Three Things...Gratitude Thread

[PollyannaMom]

Today's Topic (Tues 2/28) - 3 extended family members you're grateful for

I'm thinking about aunts, uncles, cousins... but they don't even have to be your own. If you learned something special from a friend's grandparents or a literary character or something, by all means, include them!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Extended family:

Cousins! - I have great childhood memories of time with cousins, and two in particular I do keep up with today. One is far away, but we text each other the most random things, and the other is close enough that we can get together a few times a year, and I can be part of her DDs' lives.

Aunts - I learned so much from various aunts over the years, and they really stepped in after my mom passed away. One (in California) emails me faithfully every week, and I will be seeing another later today.

Honorary grandparents - I've written about my actual grandparents before, so here I'll include an older couple we moved next door to when I was in upper elementary school. He kept a huge garden that all the neighborhood kids were welcome to help in anytime, and she was a retired teacher who made cookies on report card day so we would all bring them to show her.

 

[slo]

Happy last day of February

This is tough, because I don’t have any - literally - my family is so tiny.

#1 - I’m grateful for my softball family. I’m meeting 2 moms/friends that I’ve known since 2015 for dinner tonight.

#2 - I’m grateful for my block family. It’s just our 3 houses on this block and we’ve been neighbors for almost 19 years. We don’t see each other as much as we used to since our kids are older, and especially because it’s winter, but once it’s nice outside we’ll see each other a lot again.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

I’m grateful for my Aunt who I had when I was a child - sadly she died when I was 21 - but she was so awesome !! I’ve talked about her before !
I’ve had several friends in my life as a young person that were older women ( much older ) not so much that they were Moms but they were more than friends and helped guide me when I was younger - ever so grateful for their friendship & kindness & help
My other person is the woman I used to babysit for - she was a major guiding force in my life for years and helped me in ways I can’t explain all while she was going through an ugly divorce and never let it show - such a nice caring person

I don’t know my family or any cousins - all live out of state - I’ve met a few once or twice and I mean just met - not a social family but hugely dysfunctional where no one speaks to anyone or if you speak to this person I’m not speaking to you - so I exited out of speaking to the few out of state relatives I knew - at times it’s made me sad - but I don’t miss the drama - you make your family when you don’t have one - holidays can be tough but it’s better than being with all the drama ! I’m ok with it as I have wonderful friends and I’m very grateful !

 

[bobbiwoz]

There are two families in my husband’s family who are so friendly and nice, I consider them my own. That’s Debbie and Ann Marie, I love you and yours so much!

Mom had a first cousin who was a Franciscan Friar, Friar Marcel. He was a kind and gentle soul. My grandparents took me to Springfield MA where he said his first Mass, so he was in my life for a long time, for the first 40 years or so, our meetings were infrequent. Then circumstances were such that we saw each other at least yearly. He came with my extended family on vacations to Greece and Great Britain and took the most wonderful pictures. He loved gardening and bird watching, two of my hobbies. He also visited Cape May yearly and we played pinochle, and we had to use his rules! He had his own blog and I realized he was loved by many many people most of whom I didn’t know. He had the gift of making us all feel very special. I was so sad when he passed about three years ago after a heart procedure that didn’t work as it should.

My friend Beverly’s mom, Mae, was someone who showed me behaviors a mother could have, and ones my own mother couldn’t necessarily do. I am grateful for the things I learned when I was with her.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Bobbi
What a wonderful family story so awesome !!!

 

[1420Elexismc]

1. My Aunts and Uncles...one set never had kids so they really did a lot with us
2. My three boy cousins...I was in the middle of them age wise so it was really like having brothers closer in age
3. So many of my friends' parents-they treated me like one of their own and mine did that for them

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I love reading all of your shares! We are so blessed to be connected with all who touch our lives or whose life we might get to make a difference in.

