Picture description, from top left to lower right: Braden asleep in the "big boy" chair "like Brurs" (brother's) which replaced the rocking chair when we updated his room (see "Moon & Stars" below); Austin dressed as Arnold Schwarzenegger as part of a "Wax Museum" book report alternative his Jr. High School does each fall; Braden with a classmate at his Wee Wuns Thanksgiving lunch; Braden and his dad at his birthday party in August - trying to make dad smile bigger, I think; Austin in his Class A uniform in front of the WWII-era tents of Camp Constantin, his first (and last) Boy Scout summer camp; Austin & Braden watching the July 4th parade in Edmond, OK; Braden in his t-ball uniform (after it got too hot to wear the white baseball pants); Sheila & Austin at his 5th Grade Day celebration last May, the last hurrah of the 'too cool for elementary school' 5th-graders; and Austin, mid-delivery, in his first ever starting pitching assignment last spring.
Taking inventory of all for which I am thankful, the pictures above neatly summarize those blessings at the top of my list. Shelley, the loving, woman of God who literally holds us all together, the long-suffering lone "groll" (rhymes with roll & is Braden-speak for "girl") in a houseful of rambunctious boys, my smart, tender, tough and sexy best friend. How one person could be equal parts Mother Teresa, swimsuit model and drill sergeant is a great and delightful mystery to me, a mystery I intend to study long into my old age.
And the boys, those occupiers of thoughts and stealers of hearts, the very embodiment of the joie de vivre, my hope and my pride.
I wish each of you a very Happy Thanksgiving, enjoying food and family and the opportunity to be still and consider all that life has given us. If your Thanksgiving finds you travelling like us, may your journey be swift and safe.
And if you find yourself surrounded by the noisy racket of chefs cooking, children screaming, TV's blaring or any combination of those things (i.e. Chefs screaming, children blaring, etc...) then count it all joy. Once during the day, kiss everyone you can catch standing still, right on the top of their head, for me and my family. And we will hug and kiss each other for you, and count the days until we can be together.
