This morning at 1:00 a.m., as I injected the twenty-pound bird on my kitchen counter with a mixture of deliciousness (lemon and garlic juices, Tabasco sauce, and Liquid Smoke—an old family recipe), I thought of how grateful I was for recycling—recycling an old blog post from 2016, that is—because my week has been as full as my stomach will be later today when we’ve finished feasting. As it turns out, I’m still thankful for these same things—and more.
Here’s my list. Do you have one too?
*****
I’m thankful…
… my house is too small for more things.
… when the baby we’re hosting is still breathing in the morning.
… when next-door neighbor Dallas beats us to the shoveling.
… for neighbors and friends who love Lala (the dog) while we’re on vacation.
… for North Minneapolis.
… when Target’s end-caps brim with clearance items.
… for our neighborhood Aldi.
… Flicka rubs my shoulders when she passes through the room.
… Napoleon Dynamite still wins a unanimous family vote. (It’s yes.)
… when other parents give my girls a ride home.
… Ricka speaks the truth into the noise, even if she stands alone.
… creativity flows from a stormy day.
… Dicka discerns the hidden pain or motivations of those around her, and she’s moved.
… Husband and I laugh together at least once a day.
… Flicka sees art in life’s shadows; her pencil ignites the mundane.
… when I’m off the hook for cooking dinner.
… The Light spilled from heaven and stepped into flesh, so we could see our way.
What are you thankful for?
Gratuitous pic of the family beast (because she’s cute.)
*Names in this blog have been changed to protect my family, neighbors, and friends in the neighborhood, and in a nod of appreciation to the beloved Swedish author Maj Lindman, I’ve renamed my three blondies Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka.