Thankfulness 2

I could make this very easy and pick a person for each day, but that’s too easy. I like to make things harder on myself than need be.
Next up is “extended family” I quotation that because my parents and siblings still feel very much like my immediate family to me.
My mom is the best! She really is. She showed me an example of a good woman of God and has never been judgmental or over baring. She is a one of a kind and I believe anyone who has ever met her would agree. I’ve heard so many adults ask to be adopted by her and my dad so therefore I know I am not wrong.
My dad is funny, extremely intelligent (maybe too intelligent for his own good), a little pessimistic/realist (I tend to get that from him, hence the need to throw in realist :)). He is full of dadisms that always make us roll our eyes or laugh. Things like “disappointment is my only friend”, “here’s a tip, don’t park your bike in the rain”, “measure twice cut once”, “many hands make light work”. He is generous and loves his kids and grandkids more than anything. He and Lily are just two peas in a pod. He just adores his Lily bug. He lives for us and we are grateful for everything he does.
My brother, oh Bryan, he marches, well rides his wheelchair, to a beat of his own drum. He has always been opinionated, stubborn and has a heart of gold.
Bryan has cerbal palsy and his life has been challenged to an extreme. He is smart as a whip but his body fights him in every aspect of his life. Yet he insisted on living on his own at 18. He has made friends with the wrong people at times and has made poor choices but his heart is pure good. And who am I to judge him and his choices when the stack has been stacked so high against him. He is a good man and genuinely loves and I am thankful for him and all he has taught me about life.
And my sister, Jenn. She has been a good sister to me. We’ll choose to forgo talk of our life early on when she as 6 years my senior got a kick out of watching me cry. But as adults, she is awesome!:) She married and had my first niece very young so included in loving my sister I love my brother in law and her 3 kids whom I feel more like a sister to rather than an aunt. Probably why I’ve never been addressed by any of them as aunt, but whatever.
My sister and I finish each others sentences, know what the other would like and not like and read the same books. It’s odd how well in sync we are.
Her kids are the coolest ever and I pray my kids turn out as awesome as hers. Ariel will be 20 in 2 days!! She lives in Flagstaff and goes to NAU. She is smart, gorgeous and has an amazing sense of wisdom about life and seems to always have. She’s an old soul that I just adore. She is wonderful with my kids and we loved having her help out this summer. I can’t believe she will be 20! Cody is funny, smart and very handsome. He taught me all about a 2 year old tantrum when I was 16 and threw himself on the floor at a grocery store for me. It was a great introductory to parenting. He has grown into a pretty cool guy and I look forward to watching his life unfold before us. And Skylar is a talented gymnast and cheerleader. She is a sarcastic, quit witted 13 year old that is incredibly bright. I love that she still will hang out with her mom and me and she is a great big cousin. Just yesterday we all went to the fair and she took Andi Jane on a bunch of rides, even rides that were too young for her. She is a selfless young woman and I simply adore all 3 of those kids.
Yesterday at the fair I said to Sky “when I was your age my mom would just say meet at a certain ride at 3pm, no cell phones just meet up” Sky asks “how did you know it was 3 o’clock” my sister and I said “we wore watches”. Maybe you had to be there but it was funny. How am I the old lady telling when I was your age stories????
And along with my family comes my parents awesome families. My dad comes from a family of 5 and they all are amazing as well as their spouses. I adore each and every aunt and uncle and enjoy every minute I spend with them. And their kids, my cousins, are all such a diverse group of people within a huge age range that I love seeing and spending time with.
My mom the same thing! She comes from a family of 6 and there are 5 living and all have spouses and children and our family get-togethers are loud and fun!
I am so blessed for the family that I have.

just a few pix: my parents

my sister, aunt, niece and me (just a normal day….not a politically incorrect white trash bash)
my brother and lily