Giving Thanks

Kim: Making Memories
Two months ago, my grandmother insisted we sort through her personal effects. She said her time on earth was almost up, and she wanted to make sure her heirlooms were distributed as she wished. At 89 years old, I knew my grandmother's time was limited but thought the task premature and even a bit distasteful.

But I'm so thankful that I did as she wished. My daughters and I were given a beautiful gift when we spent a recent weekend with my grandmother, sorting through her things. My grandmother shared a lifetime of memories with us, as she examined each piece of furniture and tchotchke. Every item seemed to have a story behind it, and we learned new things about our family history.

My grandmother passed away last week, and I am so thankful we spent that time listening to her reminisce. It was a story only she could tell.
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Toni: Learning to Live in the Moment
This year I'm finding myself thankful for savoring the tiny moments in our lives. This fall, just as I turned 40, my dad experienced some pretty serious health issues. My unceremonious welcome to the so-called "sandwich generation," where parents care for both kids and parents, twisted our lives askew – I've renamed it the "poop sandwich generation," because it feels about that much fun.

But it also slid a bunch of junk into the wastebasket, too. Instead of yearning or striving to endlessly improve, I felt grateful for remaining right where I was, close to family and supportive friends. My husband and I found ourselves thankful we'd chosen to remain in our home state instead of pursuing a dream to live elsewhere. (We've decided to rent a home there during summer months instead.) The experience made me remember to close conversations with "I love you" — and made all that small stuff we so often sweat over vaporize.
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Tracy: Discovering Courage
This may sound wacky, but I'm thankful for these words from Eleanor Roosevelt: "You must do the thing you think you cannot do." I came across this quote about a year ago, and stuck it on my computer. These words helped me screw up my courage to do everything from coaching my daughters' lacrosse team, making time to volunteer, taking time for myself, pulling ticks off my kids, and cleaning the gunk out of the disposal.
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Shannon: Finding Home
This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for so many things — the health of my family, the joy of raising kids with a spouse I love, the honor of having NOT IN ROOM 204 named a finalist for the Oregon Book Awards.

In the summer of 2006, our family moved to Salem, Oregon, the last of fifteen moves we made during my husband's Navy career. Settling into a new city is never quick, but this transition seemed to take longer than usual, probably because we knew this time was for keeps.

But this fall, I've noticed things are finally changing. Sabrina and Jake are having more friends over and they don't seem like "the new kids" anymore. Rich, who is in his second year of law school, started serving on the Board of Directors at our local community college. I realized that he has successfully transitioned to being a civilian again. And me? I've recently noticed that when I go out to the market, the library, or on some other errand, more often than not, I run into someone I know.

I am so thankful for that feeling, and for all these blessings, because they are sure signs that we are finally home.
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