I'm Thankful with Karina Ink

Hello friends!  I'm loving this week aren't you?  It has been just what I hoped and so much more.  Today Karen aka Karina Ink is here to share her thoughts on thankfulness.  I clicked over to Karen's blog when I noticed a new follower and immediately loved her real-ness.   And she's from Colorado which instantly makes her cool in my book ;) ...  She has been so kind and I'm so happy to have my new friend here today!

tonight, as i sit down to write what i'm absolutely sure will be the most moving piece of literature you've ever read, i have so so very many things on my mind.  this week, i have been invited into the wonderful world of jury service again.  of course serving on a jury always makes me grateful for living in this amazing country & the laws & systems that we have in place to protect our freedoms.  i won't be explaining my jury duty, as i am still in the midst of the trial...but what i will tell you all about is this amazing new epiphany that i've had this past week; i am grateful for the little people that i come home to. it's not really an epiphany to be grateful for the children you have been blessed with, but right now, even as they sleep,  i miss them.  i miss my real life; my life with four little boys.  a life in which my vocabulary doesn't include fancy words like voire dire, where i don't get dressed like i'm working in corporate america everyday, & where my access to people older than the age of seven is extremely limited.

my life where two of the littlest boys crawl into bed with me in the middle of the day.  they put their tiny feet under me & their little bodies curl up while we sing songs about bushels & pecks & little streams that talk.  my life where two of those older boys come racing down the street at the end of a long day at school knowing that i will be there with the door open to greet them.  they compete over who gets to show me the beautiful chalk drawing of the earth or the "super speller" of the week award first.  my life where all four boys crowd into the kitchen all clamoring for attention from one another, from me, for food.  (it could be possible that the food comes before the attention from me, possibly.)

my life where those four little boys are so so very rambunctious.  climbing all over each other while yelling about conquering mountains, painting bathroom mirrors with full tubes of toothpaste, & learning new ways to jump from chair to chair trying to avoid the alligator infested lava rivers while throwing m&m's at the helicopters that fly overhead.  my life where sometimes the crying, whining, tantrums & constant need for food grates at my nerves like a liberace 8-track tape.  this is the part where i tell you about how maybe this little jury experience was supposed to be like a small vacation of sorts.  but at the end of each "vacation day" that i've had so far, i cannot wait until i get home to those four little ninjas.  each night has brought a new challenge for all of us, & a wonderful discovery for me.  my little men miss their mama, & even more so, i miss them.

i miss them so much that i cannot get enough of them each night.  cuddles-kisses-hugs-songs-tickles-& happy tears because each day brings us closer to the day where i will be the one sending them off in the morning again.  i will be the one hugging them inside my door.  i will be the one who gets them all to myself the whole entire glorious week of thanksgiving.  i haven't had a choice this past week of who got the majority of my attention, but i can tell you with absolute certainty, that when this week is over, my choice will be to spend all my minutes....even the alligator lava m&m throwing ones....with my guys.  when we go around the table this year to express our thankfulness, mine will be for the little ones in my life. 

and,

i have the jury commissioners office to thank for reminding me.

happy thanksgiving! 

i hope that you have a wonderful week of family, amazing turkeys, & most of all, a firm knowledge of each & every thing that you are grateful for.

and as for the gorgeous miss jenn, author of this beautiful blog?

thank you my dear for including me in such an amazing group of women.

it was truly an honor to be here today!