Today I Am Thankful

My alarm went off this morning just as dawn was breaking.  My bedroom was freezing, and I could hear the wind howling outside my windows.  A peak outdoors revealed freshly fallen snow and two cars that would have to be buried out…again!

I was so tempted to grumble and complain about braving the roads and the cold temperatures, but the Lord quickly changed my heart reminding to "give thanks in all circumstances."  So today I am choosing to be thankful.

I am thankful for my home, for a warm bed and for food to eat.  We have students whose last full meal was Friday at lunch.  Those children probably aren’t as thrilled about a “snow week” as mine are as they wonder when their tummies will be full again. I am thankful that I have a roof over my head, and I pray for those who don't.  My heart truly bleeds for the ones left outside during the harshest of conditions. 

I am thankful for two days at home with my babies.  Two days to laugh, and play, and cuddle.  Two days to watch movies, to do laundry and get my house put back together from a busy weekend.

I am thankful to be working and able. I am thankful for a career that is challenging and rewarding and for a career that allows me to put my family’s needs first.  I am thankful for administrators who keep my safety in mind and allow employees to stay home without feeling guilty or torn.

I am thankful for the meteorologists, journalists, road crew workers, and health care providers who brave the horrid weather conditions to make it to work, who leave their families in order to serve our community.  Let me tell you something.  Until you have been in one of those roles, you cannot truly appreciate the sacrifices they make and not just in bad weather.   They miss weekends, holidays, birthdays, and a whole slew of things to work.  I am so thankful for these people!

I am thankful for daycare.  Yes, daycare.  All of you working Mommas know what I’m talking about.  No matter how much we love (or in some cases, hate) our jobs, there is always a little twinge of pain that comes when we leave our babies.  No one can take care of my kids like Eric and I do, but ya’ll, this group of people come pretty darn close!  I am thankful that they braved this weather so that I could make it to work today.  And I am thankful that they are loving on my babies while I am I away.

Finally, I am thankful for my husband.  I am thankful that he has shoveled the driveway every day since Monday so that we could make it out.  I am thankful that he drove to town yesterday to buy me a new car battery and that he went out this morning to shovel a path to the car.   I am thankful that he unburied my ride and started it so that it would be warm for the kids.   I am thankful that Eric has spent time outside every day playing with the kids, making snow ramps, sledding, and building snow forts.  These are memories that will be with our son for the rest of his life. 

Yeah, it stinks getting out in the sub-zero temperatures and putting to work at 20 miles per hour, but it’s nothing more than an inconvenience.  Today I have much for which to be thankful!