Thankful Thoughts 2009

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, and the unofficial kick-off to the holiday season, I began to think of what it is I'm most grateful for this year. The more I thought, the more I wrote. Here's what I came up with. Enjoy :)

~I’m thankful for fingerprints smeared on my walls,
For tripping on Barbie dolls left in my halls

I’m thankful for crumbs in the cracks of my chairs
And for big slinky races down steep basement stairs

For the never ending laundry- ‘Mt. Washmore’ we call it
(and for Tide’s massive dent in our family’s wallet!)

I’m thankful for stretch marks on a less-than firm belly
And for sticky breakfast hands that are covered in jelly

I’m thankful for giggles, for tickles, for hugs
For the bright play-dough specs hidden deep in my rugs

I’m thankful for dusting and vacuuming too
And for the ten thousand times I help re-tie a shoe

I’m thankful for splashing and sudsy-wet tubbies
And for the hours I spend disinfecting the bubbies

Thankful for the permanent spit-uppy-hues
That have all but discolored my shirts and my shoes!

I’m thankful for sippy-cups, binkies and cribs;
For onesies and burp cloths and colorful bibs

For the dark, tired circles that lay ‘neath my eyes
(Concealer, these days, is my favorite disguise!)

For long, sleepless nights that spill into the dawn
All worth it to witness one shy, peaceful yawn

I’m thankful for boo-boos that only insist on
A lollipop, a band-aid, and a mommy to kiss on

I’m thankful for chaos, for loudness, for noise
For the banging of drums and the crashing of toys

For splashes in puddles and piggyback races
For fruit-punch mustaches on hot summer faces

For finger-paint splatters on new hardwood floors
And for loud public tantrums in grocery stores

So perhaps you may wonder why some of these rank,
At the top of a list dedicated to “thanks”

And the answer is simple, yet really profound:
They’re the things I’ll miss most when no longer around;

These days are so fleeting, so I try to embrace
And slow down for a minute, because life’s not a race

And give thanks for the chaos that fills up my days
‘Cause it's beautiful chaos, in so many ways~