Thankful

One of the many things that I have learned from my dad is to be thankful.

No matter the circumstances.

Find something...anything...to be thankful for, and focus on that.

So I will do that.

Right now this is what I am thankful for:

• I am so thankful that Matt accendently scheduled us to come to TN for Thanksgiving a day earlier. It was wonderful to have an extra 24 hours with my dad.
• I am thankful that I am a cheapskate and had the boys birthday party together over Thanksgiving weekend. One of the last memories is dad doing what he loved...playing with his grandkids and acting crazy like the kids.
• I am thankful that for the phone call from dad on Tuesday to make sure that he was getting the right birthday present for mom. Me and the boys all got to tell him we loved him and miss him.
• I am thankful that dad got mom's birthday present early. What a wonderful blessing to have one last gift from dad. Then to be able to use that gift card to get something to wear to the celebration service.
  
• I am thankful that we didn't go to the library on Wednesday morning. 
  
• I sent a text to my neighbor asking if they would like to come over because my boys wanted to show her boys the toys they got from their birthday party. She took an hour to respond back. So in that time I got the boys dressed, started getting them in their car seats to go to the library instead. Then she texted me back to say they will be over in 20 minutes.
• I was feeding all our boys lunch when I got the call from mom about dad. So my neighbor took care of the boys while I tried to pick myself up from the kitchen floor to process what just happened and what we need to do next.

• I am thankful that I have to take the written driver's license test to get a license in IL. 
• My Bible study leader's daughter, who is 15, and is also about to take the written driver's test. Randomly stopped by to give me the book to study, right when my neighbor needing to leave to put her kids down for a nap.  So she stayed with my boys while I tried to pack and hold my self together until Matt got home.

• I am thankful that Eli is too young to understand what was happening when dad when to be with our Savior.
• When mom was giving dad CPR, the 911 operator told her to count outloud.
• Eli thought mom was playing a game and started counting with her.

• I am thankful that Wild Man is in the beginning stages of understanding what is going on.
• The first thing Wild Man said to mom when we walked into the house was. "I really wish I could see Pop too."

• I am so thankful that the boys are not constantly asking for Pop to play with him. That would just be so hard to hear right now.
  
• If the amount of food you receive has any indication by how much a person is loved. He is the most loved man this side of the Mason Dixon Line.
• I am so thankful for all the people that came near and far to pay their respects to my dad. I really meant a lot to us.
• I am so thankful that God has blessed Matt with a job the provides so I do not have to work and I can stay here with mom for the rest of the month.

So right now I am trying to focus on those things.

I do realize that we are still in shock.

I keep thinking that dad is going to run into the house saying, "Hey everyone sorry I am late and missed everything." With that big smile on his face.

One thing I really hope people understand.

Please understand that I wish I could have talked to every one of you that came to dad's service and individually thank you for being there.

We were overwhelmed with the amount of love people had for dad.

Even dad's dental hygentist came.

Thank you all.

We love you.