Thanksgiving 2007 Day of Giving Thanks on the day of Thanksgiving
Posted By Kathleen David on November 22, 2007
I did get some stuff done. Today is going to be spent with Family.
I wish everyone traveling today or have people traveling to you a safe and pleasant journey.
Some year I might do this as a countdown of things that I am thankful for but the one that would come up on top every time would be Caroline.
I am so thankful to have Caroline in my life. Honestly, I had given up on have a solid relationship and children about the time Peter and I ran into each other at DragonCon and he informed me about his separation from his then wife. One thing led to another and we started dating and got married. We both decided that if we were going to have a child, it would be without any help. It would happen or not happen. We put it in the hands of Fate as it were.
I found out the week before I was to go to Star Wars Celebration that I was pregnant. And with a couple of words my life changed as did a number of my dietary habits. Peter and I decided to keep it under wraps until I was well into the 2nd trimester. So we only told my parents, his parents, a few other members of our family and 300 Italian Star Trek Fans.
I am thankful that my pregnancy was pretty much textbook. There were a couple of times that things went a little off the rails but over all it was a great. I was lucky that Peter had gone through this a couple of times so anytime I started to panic, he was there to reassure me. I went into labor on the train on the way home for work on my last day at work. Caroline was suppose to be born right around Christmas but she decided that she wanted out earlier than that.
I am thankful for Peter. He got me through so much of the early stuff so I wasn’t panicking every few minutes. He assured me that eventually I would sleep through the night again. He assured me that we could get her off the bottle. He assured me that she would be potty trained. He taught me how to tell when she is really sick. He said I would know and he was right. The first time she was really sick, I knew.
I am thankful for the time I have had with Caroline. I have been with her from the beginning and I spent time each day with her. I love having watched her grow from a little baby to a young girl who can tell me what she wants (which she has NO trouble doing). I love watching her draw and do other crafty things. I love listening to her telling stories. She is not the perfect kid but she is pretty doggone close in my books. I dodged the fussy crabby baby. Her manners in public are pretty good. She shares with others which took a bit of doing but she does it. The few bumps we have had along the way are minor compared with what some other parents I know have had to deal with.
I am thankful that my daughter is a healthy and happy 4 year old who will shortly be a happy and healthy 5 year old (where does the time grow).
I am so incredibly grateful for Caroline.
Whenever I’m asked about my accomplishments in a job interview, I always start with being a mom. I may want to change a lot of things I have done, but I have never regretted one instant that I spent – good, bad, scared or sad – with my kids.
I had my son a month before turning 19 and my daughter 2 1/2 years later. I grew up with my kids – they taught me to be an adult. They taught me the joy that comes from putting myself and my wants last, in order to help them grow. And now I have the joy of watching them be caring, able parents to their children, and I am so thankful to be able to share in their little lives, too.
It’s comforting to know that, in this very hard-edged world, there are people like you who see raising children as a gift and not a chore.