3-8

Nov 3- Today, I'm grateful for food. For food grown right straight outta the ground and plopped right on my plate. We participate in a CSA and have thoroughly enjoyed being able to participate in this tradition that my generation sees as an ancient pastime. How weird that we have to go out of our way to find fresh food, grown in our own back yard. How lucky we are that we live in a place where we have access to fresh food, water and resource.

Nov 4- Two words: Speech. Therapy. I don't know how they do it, but they get Charlotte to eat. It's magic, I swear, but I love them for it.

Nov 5- Student loans. Enough said.

Nov 6- Peanut Butter. Whoever thought of this stuff is responsible for keeping Caleb alive. Breakfast? Peanut Butter toast. Lunch? Peanut Butter and Honey sandwich. Dinner? Peanut Butter and Honey sandwich. Snack? You know it. Crunchy. Smooth. You name it, we eat it. And lots of it.

Nov 7- Today, I'm grateful for Honesty. At church today, Peter talked about how angry he was after Charlotte was born. How angry he was that such a situation could occur. So many people spoke to us afterward about how refreshing it is to hear that people struggle, that people go through the stages of grief. Too often we feel like we have to put on a pretty face, to be strong for everyone around us. What we don't realize is that everyone else is just putting on a pretty face for us. It's time to be real.

Nov 8- I'm trying really hard to not be too "deep" with these gratitude posts. I think it's helpful to find everyday, ordinary things for which I am grateful. But today, today I am grateful for family. For my religion. For the strength I feel from the people around me. Gabriel came home from the hospital today, and will most likely pass away within the next few days. He's been such a fighter, such a strong boy. In times like these, when life just doesn't make sense, I'm grateful for the strength I see in others.