Thank You Letters #FridayFive #LinkUp

Today I’m feeling particularly thankful. There have been seasons when the words “Happy” and “Merry” in front of any holiday expression were hard enough to say and nearly impossible to feel. On this day, being mindful of my hurts and all who may be hurting, I am reminded of so many things I can be thankful for even in the thick of it.

I’m narrowing down my list to five for the sake of the #FridayFive link up my friend, Kelly, is doing over at Mrs. Disciple, and also so this post won’t take you until next Thanksgiving to read.

Dear Tommy,

Husband of 27 years and counting… Thank you for marrying me. There are times when I’ve not been so openly thankful for that so thank you for wanting to stay. And in the times when you weren’t so openly thankful either, thank you for wanting me to stay. Thank you for putting up with me and for helping me put up with you. Although I haven’t always been thankful for this, I’m thankful now and I’m sure I’ll be more thankful in the future that our road has not been so straight. Being adventurers, we both understand that straight is pretty boring but we also know that the twists and turns come with “opportunities for growth”. Thank you for growing with me. We’re going to be good at this one day. We’re becoming such skillful drivers.

Dear kids,

Thank you for loving your mama. You are all mostly grown now and have lives of your own. Thank you for wanting me to be around, for letting me be a part of it all. Thank you for still wanting my recipes and for having random questions and needing me just enough. Also, thank you for marrying awesome humans and bringing me more kids to love!

Dear Owen,

You bring me so much joy. How your little self makes my heart bigger astounds me. I’m thankful for the hours and hours of love and laughter you provide. I’m thankful for our morning facetime sessions. I’m thankful for your awesome little personality and all of your crazy facial expressions. Your surprise face cracks me up! I especially love it when you’re surprised to see me. You are the best first grandson a Gimi could ever dream up.

Dear Memories,

I have a gazillion pictures of you so I can’t pick just one. As I look into my past, some of you are good and some of you are just plain rotten. I’ve learned to be thankful for all of you. Your good and your bad give me perspective. I am comforted in the good and made stronger and more compassionate in the bad. Some of what you’ve given I wasn’t sure I’d survive and then you bring a little more good just in time to keep me sane. May I take what I have learned from you and comfort to help others in their times of good and rotten. You are faithful to bring me hope again and again.

Dear Church,

You have been a part of my whole life. I don’t remember a time of my life without you. Even in your imperfectness, you will forever be. Thank you for not giving up on me when I’ve wanted to give up on you. I know some have been so incredibly hurt by your people as I have but I know that causing pain to those you were created for is never your intention. Thank you for always being there. You have always been and you will forever be.

It’s taken me a while to find my grateful attitude in some areas of my life and I’m not always great at it. Have you found ways to be grateful even when things aren’t great?

~Andrea