Saturday, November 27, 2010

Giving thanks.

This is the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I am watching both Nate and Anna now, as all of their parents work full time. I don't blog as often as I thought I would, or as often as I would like to, partly because they are keeping me so busy.

I am immensely thankful for this opportunity to so closely watch my grandchildren grow and learn. I am also thankful that Tom is retired now, because it would be very difficult on the days when we have both kids without him. He and Nate have bonded, and do fun things like go to the library for story hour, or to the Nature Center to see the displays and play with the puzzles and toys there. Tom helps with Anna too. She had severe colic when Becca first went back to work part time. She is definitely better now, but still has episodes of unbelievable screaming for no apparent reason. Tom is able to calm her as if he has some magic powers. He puts her on his shoulder, talks to her quietly, and walks with her, and she settles right down. It's annoying when I have been walking and talking to her for 20 minutes with no results, but it is a blessing too!

I'm thankful for so many things. My children and their spouses are all amazing people, each unique and different than the others, but all wonderful.

Ben is confident and braver than his dad ever was about taking risks in business. He bought into an engineering firm and it has managed to do well throughout this whole ordeal with the economy, which is astounding. He is a doting if over-protective father. It's fun to see him playing with Nathan during his lunch break, since his office is in the basement. Jennifer is a gentle and encouraging mother who teaches Nate new things every day, because she talks to him constantly, always in a positive tone. His bright, curious and silly personality is a reflection of their loving parenting styles.

Becca is also a gentle and encouraging mother. It has not been easy with Anna because of the colic. There were days when she screamed whenever she was awake and not eating. Becca's even-tempered patience has amazed me, especially since I found myself becoming so frustrated with my own inability to soothe Anna. Adam amazed me when they were first married with his quick advancement into management at the Bonefish Grill where he works. Adam had never been around children before Nate was born, and had not even held a baby before Anna came along. He has amazed me again by how confidently he has stepped up and helped with her, even taking care of her himself on days during the week when Becca has to work and he does not. When he sets his mind to something, he does it well! Becca is still pumping breast milk and giving it to Anna in a bottle, which is working out well obviously, since the girl is in the 90th percentile in length for girls her age, and 50th-75th percentile in weight. She apparently will be a taller adult than her mom!

We don't see Seth and Amy as often as I would like, because they live in St. Louis which is a 5 hour drive from here. But I talk to him weekly, sometimes more, and he still makes me laugh with his outrageous silliness. He is doing his internship this year in radiology at St. John's Hospital, and then will finish his residency at Barnes Jewish Hospital where Amy works as a hospitalist. We saw him several times over this holiday time; last weekend here at home and then on Thanksgiving Day down in Roanoke, IL, at Tom's sister's house. Amy was here last weekend also. I've never known anyone with the energy and generosity of Amy. It's great fun to have her here. I love the way she stands up to Seth's nonsense, and also the way she tells stories and answers our medical questions so graciously. Seth and Amy play on an ultimate frisbee team which won first place in the Ultimate Frisbee Club Championship competition in Prague, Czech Republic last July. Seth had invited me to go with them, which I did, along with Olena, a good friend, and Jenna, my sister. We had a fantastic trip (their winning the championship was frosting on the cake), and I am very thankful that they gave us that opportunity.

I'm thankful for our health. Tom is cancer free, and my hip and foot only bother me occasionally. I'm thankful that our house is paid for, and that we are comfortable physically and financially in our retirement. I'm thankful for our extended families, and our great friends Bob, Linda, Rick and Stella. I'm thankful that we live in America, in this century. I'm thankful for the technology available to us - our furnace and air conditioners, our vehicles, our TVs and computers. I am awed by the abundance in our lives, especially in this time of recession when so many people are not so fortunate as we are.