3 extended family members you're grateful for

1 TX Cousins who during this pandemic, dad and I have become closer with and are so blessed by God to have in our lives.

2 Church family over the years along with kind neighbors.

3 All of you

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Today's Topic (Mon 2/27) - 3 Places You're Grateful For

1. hospitals...specifically Mayo Clinic, but all of them too.

2. LIbraries

3. Farmers Markets

Today's Topic (Tues 2/28) - 3 extended family members you're grateful for

I'm thinking about aunts, uncles, cousins... but they don't even have to be your own. If you learned something special from a friend's grandparents or a literary character or something, by all means, include them!

1. My grandpa Bill and Granny Eve. (mom's dad and stepmom) They were there for me after my mom passed (until dad pulled me away from them, very long and horrid story). We used to live right behind them; and I could go through the gate between the backyards to visit. They had a wood stove to heat their house, and no a/c, but they let me stay whenever I wanted. I'd sleep on the ottoman and recliner in the living room, and they'd let me watch all the Saturday morning cartoons I wanted. They loved shredded wheat, and they had a water cooler, which was a big thing to have at homes back in the 70s. grandpa would work on his blue truck in his garage/workshop, and sometimes he'd let me in there to help him; and I'd watch Granny paint or play the piano and sing. I never got to see them again after I was about 11, and they've since passed on, but they were part of the best memories of my childhood.

2. My grandpa Harold (dad's dad). He was staunchly Catholic, and very strict in his moral code. But after the horrid thing happened, he was there to help raise me. He gave me a love of boiled potatoes, Church's Fried Chicken and fried okra, and for helping others.

3. I don't remember too much about them, but my grandma Marge and grandpa Tony (mom's mom and stepdad) were generous on holidays. They always sent me a gingerbread house from Swiss Colony, and clothes; and we'd go see them for Christmas and Easter and Thanksgivings. They had a big house, and I got to hang out with some of my cousins then (one was my age, and we were thick as thieves when we were there). They had all sorts of neat things to marvel at (but never touch) and if we were lucky, she would let us have some V8 (ugh, ugh, ugh, but when you're a kid and it's that or water or milk, you take what you get). She passed a month after mom, and after that, we didn't get to see them anymore.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Thank you all again for sharing with us lots of good memories and kind people, too!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Sometimes I have one such overwhelming answer that it’s hard for me to come up with others that even come close.
I think that is the case for this one.

1) From the time I was little I used to sit in local nursing homes with patients just to talk. That’s basically continued my whole life, in my work. I love older people, and have learned so much from them! I’m grateful I’ve had this gift of friendship with so many.

2) I also have an elderly friend who I’m very close with. She used to be my neighbor. We can sit and talk for hours, literally, and have so much in common despite our age difference.

3) I’ve been blessed with great family on both sides (mother’s and father’s) as well as the same thing via marriage - great people on both sides. So many have been influential in my life and I appreciate every one of them. One cousin I’m particularly close with, and was with his mother, too. Another cousin and I went through breast cancer treatment at the same time and had kids around the same age then, so emotionally we shared that experience. One of my husband’s aunts is indirectly responsible for me making the leap to go to nursing school. We had our wedding reception at another of his aunt’s house, etc.

I’m glad you included non-family members in this one @PollyannaMom, as there are so many people in life we get close with, they can become as close or closer than actual family.

 

[Kimkimba]

My BIL (sister’s husband). It’s hard to believe he’s been gone for over 20 years. He is the one who I could call in the middle of the night and ask to bring a shovel. He was a true big brother to me. He was there for me during my teen years. It’s his birthday today. Miss that guy.

 

[L.K.]

Three extended family members:

My godparents and their spouses

My Xth-removed cousins (on both sides), who babysat me in my younger years and are role models to me in my current years

All the aunts, uncles and cousins who invited us into their homes for visits while I was growing up. Lots of times I didn't understand exactly how we were related. I just knew they were family, they were characters and they made my formative years interesting.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Happy new month, everyone!


