Thankful

I'd imagine that even normal people who have produced offspring are pleasantly surprised from year to year when their children haven't done something stupid enough to end their own lives. I also believe that, at some time or another, they have more than likely compared their kids to each other and against other children.

If not...oh well. I do. However, I tend to run on a little long so I'll save the comparison part of that for a later entry.

So anyway, the kids and I went down to Nebraska to my sister Sheila's house for Thanksgiving. (Her house is old and big and has sliding doors and a grand stairwell and a separate stairwell that was once used by servants and it's just really neat.)

Our mom also made the trip. Mom lives about half an hour away but we drove separate 'cuz I had Black Friday shopping to do. (Mom also has an old house. Also beautifully done. I seem to have house envy. Maybe I should clean mine.)

Anyway, Sheila is the oldest of the children in the family. (I'm the youngest. I like reminding her of that.) Sheila and her husband have 3 children - all of who are now out of high school with the youngest being in college.

I have always admired their family. They have a strong relationship and even with the thousand other things that go on in a family's day-to-day lifestyle, they always have time for each other, work well together, and laugh about it.

Sheila also makes an incredible loaf of banana bread. :)

We had the usual turkey-stuffing-potatoes-gravy-corn-cranberries-green been casserole-pies-pink salad-dinner rolls-wine-(more?) meal that we usually have, but for some reason it was extra tasty this year. And, as it's the tradition in our family, we each said one thing we're thankful for.

I like funny. My niece is funny. She's in college now, and was thankful for the police officer who reminded her of little things like "speed limits", or something to that affect.

On my turn, I couldn't help but think of a high school girl from Granite Falls that had died in a single vehicle car accident the day before Thanksgiving the previous year. I didn't know her, but in looking through David's yearbook the day of the accident, I had seen that she was in just about every sport and extra-curricular activity she could have been in. Plus, the paper said she was very active in her church and she was outstanding academically. She was obviously someone who would be missed by her family, her friends, and her school.

The same could all be said for my niece. So this year again what I was most thankful for is that she, along with her brothers and my own children, were all at the table.

So, fast forward to the next morning. We (David, Todd, and myself) awake at 3am or so to "Mmmm Whatcha Say" by Jason Derulo which is what Moriah (niece) has programmed into her phone which she's set up for us to use as our alarm clock. (A fine choice, I might add! And so was the second "get-yer-ass-up-ya-got-shopping-to-do" alarm song!)

And it just so happened that Todd's 13th B-day was also on Black Friday. He wanted a RipStick, which is what his brother had got...because I have no self restraint whatsoever and just give stuff to them whenever I buy it instead of saving it for special occasions and therefore had nothing waiting to be wrapped.

So, as we're driving down the road back toward MN, I tell him to remind me to get the RipStick. (It's kind of like a skateboard but only has two wheels and your feet rest on two platforms that move independently but are connected. Another reason to be thankful if they haven't killed themselves off by next Thanksgiving.)

Anyway, after I say this to Todd, David says, "Happy Birthday, Todd!"

Shit. I remembered the gift but overlooked the reason. I also wish him a happy birthday.

Anyway, we take the longer way home than either of the parents as there are fewer roads to miss when I'm not paying attention to the signs... and along this road is Vermilion, SD. I hadn't planned to do any shopping until we got to Sioux Falls, but then my eyes behold the glorious vision of a well lit Wal-Mart parking lot.

Sweet! I forgot they had one!

We wander in and leave with a couple video games, a stack of cheap movies, something else, and a pack of gum.

Before the day is done I accumulate 39 new movies, two video games, a Rip-Stick, a new coat for Todd, 2 new PS3 controllers (so we can do 4-player on one of the new video games), some other stuff I can't think of right off hand but figured it was worth having at the time, and a pack of gum.

And of course, I gave it to them already so I have nothing saved for Christmas presents.
(This is also part of the reason I haven't been on here all week. I've been watching movies.)

So, rewind a bit to later on on Black Friday. The last stop we make in Sioux Falls is the annual Taco Bell run. (I see no good reason why there isn't a Taco Bell closer than a two hour drive from where we live.) Then we continue homeward.

As we're passing through Pipestone, MN I tell the kids that it's supposed to snow after this weekend and that we need to plant the few remaining bulbs that haven't gone in the ground yet.
There was some snarling and protesting and gnashing of teeth in response to this news. I'm not really sure why. So, after we planted the 2,380 bulbs... (Slight exaggeration, but there was a helluva lot more than the "few" I was thinking we had left to plant.)

The next day I'm sitting on the couch and watching a movie. Two of their friends are over and all are outside. I hear something hit the side of the house. Loudly.

I'm comfortable. I let it slide.

A few minutes later I hear something roll down the roof. They can't possibly think I'm not hearing this. I decide it's time to check on them.

They're standing next to the trampoline. It's 4 years old, has blown behind the house once, has a small hole in the jumping surface, and had already lost a spring. I'd already told them that it's no longer safe and has seen it's last summer. And now that the stitching on 3 more springs has given way and the springs are literally bouncing off the house, they finally agree with me!

Behold the great minds of 4 teenagers at work!

Yet another potential catastrophe averted. :)

So, once again, to our Guardian Angels and the Higher Powers that watch over us...

"Thank You!"