVER experienced any of that. My in-laws are the best!!! In fact, I’ve come to love them just as much as if they were really my own. I’ve learned from them, been blessed by them and have had many many great memories and laughs over the years. I have to give a special shout out to my mother-in-law Robin. She moved in with us about 2 years ago, and whenever I tell people we live with my mother-in-law I got a lot of “Whoa, how is that?” and my answers is always the same, “It’s great!” We get along, the kids love having their grandma (and her candy stash) so close, she’s been a kind of second mom to me, and we’ve been so blessed by her and her constant service to us. I love all my in-laws so much and am so thankful for you!

This is my mom and dad. I’ve been sitting here for a while now trying to figure out what I’m going to write. How do you adequately put into words how thankful you are for the people who gave you life? My parents dedicated their lives to our family. They both had a dream of having a big, close and loving family and they succeeded. As you can see from my previous posts, my family members are my very best friends. The older I get, and the older my kids get, the more I wish I could go back in time and thank my parents every day for every single thing they did for me. My dad’s leadership and my mom’s unconditional love are what have helped define me as a person and as a wife and mother.
My dad showed me what it was to work. I don’t remember my dad ever sleeping in (maybe he did, but I don’t remember it). Every week day he was up, many times before the sun, and was off to work. When he got home he would still help sweep or cook or do the dishes. He showed my siblings and I that housework was not just for women. On Saturdays he was doing projects around the house, and Sundays he was attending and helping at church. He taught me the value of hard work and responsibility.
My mom taught me the importance of time. She ALWAYS had time for her kids (and grandkids). I can’t remember ever having her say to me, “sorry, not right now I’m busy.” If you needed to talk, she was all ears. If you were hungry she’d cook you up some scrambled eggs and toast. If you forgot about a school project that was 60% of your grade and was due the next day, she was up until midnight with you. When her grandkids wanted to play a game or read a book, she immediately put down whatever she was doing. She made us feel like we were the most important people in the world and now I strive to make my kids feel that way.
The thing I love about my parents the most is they were NOT perfect. I never appreciated that until I was an adult and a parent myself. They had flaws and made mistakes and they were still incredible parents. It gives me hope for myself.
I love you mom and dad and am so thankful for you.

These are my 3 little dev…ahem, Angels. They are the reason I get out of bed every morning. Literally. They run into my room and jump on me at 6:30 every morning begging for breakfast, until I’m forced to get out of bed or sustain serious injuries. But seriously, my kids are my life. I remember when I was pregnant with my second baby wondering how I could possibly love another child as much as I loved my first. I didn’t think it was possible for me to fit that much love in my heart and how can you divide your heart that many times without thinning it out. But I did love my second just as much as the first and the third as much as them. In fact, my love for my other children grew even more, watching them become older brothers. That’s when I understood that I don’t divide my heart into pieces- my heart grows and expands with every child, bringing with it an infinite capacity for love. My sanity on the other hand…that can only get stretched so far. But then my kids smile at me, cuddle with me and tell me they love me-and I’m a puddle. Spencer- is my sensitive kid that wears his heart on his sleeve. He helps me remember to always be kind. Roderick- Is the comedian. He helps me remember to stop taking life so seriously and the world won’t end if you take a park and ice cream break every once in a while. Jeffrey- is pure sunshine. He warms my heart and makes me laugh. Thank you boys, I love you to the moon and back.

This is my husband Steve. I don’t know how to put this but… he’s kind of a big deal. He’s very important. He has many leather-bound books and his house smells of rich mahogany. Ok-I’m going to try very hard to be serious with this post, because Steve and I have a very jestful relationship. That’s actually one of the things I love about him. I found a questionnaire a while back that I filled out as a young teenager. It had several questions I answered about what I hoped my future would hold. For my future husband I wrote I wanted someone “tall, dark and handsome with a good sense of humor”. I got exactly what I wished for, and it only gets better with time. Steve works so hard for our family. We’ve had good times and low times but I’ve never worried that Steve wouldn’t do what he needed to do to help take care of us. He’s also an awesome dad. Other than cleaning up throw-up, he’ll do anything for his kids, and he does. He is an amazing husband. I love spending time with him, he’s constantly making me laugh. He lets me drag him along to try new things and he’s supportive with any new endeavor I want to try. We can talk about anything and everything (and we sometimes stay up way too late doing it). He’s incredibly thoughtful. He pays attention to things I like and say that I need. There have been so many times that he’s come home with a treat or something I love- just because. And he always gives me the perfect gifts. He’s willing to admit when he’s wrong and he’s always quick to forgive when I say I’m sorry. I’m so thankful for you Steve and I love you 60% of the time, every time.