Thankful Part III

Getting closer and closer to Thanksgiving, and I'm running out of time.

This weekend, I"m grateful that my son came home from college to spend time with his family. he is my youngest, and I"m so happy that he still enjoys coming home more than not. I know a lot of kids his age, and younger, and of course older, have much 'better things to do' than spend time with the ole family unit. I've been blessed that my kids have always been happy to spend time with the 'ole family unit' they've brought friends …. friends who've become my 'other children by another mother'. I love them all. Mine was the house that the kids filled up the living room floor, and there were squabbles as if siblings….. and then huge piles of pancakes in the morning, right before a day of play. I'm sooo Thankful that Joey …of his own volition, goes to his Grandparents to harass them some too…..and they do love to be harassed by him. He works on their computer, mows lawn when possible and does other handiwork for them.

I am thankful that when Joey comes home, he and Wayne like to spar a bit, and Joey learns new ways to 'take' an opponent. No one better to learn this stuff from, than a Lehto. If any of you knew the Lehto men when they were boys…. you knew to 'look out"! So, sometimes when Joey is "losing the match" he's learning 'life skills" also!

When Joey arrives, the nephews and nieces come out of the wood work. Joey 'trained/brainwashed' Bryce as soon as Bryce could talk. "Joey is the coolest uncle"! Just as Bryce he will tell you! Jessica brought Jilly and Bryce over shortly after they discovered Joey was in town, and while Joey laid on the living room floor, they mauled him, walked on his back, head, fingers, all while he played possum. Then, to their squeals of delight, he 'woke up' and 'got them"! Toooo much fun!

Speaking of Jessica, I'm grateful for her in so many ways…. really too many to count. It started out that she makes my son so happy. That in itself would have been enough…. to see my son in love with a good woman, who loves and is devoted to him in return. To know that they can have a 'FOREVER" life together, is just a warm feeling in my heart. God works in mysterious ways….. Jessica fought Cancer for years as a child, no doubt, because her love was waiting for her. Along with me. Even more no doubt, because I needed the Grandchildren she has blessed me with. To watch the lives of these children actually enter the world, is an amazing experience. And then to watch them grow and develop into these little people, well, there really are no words to put that proper feeling in place. Jessica and I share so much in common, to the love of our family, which is now the same, to love of children and making sure they have rich and saturated lives. Add to it, the loves of horses, and the recipe is perfect for all of the above.

  

She and Evan trust me with their little bundles of life…. and no reason not to…. I'd guard them with my own if the need arose. She thinks that she is blessed to have been welcomed into this family, where love abounds…..I continue to tell her, we were not complete til she came upon us. Actually, I suppose this is the Circle of Life,…not complete til we're all together.

Evan and Jessica will be hosting Thanksgiving Dinner this Thursday. As we all sit down to the table to hear Jilly say Grace, I will be thanking my Lucky Stars and God above, that my life is so blessed, with such family as ours. I hope you all do too.

Jessie