OK - There is no way you can be keeping a blog and not take the opportunity to write down what you are thankful for, right? So - in true David Letterman style, here is my top ten items on my "List of Thanks"
10. I feel very fortunate to live and to have grown up in the United States. Despite our flaws, this is a great country. We do not give ourselves enough credit for the good things we do.
9. I have been blessed with a good job for the last 26 years that has provided me with a comfortable living. Like any job, it has it's ups and downs, but I have never had to worry about being laid off, had the opportunity to travel across the country, and have not had to worry about where the money to pay the mortgage and groceries would come from.
8. I am fortunate to have been blessed with good health. My few bouts with the cold/flu each year and my allergy/asthma problems seem so minor compared to the issues others around me face.
7. I am thankful for our place in Colorado. I know, it is a strange thing to be thankful for, but it was a god-send when I was going through a particularly difficult time at work. The peace and calm of the mountain and the opportunity to spend time there when the pressures of life were coming down on me was priceless.
6. I have the greatest "in-laws" you could ever ask for. I knew I had found my soul mate when I found Mimi, but I did not realize how much more I would be getting when I married in to her family. I love them dearly and I am thankful that they all came into my life.
5. I had the best grandparents that a person could ever wish for. Although they are all gone now, I still think of them often and how much they meant to me. A quick word about each of them:
Ivan Mendenhall - My fondest memories of my grandfather has to be two things - working with him in their country store and cutting thistles on the farm. It may be selfish, but I think the reason I remember and cherish these times the most is because I had him all to myself. We were very close and I still miss him.
He was a man that worked hard all his life and had very little if you measure things by wealth. He did not. I learned from him that caring for your family and the people around you is the most important thing you can do. He was always in the background and never looked for praise. He just did what he thought was right and enriched the life of everyone around him.
Kathryn Mendenhall - My grandmother was the most spiritual person I have ever known. She looked for the good in everyone and everything. Her faith in God was amazing and she certainly showed me what can be accomplished by one person. She lived her life to serve others and never expected anything in return. My childhood memories of her are filled with acts of her giving of herself - taking meals to shut-ins, visiting people in the local nursing homes, teaching Sunday school, doting over her grandchildren, and attending to the needs of her family. I was fortunate to attend college a few miles away and was able to spend a great deal of time learning about my grandmother as a young adult. I would not trade this time for anything.
Bill Trembly - My Grandpa Trembly was an amazing man. He provided for a large family during the height of the depression. He could fix anything and spent my formative years fixing every TV, radio, lawn mower, etc. in southern Iowa. He was vey different than my other grandfather. I also have many memories of him, but there is one that has always stuck with me. The only car he ever had that I remember was a 1949 Plymouth. He loved that car. He had two engines for it and drove it over 500,000 miles! One time when I was in Iowa for the summer, he was rebuilding his "spare" engine and there was a part he needed that he could not find. Did that stop him? Ha! No, he built the part himself!
He did not openly show affection to his many grandchildren, but there was no doubt that he loved all of them. Even though we lived far away, we were fortunate to spend time with them each summer. In addition, we would see them each spring when they were working their way back from Arizona to Iowa. I spent time with him picking up more bullet shells in the desert around El Paso than you can imagine (he recycled the brass for gas money).
Elsie Trembly - My Grandma Trembly was a wonderful woman. She had tons of grandchildren that demanded her attention, but she had the ability to make each one of us feel special. As a child growing up, I did not get to spend a lot of one-on-one time with her. During our summer visits, there were always dozens of people around and she was always busy cooking! However, when they would come to El Paso in the spring, we had her all to ourselves. Later on, I got to spend some time getting to know her. I learned just how hard her life was and how they struggled to support their family. However, she was always there when you needed her and I will never forget just sitting and talking with her.
4. I am thankful for my mother and the time we had with her. I know I also mentioned my parents in Item 2, but I feel like I needed this just for her. I was very close to my mother and when she died, I felt like there was a big piece of me was missing that could never be recovered. She always worried about me being alone and I wish she would have been around to see how things have turned out.
3. I have two wonderful siblings. Life has taken us in different directions and we are scattered from DC to Alaska. We fought like cats and dogs growing up, but there is no doubt that we love each other. Although we are not as close as I would like, I know that they are always there for me.
2. I have wonderful parents. I grew up in a loving home with parents that not only provided the necessities of life, but taught me everything that is truly important. My parents were always our guide and our friend. They literally grew up with us (they were married very young). I have vivid memories of our parents playing with us when other parents just stood around and did not take an active role in their children's life. My mother died at 48 and even that experience eventually opened up new opportunties for me. I got to know my Dad in a way I never did before and Nancy came into our family.
1. And finally - I thank God for my soul mate, Mimi. We celebrated our 12th anniversary this month. She came into my life when I needed her most and she is everything I could ever want or need. She is my best friend and the love of my life. I don't know what I ever did to deserve her, but I cannot imagine my life without her in it. When I think back over my life, it has taken many twists and turns. I can't help but wonder how much was fate and how much was divine intervention. Whatever the cause, I am thankful that we found each other and look forward to spending the rest of our life together.
Wow - that took longer than I thought. Here's wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
Till next time.....