Today's Topic (Wed. 3/1) - Three Things You're Grateful For About March

 

[slo]

Happy HUMP Day

#1 - I’m grateful for my upcoming Florida trip to Melbourne to watch DD19 play some college softball. For those that do my polls - no polls 3/11-3/19. I’ll still be on The DIS, but I don’t know what our schedule will be, and I’m going to take some time to not get up super early like I do at home.

#2 - I’m grateful for daylight lasting longer - I’m not going home in the dark anymore.

#3 - I’m grateful for St. Patrick’s Day - 8 years ago my stepdad, who raised me, died that day (Alzheimer’s), so we always get a green beer and have a toast to him to remember the wonderful man he was.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

March - my most dreaded month of the year - bad things go down for me in March - let’s all pray this year it changes

I’m grateful the horrible car accident I had didn’t kill me or paralyze me and for the very nice lady who stopped and helped me

I’m grateful I lost my job of 20 years and received a years severance - we had been sold to another company and it was toxic and I was glad to leave but wanted my severance - I enjoyed some time off before finding another job

One very nice thing although done bad has happened that involved going to the hospital ( I won’t get into that ) I’ve enjoyed two Spring Break trips in March to WDW and had awesome weather ! Same week each time - just me & DDs - happens to fall when Canada is in Spring Break - lots of fun with the Canadians at hotel pool !! They didn’t understand that US doesn’t do whole Country Spring Break at same time wow can you imagine ??

So my attitude is I’m grateful if no one dies in March ( yes it’s happened and they were very close to me ) or I have a pet die ( yup) or nothing extremely tragic happens - like an appliance blowing up ( yup) - btw all above happened within 2 days including losing job rough weekend - I’m striving to be optimistic this year that the March curse will change and things will be ok or at least dull - dull is good !! I’m not looking for miracles just not disasters !!

 

[L.K.]

March - my most dreaded month of the year - bad things go down for me in March - let’s all pray this year it changes

I’m grateful the horrible car accident I had didn’t kill me or paralyze me and for the very nice lady who stopped and helped me

I’m grateful I lost my job of 20 years and received a years severance - we had been sold to another company and it was toxic and I was glad to leave but wanted my severance - I enjoyed some time off before finding another job

One very nice thing although done bad has happened that involved going to the hospital ( I won’t get into that ) I’ve enjoyed two Spring Break trips in March to WDW and had awesome weather ! Same week each time - just me & DDs - happens to fall when Canada is in Spring Break - lots of fun with the Canadians at hotel pool !! They didn’t understand that US doesn’t do whole Country Spring Break at same time wow can you imagine ??

So my attitude is I’m grateful if no one dies in March ( yes it’s happened and they were very close to me ) or I have a pet die ( yup) or nothing extremely tragic happens - like an appliance blowing up ( yup) - btw all above happened within 2 days including losing job rough weekend - I’m striving to be optimistic this year that the March curse will change and things will be ok or at least dull - dull is good !! I’m not looking for miracles just not disasters !!

Sharing your optimistic hopes that March this year will be happier for you than those in the past.

 

[bobbiwoz]

My best Uncle Al had a March Birthday, and a Grandson, Walter has one. I am grateful for these people, one in the past and hopefully well into the future.

Polish tradition honors St Joseph Feast Day on March 18, and I do celebrate this special day.

I taught at a branch of University of Cincinnati and our spring break usually included March 19, so DH and I have had many wonderful vacations then. They were mostly going on cruises and once we bought DVC, we went to Vero Beach and then to WDW for the Flower Show.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Happy new month, everyone!


Today's Topic (Wed. 3/1) - Three Things You're Grateful For About March

1. DGS#2's birthday is this month

2. spring!

3. I have literally nothing else.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

I’d be grateful if we didn’t see any more but sadly Friday we may receive some so I’m praying for Spring & That gophers Time is about up his 6 weeks is almost over