Happy Thanksgiving, even if it is a bit late. It is never too early or too late to give thanks for who and what you have in your life.
We all make plans. We have dreams and desires, we set goals, and sometimes we even accomplish those things. Other times, life gets in the way and we get diverted from our path into a new direction. Those can be difficult times, trying to figure out how to start over again or how to adjust to a new set of goals. In this way, I never pictured myself having children. I wasn’t anti-kid, I just never saw it as a part of my future. Now that I have a child and am helping raise another, I find myself adjusting to my new reality. More importantly, I find myself being incredibly thankful for the children and my girlfriend, they are wonderful people and I am a lucky guy to have them as family. My baby is 7 months old, now, and she is as active as I could hope for. Babbling, rolling, jumping, and darn near crawling, she is a joy to see and I can’t wait to see how her life unfolds. Z, my girlfriend’s daughter, is progressing at school and it’s cool to watch her learning new things and becoming more able to understand the world around her. As for my girlfriend, she just got promoted at work and, even though it’s a hectic position, I have no doubt they got the right person for the job. I love them and the make my life better every day.
I am also very grateful for the childhood I had, and the family I was born into. I have always been loved and I have always known it, something that many people can’t say, unfortunately. I’ve had opportunities, I’ve had help, and I’ve made mistakes, but my family has always been there for me, and I will always be grateful for them.
This Thanksgiving, or whenever you read this, I challenge you to sit down a while and think about what you have to be thankful for. Please take some time to put away the frustrations you may have over changes or adjustments and give thanks for what you have, even if it’s not what you planned for or expected. Yes, sometimes life doesn’t follow your plans, but that doesn’t mean that the unexpected path won’t be every bit as wonderful as what you had in mind.
Happy Holidays
Seattle Stay at Home Dad 