Gratitude Day 12: My family

While my main goal with these gratitude posts this month is to notice the everyday, I also want to remember to be grateful for the big things in my life.

Today I am grateful for my family.

I have been married 15 years.  My husband, The Writer, has been my best friend and my biggest supporter.  He teases me (sometimes mercilessly) and makes me laugh.  I'm a pretty optimistic person by nature and don't often get down but when I do, he is there to lift me up.  He has always believed in me and encouraged me to do what I want to do.  We laugh and talk and play and read and watch TV and play games and do all sorts of fun things together.

CM is my oldest child and my only daughter.  She is smart and beautiful and we have a good time together.  She is developing an interest in cooking and baking.  I really need to turn over the kitchen to her more often.  She's a swimmer and a reader.  She's also a musician (piano and singing).  I'm glad to be in Young Women with her and to do the "girl" things.

JJ is my second child and oldest son.  He's also a smart one and is becoming quite a soccer player.  He's fascinated with sports--especially football.  He can name all the NFL teams by city and name.  That's his primary interest right now.  He's also quite a good singer.

AD is the third child.  He is a little bundle of energy!  JJ is his hero and he wants to be doing what JJ is doing.  He loves Legos and Bioncles and building toys.  Anytime we've got a football game on TV, he gets the little football and pretends to be playing football.

NW is my baby.  He is mommy's boy!  He loves to be cuddled, especially first thing in the morning.  He loves to play with his brothers.  He will pretty much play with anything available so I don't think he really has a favorite toy.  He definitely has a favorite blanket.  My aunt and uncle gave me a soft blue blanket with a turtle on it when he was born and it has become his "lovey".  Even though I made him a quilt that matches the crib bedding, he prefers the blue turtle blanket above all else.  He MUST have it to sleep!

I have two brothers and a sister, all younger than me.  One brother and my sister are married with three kids each.  My husband has a brother and four sisters.  Each of them is married and has children.  I am grateful for my parents and siblings and all my in-laws and nieces and nephews.  There is nothing on earth so precious as our families.

Photo credits:  Aretta Jarvis of Treasured Memories Photography