Thankful

This year we traveled to my sister's house in Albany for Thanksgiving. W had to work on Friday but was able to get finished fairly early on Wednesday so we could get on the road. Unfortunately, they were expecting a snow storm so our last hour (at least) of the drive was quite slow going. The girl were so great in the car and that helped a lot.

Traveling isn't quite what it used to be. We now have to pack for 4 people rather than 2. We need to find someone to watch and feed the pets. Remembering to bring everything important is always exciting too.  

Then there's staying at my sister's house. My sister tries, but she really is a bit of a slob. She has 3 cats (one of which peed on our suitcase), a dog, and a toddler. The room they give us to sleep in is an open loft. There's no door. And, the living room is directly below. My BiL loves his TV and video games so they're always on and loud. I love spending time with my sister, but it's stressful at her house. 

Also, my BiL's aunt passed away on Monday afternoon. Because they are Jewish, they bury their dead in a certain timeframe. This meant my sister and BiL had to attend a funeral Thanksgiving day. My dad came over early to start cooking and we went for a walk to visit my childhood friend.

My sister lives in the same neighborhood that we grew up in. From her driveway you can look down at the house that we grew up in. It's also where my sister was born. So, visiting K means I can visit our old neighbors. My best childhood friend was my next door neighbor. She now lives in NYC, but on Thursday morning W and I went down to her parent's house for a visit. It was so nice to see her and her family, and she got to meet Lucy and Clara for the first time. I really enjoyed visiting with her and miss her like crazy. Over time we've fallen out of touch some, but we are Facebook friends so stay somewhat connected that way. 

When we returned to K's house W and I put the girls down for their nap. Then I logged onto my blog and read my Thanksgiving posts for the past few years. Last year's post had me seriously tearing up. 

It's amazing everything we went through. Some days I'm amazed I kept going and pushed through all of the sadness and hurt. I had no idea how strong I was at the time, but looking back it's amazing. 

Some days it's easy to lose track of all the things to be thankful for in life. There are days that the stress of caring for twins and the house builds up. W and I aren't always wonderful to each other, but we're working on it. Life is definitely different, but I wouldn't change it for the world. 

I'm so thankful and grateful for my husband and partner in life. He leaves every day and works so hard for our family. He loves his girls and tells me how much he misses them on Monday when he has to go back to work. He listens to me and gives me breaks when needed and I can always count on him to laugh at my jokes. On the weekends he picks up the slack with the girls and does most of the care for them, giving me a much needed break. He sings to them, dances with them, and snuggles with them in bed. Recently we've been working hard on our relationship. It's crazy that something that was so easy and important in the past has taken a bit of a back seat. Now, we realize we need to work on our marriage and make time to make it a priority, something that isn't always easy when raising twins. 

I'm so thankful for my children. They made me a mama and have taught me so much about myself, love, and patience the past 14 months. Their little faces light up any room and bring smiles everywhere we go. The love they have for each other is amazing and so fun to watch as well. 

I'm thankful for my supportive family. My mom who lives a few minutes up the road and often watches the girls. How they love her so much and crawl full speed to the door when they see her. My in-laws who are always so helpful and supportive. My FiL who will drop anything to help us at any given moment. My sister who I love but wish lived closer. My nephew who loves his babies (Lucy and Clara) and asks about them constantly. 

My pets who continue to love me and stay loyal despite my lack of attention for them.

Our beautiful house that is so full with bodies and love. The large yard we have for our dogs to roam and for our girls to play in. 

My job that allows me to work just a little in order to stay involved and contribute to our "vacation fund". The chance it gives me to get out some and help others. 

There's so much to be thankful and grateful for and I know I just scratched the surface.  

This was Lucy and Clara's second Thanksgiving. As I watched their big cousin Benny show off for them, help them walk by holding their hands, and give them eskimo kisses and hugs I knew every year will just get better. These cousins will grow up together and cause lots of trouble together. The love I have for my family will expand and grow as my children do. I'm just so thankful to be able to live this life!