Extra Thankful This Year

The day is over, food has been consumed, we’ve enjoyed time with family, and now we have settled in with a Christmas movie. But as I reflect on the day, this year I am extra grateful.

Five years ago we had a serious health threat with my mom. Throughout it all, my step-dad was the energizer bunny as we dealt with hospitalization, fall backs, and all that goes with caring for someone with chronic health issues.

This year our energizer bunny had a health scare of his own. His little energizer heart was not doing so well and the cardiologists said he needed stents, and a new heart valve. Those can be serious issues for older patients but the prognosis was dire if he did nothing. September and October were spent at hospitals as my sister, and my husband and I, split our time between health facilities and at my parents’ home helping out during that uncertain time.

Today as we gathered around the dining room table for our Thanksgiving meal, we were grateful to have both parents with us, and grateful that my step-dad had not only made it safely through the surgeries and procedures but is again thriving with a new pep to his step. He is quickly regaining his strength and stamina, and is almost back to normal.

As families gather for holidays and other events, we never know who may not be with us the next time we are together. This year prayers of gratitude went up that our energizer bunny had his usual place at the head of the table and performed his usual task of praying over the meal, and us. For as long as we are blessed with the presence of our parents, we will be grateful. They are among our Thanksgiving blessings.

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
November 24, 2016