Thirty Days of Thankful

My cousin inspires me. She has two little ones, ages 2 and 5. Both of them are on the autism spectrum. My cousin amazes me with how she handles life, which is anything but ordinary, and definitely not easy. Every year, she does 30 Days of Thankfulness on Facebook, and her perspective is so refreshing. I don't really want to do that on Facebook, but I think it will be good for my own perspective on life--which is anything but ordinary and definitely not easy (childhood mental illness sucks). So here is it...my 30 Days of Thankful.

Day One: I am thankful for my husband. We've been together for 18 years and married for 14 year. He's my best friend. I marvel at his skill in parenting our children. He's considerate, of others and of me. He's goofy and silly and so much fun! No one else makes me laugh the way he does. He's handy around the house and does amazing stuff with our home and yard. He's a loyal and faithful friend. He's gentle and compassionate. He's my rock, and I am crazy about him.

Day Two: I am thankful for my littlest daughter. Sweet Pea is 18 months old. She is my solace in the midst of chaos. Sunny, age 7, struggles with a serious mental illness that takes a heavy toll on our whole family, but especially on me, as I am almost always her target. Sweet Pea's boundless supply of snuggles and kisses, and her sweet tendency to be completely attached to only me soothes my soul. She is the sunshine in our home, a warm, joyful breeze that blows through our family. She loves Sunny passionately, and Sunny loves her passionately in return. Sweet Pea has taught all of more about what it means to love. She is a precious treasure, and incredible gift. A ray of light in a dark time in our family.