Thankful Thursday

I know Christmas was yesterday, but Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!  If I could describe yesterday in one word, I would describe it as blissful.  Last year, we started the tradition of not traveling on Christmas Day.  Wherever we are is where we celebrate and so far we've been home.  I'm hoping that next Christmas the Mr can take some vacation days and we spent Christmas week up North or in the mountains with snow!

I'm thankful foremost that we got to celebrate the day, we reserve as being Jesus' birthday!  The gift of his birth is so special that I don't ever think we can repay God for what He did.  Moo got her wish and we made Jesus a birthday cake.  I didn't have any birthday candles to put on it, but I'm sure he appreciates our gesture all the same.  I tweeted about it on Twitter and was surprised to find that other families make a birthday cake instead pies or other desserts for Christmas as well.  I think this will be a tradition we add on from here on out too.  It's the least we can do to show our gratefulness. 

I'm thankful that Moo gets what Christmas is all about.  I know so many kids her age don't even know the true meaning of Christmas or what it's like to have the Christmas spirit.  They're so young, but caught up in commercialization already.  I wasn't raised that way and I'm not raising my kids that way.  I want them to be able to celebrate Christmas whether we're exchanging gifts or not.  I'm thankful for the fact that Moo is so thoughtful.

She told me Tuesday and yesterday, that she and her brother have enough toys and that wants to share them with other kids who don't have any.  I'm telling y'all this little girl and her compassion are melting my heart everyday.  As parents, we're constantly doubting and worrying about what kind of people we're raising our children to be and things like this just show me that I'm on the right track.  I'm not perfect, but I'm definitely putting some good values and morals into her and JJ.

I'm thankfully that while JJ has been having complete meltdowns during his speech therapy session, except for the one that the Mr was able to join us for, he's making a little progress.  He's been making the M sound a lot and I think we're getting close to him saying Mommy or Mama.  I feel like it's right on the tip of his tongue and all we need is a little breakthrough.  I'm thankfully again for all the words of encouragement I've been getting still.  No meltdowns for me this week.  I'm staying positive.

I'm thankful for my wonderful friends.  We don't see each other often because we live in different states, cities or have a lot going on,  but we've all been keeping in touch on a regular basis as of late.  I'm hoping that we can get a reunion of some kind going this summer or next fall.  I miss them!  They have been my support through so much.  They know things about me that my family doesn't even know.  I can tell them anything and know that it's going to the grave.  Friendship like that is very rare these days.

As this year comes to a close (this is our last Thankful Thursday for 2013!!) I just want to say thank you to all of you for riding with me this year.  Your comments, emails, and tweets mean so much to me.  Know that I don't take your taking the time out to read what I have to say for granted.  At all!  You all have been nothing short of a blessing.

I hope that you will stick with me as we go into 2014!  I'm looking forward to getting more personal and talking subjects that I've never delved into before here on YUMMommy.  I'm hoping to get to know each of you better and inspire or uplift you in some kind of way. 

Thank you, thank you, a trillion times THANK YOU!!!!

What are you most thankful for?