Thankful 2014

I am thankful for conditioner, dropbox, the idea of lighthouses and socks that don't cut off my ankle circulation. For the efficiency of the little packs of laundry detergent. I am thankful for the variety of cereal and ice cream and music because it reminds me that the world needs so many kinds of people. For GoGurt, "Free after Rebate", car chargers and the TimeHop App. For the faithfulness, trustworthiness and unconditional everything that is my parents. For nieces and nephews, aunt and uncles and cousins. I am thankful for opportunity and luck and hard work and persistence and support and the ability to survive on very little sleep: all of which has brought me to where I am in my life. For my blog books, people who know what to do with a whisk, Netflix, clearance sales following holidays, Max's blond hair and the longevity of my dogs. I am thankful for the mail distribution system that we have in America-we have a lot of trust in people, just leaving our mail hanging out in mailboxes, yet, it somehow works.  For those moments when my students restore my faith in humanity. I am thankful that I have 4 different calendars (phone, wall, nightstand and work desk), each of which holds a special place in my heart and, each of which, I use every single day. I am thankful for a husband who knows my love language is words of affirmation. For recipe texts from my sisters, No Shave November, how Max says "Tur-tle" and that my children are the age where pushing the elevator button is thrilling. For intensity, in general. I am thankful for advanced medicine, stem cell transplants, fighting spirits and selfless souls.  For the awesome trend that is leggings, big shirts and boots because the comfort of basically wearing pajamas might be the greatest invention ever. I am thankful for the times that a 2 seater cart is in the Target parking lot, so I don't have to even carry the boys in to get one. For scented dryer sheets, ocean waves, pedicures  and cheeseburgers. For the defining characteristics of my childhood-playing outside, family, activities and spaghetti.  I am thankful for self confidence. For the times when Max wakes up at 3am and I know I have 2 more hours to sleep once he falls asleep again. For people who are genuine. For the unique feeling I get when I say, I have a twin sister; it's almost like a little thrill just remembering how very lucky I am to be able to say those words.  I am thankful for the fact that cursive is almost completely dead, birthday party invitations, hard boiled eggs and for the times when the sun is so perfectly positioned as to make the day bright but not require me to find my sunglasses. For Anderson's curiosity. For Inservice days, the person who first dreamt of the idea of a zoo, middle names with meaning and the green chairs in my kitchen.

But, mostly, I am thankful for this:

in a room filled with "I am thankful for Dollywood/my toys/ naps/cake/etc", 

my first born chose my second born.