Day 5 - Today

Today I’m thankful for... today.  I’m not thankful because it was an amazing day.  It was actually an extremely challenging day in terms of dealing with the kids.  I’m not sure if it was the time change or a full moon, but they tested every last bit a patience that I had today with their bickering, tattling and inability to listen.  It was a frustrating day at times punctuated by some fun and lighted-hearted moments.

But that’s not really why I’m thankful for today.  I’m thankful for today because, good or bad, it was a day that I got to experience.  Good or bad, I spent it with my children and I can go to sleep tonight knowing that they are tucked safely into their beds.  So many people out there would give anything to be able to say that.  People that have lost family members to cancer.  People whose friends have been killed in accidents.  People who have lost loved ones to drugs, disease or senseless acts of violence.   

Today I prayed for a family that lost their two year old little boy to leukemia last night.  My breath caught when I read it and I hugged the kids a little tighter because I could.  Because I’m sure those heartbroken parents would do anything to hug their son one more time.  They would do anything to have today.  

Then I heard about the horrible tragedy in Texas and my heart just felt so heavy and scared and broken for all of those poor people.  It’s seems unimaginable that this could happen again.  I don’t even know what to say or what to think.  I’m terrified for all of us because none of us are really safe.  We all think that it’ll happen somewhere else.  The people in the tiny town of Sutherland Springs probably that that.  

I wish I could just take the kids and hide them from all of the terror that seems to be unfolding in our world today. But I can’t.  Like it or not, we have to live and we have to let them grow up and be free.  So yeah, I’m thankful for today.  Because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow.