I received my last unemployment check today. (Well, direct deposit. Whatever.) 6 months ago I lost my job and sincerely was at a loss. At 34 years old, I already had 12 years of tenure at Big Large Company. I lost my job because of an office consolidation and 2 positions were combined into one and the other person had more tenure. It's the fair way to do it and I was okay with that. I wasn't okay with not having a job for the first time since I turned 16. After my last day, I just really didn't know what I was going to do. As most of you know, it was less than 3 weeks after that day we were told R would need open heart surgery to replace his crappy aortic valve. Isn't it funny how the universe takes care of you? I was able to be next to him for his entire recovery. I never had to worry about working, trying to balance work and home, nothing. I could focus 100% of my energy on him and Booger. I never would have been able to manage everything had I been working.
Thanksgiving was always about gathering and eating before. This year, I am starting a tradition of thankfulness. I have so much to be thankful for. I am going to write a short note or card or something to those I will see on Thanksgiving (and perhaps send some out in the mail or over the Internet for those I will not see.) I will tell them that I am thankful for them and tell them why. I am truly thankful for so many things.
I'm going to use this week's Ten Things Tuesday to list some things that I am thankful for.
1. R. These last few months have been the best and worst of our lives. And still, there's no one I would rather have gone through it with. Our life, Version 2.0 is better than ever and I love you more every single day.
2. Booger. She's hilariously funny, smart, and kind. Pretty good for an almost-6 year old.
3. Dr. M. He literally held R's heart in his hands. His knowledge and training gave R a new life, but it was the respectful and caring way he treated us that made him so special. He was a pillar of strength when I truly needed it. He never made me feel insignificant, often taking extra time to make sure I was okay after seeing R.
4. My home. It's not the Taj Mahal, but is a safe and loving environment.
5. My sense of humor. I don't think I would have made it through the last 4 months without it. Had I not been able to laugh, I would certainly still be crying.
6. My friends. Many of whom I see less than I'd like. Some of whom I've never even met in person. They continue to allow me to cry on their shoulder if I need to. To curse at them like a sailor, though they've done nothing wrong. To yell and scream about how unfair life is. They take it all in and know if I'm just venting or need help finding a solution.
7. Those friends and family who stayed with me at the hospital, especially on Surgery Day. There simply are not words. I learned how to lean on others that day. Both figuratively and literally. Thank you.
8. My family and in-law family. Our family tree does not look like most others, but we make it work better than most families I know.
9. My nieces and pseudo nieces. You make me feel young and cool, even though I am neither!
10. Ally the Wonderdog. She calms me simply by lying at my feet.
Thanksgiving was always about gathering and eating before. This year, I am starting a tradition of thankfulness. I have so much to be thankful for. I am going to write a short note or card or something to those I will see on Thanksgiving (and perhaps send some out in the mail or over the Internet for those I will not see.) I will tell them that I am thankful for them and tell them why. I am truly thankful for so many things.
I'm going to use this week's Ten Things Tuesday to list some things that I am thankful for.
1. R. These last few months have been the best and worst of our lives. And still, there's no one I would rather have gone through it with. Our life, Version 2.0 is better than ever and I love you more every single day.
2. Booger. She's hilariously funny, smart, and kind. Pretty good for an almost-6 year old.
3. Dr. M. He literally held R's heart in his hands. His knowledge and training gave R a new life, but it was the respectful and caring way he treated us that made him so special. He was a pillar of strength when I truly needed it. He never made me feel insignificant, often taking extra time to make sure I was okay after seeing R.
4. My home. It's not the Taj Mahal, but is a safe and loving environment.
5. My sense of humor. I don't think I would have made it through the last 4 months without it. Had I not been able to laugh, I would certainly still be crying.
6. My friends. Many of whom I see less than I'd like. Some of whom I've never even met in person. They continue to allow me to cry on their shoulder if I need to. To curse at them like a sailor, though they've done nothing wrong. To yell and scream about how unfair life is. They take it all in and know if I'm just venting or need help finding a solution.
7. Those friends and family who stayed with me at the hospital, especially on Surgery Day. There simply are not words. I learned how to lean on others that day. Both figuratively and literally. Thank you.
8. My family and in-law family. Our family tree does not look like most others, but we make it work better than most families I know.
9. My nieces and pseudo nieces. You make me feel young and cool, even though I am neither!
10. Ally the Wonderdog. She calms me simply by lying at my feet.
Labels: Ten Things, The Journey
7 Comments:
Very nice. I am thinking of doing a "things I'm grateful for" list, myself.
I'm having my boys do a "I'm thankful list" this year. They'll both be standing up taking their turns to say their piece in front of all our family. Which will mostly consist of Grandma, Aunt and Uncle, a few cousins and of course Mom/Dad and brother.
Jillian
I love you, too. I'm so glad that I'm able to be there for you in even the very small way I can be.
Hey, Grammer Snob.
Please feel free to correct aything here, I've forgotten so much.
We've had two friends go through mitral valve prolapse surgeries this year and we kind of know how it goes. To be honest, my prayers are always for the surgeon to get a good night's sleep. The surgeons are cocky bastards and say that there is no luck involved. It's all skill. Gotta' love them cocky bastards. They are right.
Both of mine (patients, not surgeons..cocky bastards), are doing very well( our patients, not surgeons..cocky bastards). We have our patients here and breathing..that counts are doing very well, and I hope yours is too. Isn't it great that it worked out that you could be home for all of it? The rest is only money, and we'll all die in debt anyway. Glad you had the chance to spend the time when you needed to.
Best wishes to you and R and your kids, keep posting.
Laurie B
That's a great list. I haven't even begun to consider mine this year, this and Chili's list are good inspiration. You've got a lot to be grateful for and so many people are, I'm sure, putting you at the top of their lists of things/people to be grateful for.
Happy Thanksgiving.
I so am grateful for you, your humor, your quirky insights and I send much love. What a great list! I am wishing you and yours a most wonderful and joyous Thanksgiving.
The "thankful list" is a good idea. I've been so busy and stretched so thin lately, that I'm losing the true meaning of the holiday season and I'm just plain MEAN! Hopefully seeing what I'm thankful for put out in front of me on paper is just the thing I need to get my perspective back.
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