There was not a school event from Kindergarten to 12th grade that my mom did not attend. She was room mother, Brownie leader, Cheer sponsor, grade sponsor, Spirit Week planner and I even have a vague recollection of her decorating the bulletin boards in our elementary school cafeteria. She somehow did all of this while working and staying sane. I remember how exciting it was to go to work with her on Christmas Eve morning because we would walk to Kroger and snack in the store where she worked and be excited about the day. Now, as a working mom, I realize that she was probably stressed about us having to go to work with her on Christmas Eve but it was one of my favorite memories. I am
thankful for a mom who literally did it all and made it look easy. In the throes of my crazy days, I know that I am her daughter and, therefore, will.make.it.happen. and I am eternally grateful to have her middle name to keep me going on the long days.
My grandma used to cluck her tongue and grab my cheeks when she talked to me. She also called me Missy even when nobody else still did and she snuck me pieces of bread when Mom was cooking dinner and said we didn't need to snack. I remember that Nicole & I could never keep up with her long strides when she was walking at the mall and the GIANT Magnolia tree with all of the branches outside of her house was our favorite. I remember her laughing, LOUD presence at every holiday, every non holiday, every event, every non-event. I have her makeup bag stored in many ziploc bags at my house and and it still smells like a combination of her make-up and powder and I am
thankful that I had a grandma who lived so close to me and was in my life every day of my childhood.
When we were little, we would go to the library and check out the maximum number of books every single week. My mom just let us wander around and choose what we wanted while she was choosing her own books. I remember every single detail of the public library near our house-the parking lot, the field behind it, the bathroom, the empty room that occasionally had adults in it, the librarian desks, the maroon and tan everywhere, the fiction books, the nonfiction books, the magazines, all of it. I am
thankful every day of my life that my childhood included a library.
I remember that there was a man who sold the newspaper on the corner in our neighborhood every Sunday. During the winter, when it was cold, my Dad would bring him a thermos of coffee. I was literally about 30 before I stumbled back on this memory and realized that he DID NOT KNOW this person, but knew he must be cold and therefore tried to help him. When I was young, I think I just assumed they knew each other because there was never some big show about it and the naturalness of it all implied that there was a relationship. We of course did all of the "normal" unselfish things like food kitchens, angel trees, church events, etc., but it is this memory that has stayed with me. We have never spoken of this and I have no idea why I remember it, but I am so
thankful that my parents have modeled genuine unselfishness during my entire life.
Once, I met this boy, and he brought me a peanut butter & jelly sandwich with ruffles on it at my job at TGIFridays because he remembered I liked them and then, 3 years later, he asked me to marry him and I said yes because who can turn down a boy like that? I am
thankful for a husband who remembers the details.
About 21 years ago, we met our brother's new girlfriend. I remember that she was wearing a gray sweatshirt and standing in the doorway in our kitchen. Luckily for all of us, she stuck around DESPITE our craziness and makes every holiday, vacation and event delicious, well planned and positive. I am
thankful for bonus sisters.
In May during my 8th grade year, our Social Studies teacher told us that the final exam was going to be very difficult. I overheard someone else talking about studying for it to make the highest grade and made it my personal mission to dominate it, which I did. At the risk of sounding sort of awful, I am
thankful that at my core I am driven by a competitive nature because, let's be honest, winning is really where it's at most of the time.
When I was 21, I flew to North Carolina after Christmas and spent a few days with some people that I have grown to love very much. The future GG of my babies gave me a Christmas candle set from Yankee Candle and I was so appreciative of her generosity, which I saw as acceptance of me, that I barely ever burned them. Over time I have come to realize that she is really just an incredibly generous person to everyone, but I still think she specially picked out those candles. I am
thankful for a Mother-in-law so generous, unselfish and in tune to other people's needs and wants.
When we were in 3rd grade, Nicole won bird food or books or something at some kind of animal festival. (My details in this memory are amazing, I realize.) Some adult employee asked me if I was jealous that I did not win and I remember being so confused. "Hello, odd lady, don't you see? My twin sister just won, which means that WE did win." I am
thankful for all of that.
