Saturday, November 24, 2007

thankful lists

On Thursday morning, when #'s 2 and 3 were the only "big kids" awake, things were fine. Then when #1 was added to the mix, things got a bit septic.
Still trying to make lemonade from the lemons we were presented with that day, when the fights broke out, I made them all sit down at the dining room table and make a list of AT LEAST 25 things for which they were thankful. Big or small or both, it didn't matter, it just had to be at least 25.
They took turns reading them aloud after we ate "dinnuh". They were all thankful for their parents (whew), siblings (double whew), and extended family.... for their home, and for their Church and school. But each kid had a couple of really unique items. Here are my top three favorites for each:

My ten year old son is thankful for:
  • being healthy
  • having books to read
  • having a good back and front yard

My oldest daughter.... who I should really call Violet (from the movie "The Incredibles") because it is written all over her face that she wishes she could disappear and have a force field around her and all that jazz.... is thankful to have:

  • Jesus
  • intelligence
  • enough money to live

Finally, my tender eight year old, who has just begun to enter that very awkward, gawky time of life between, oh, eight and 16, give or take a year or so, is thankful for:

  • her birthday
  • her guardian angel
  • love

We are going to make a paper chain out of all the items on their lists and string it on our Christmas tree to remind us during the Advent and Christmas season how rich we really are.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

how shweet!!!!!

Maria (also Bia) said...

You have a great idea with the thankful list/paper chain! It seems the only lists my boys are writing is the 500 things they would like for Christmas. Sheesh. I think we may have found a new activity for our family night this Friday. Thanks for sharing. God bless.

Leah said...

great idea! and how blessed they really are to have a mom who makes them remember their blessings!