A couple of weeks ago, I was challenged to post each day until the Big Day "Today I am thankful ..." I started on Veterans' Day:
for America’s veterans and active duty personnel. I’m going out to lunch with two of them: My dad (WWII, US Army SSgt) and my husband (Iowa Air National Guard, LtCol, ret.).
for the conscientious and thorough people who work for the Veterans Benefits Administration. That may not be all of them but it does include 100% of the people I know who work there. Thanks, LohDaughter and LohSIL!
for the casual way of broadcasting that is Facebook (and looking back on old posts, you realize it includes casual spelling and grammatical errors).
for GrandGirl, who devised the Popcorn Ritual at our house. Arrange the pillows just so on the loveseat, put a blanket over them, position the TV tray and then grab the ‘mote to watch a DVD.
to live in the Digital Era. Except for the fact that everything you do electronically can be tracked, what’s not to like?
for the way GrandBoy’s face lights up and his arms open wide when he sees his grandpas, his great-grandfather and his uncle. The word “cupcakes” provokes a similar response.
for school days, as a student, classmate, teacher, parent. Even the bad experiences teach you, at a minimum, how to cope. And the best experiences enrich your whole life.
for in-laws and for the blending and caring that develops so that families are really families.
for the membership in the human race most people gladly claim. I think of the hundreds of people (trained and volunteer) who searched for the 9-year-old girl a few miles from us.
for LohMan. Handy, handsome, fun, game, generous, loyal. And packed with the best genes.
for dreams, which on occasion (such as last night) provide some wonderful interaction with people I’ll never see on this earth again.
that my parents enjoy good health, each other and volunteering.
for creators. The artists, bakers, computer programmers, dramatists, etc. The inventors, the discoverers, the tweakers, the people who know there’s got to be a better way and then act on it.
for guardians. The firefighters, peace officers, ambulance crews, sailors, soldiers, Marines, airmen and others who wade into the unknown. The watchdogs who keep an eye on politicians, folks prone to misdeeds, Chinese producers, etc. And all the actual watchdogs. I like the vigilance of a dog keeping track of the territory!
for the fixers, the people who set things to right. Cleaners, maintenance staff, road and high-line crews, physicians, surgeons, dentists, technicians, farm boys, Click & Clack and their ilk.
For the beauty of the earth,
for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies --
Lord of all, to Thee I raise,
this my hymn of grateful praise.
for America’s veterans and active duty personnel. I’m going out to lunch with two of them: My dad (WWII, US Army SSgt) and my husband (Iowa Air National Guard, LtCol, ret.).
for the conscientious and thorough people who work for the Veterans Benefits Administration. That may not be all of them but it does include 100% of the people I know who work there. Thanks, LohDaughter and LohSIL!
for the casual way of broadcasting that is Facebook (and looking back on old posts, you realize it includes casual spelling and grammatical errors).
for GrandGirl, who devised the Popcorn Ritual at our house. Arrange the pillows just so on the loveseat, put a blanket over them, position the TV tray and then grab the ‘mote to watch a DVD.
to live in the Digital Era. Except for the fact that everything you do electronically can be tracked, what’s not to like?
for the way GrandBoy’s face lights up and his arms open wide when he sees his grandpas, his great-grandfather and his uncle. The word “cupcakes” provokes a similar response.
for school days, as a student, classmate, teacher, parent. Even the bad experiences teach you, at a minimum, how to cope. And the best experiences enrich your whole life.
for in-laws and for the blending and caring that develops so that families are really families.
for the membership in the human race most people gladly claim. I think of the hundreds of people (trained and volunteer) who searched for the 9-year-old girl a few miles from us.
for LohMan. Handy, handsome, fun, game, generous, loyal. And packed with the best genes.
for dreams, which on occasion (such as last night) provide some wonderful interaction with people I’ll never see on this earth again.
that my parents enjoy good health, each other and volunteering.
for creators. The artists, bakers, computer programmers, dramatists, etc. The inventors, the discoverers, the tweakers, the people who know there’s got to be a better way and then act on it.
for guardians. The firefighters, peace officers, ambulance crews, sailors, soldiers, Marines, airmen and others who wade into the unknown. The watchdogs who keep an eye on politicians, folks prone to misdeeds, Chinese producers, etc. And all the actual watchdogs. I like the vigilance of a dog keeping track of the territory!
for the fixers, the people who set things to right. Cleaners, maintenance staff, road and high-line crews, physicians, surgeons, dentists, technicians, farm boys, Click & Clack and their ilk.
For the beauty of the earth,
for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies --
Lord of all, to Thee I raise,
this my hymn of grateful praise.