Gratitude

When we found out we were pregnant with little man, I read all of the baby books, I followed all of the parenting blogs, and I googled, boy did I google.  I felt that I was (fairly) prepared, I mean who really is right?  But I thought I would have the support, encouragement and help from all of the people in my life that I love.  Nothing prepared me for the disappointment I would feel when some people (who should make my kids a top priority) seem to not even notice them as a blip on the radar.  It is heart breaking, and something that I am not quite sure how to deal with I mean how do you force someone to make your kids a priority?  This is not going to be a blog about disappointment in family and friends that should be there, because frankly, they are the ones missing out.  My kids are awesome damn it.. and if they only can get around to seeing them once every other month, then so be it, f-em.  My kids will grow up knowing who makes them a priority, right now they are too young to get it, but soon enough, they will see it, and it will be the people who have their priorities backwards that will miss out. This blog is about the awesome people that put my kids first, every time, and for them I am eternally grateful.

I am grateful to my mom and her new husband.  She runs her own business, owns two homes, and has one under renovation, and still makes the time to call/text me often, and time to see the kids at least every other week.  Her husband isn't their "birth" grandpop, but my kids will never know the difference, he plays, dances, and laughs with the kids until they are completely worn out, and I am so grateful that they have him in their life.  The little people just love going to mi-mom and b-pop's house, and little man is convinced that the new vacation house is his, lol.

I am grateful for my mother and father in law, my mother in law watches the kids once a week so I can get caught up on work, house cleaning, and so that I can keep a grip on my own sanity (seriously some days I'm pretty close to losing it).  Little man tells me that mom mom doesn't say no to him (lol) and little lady adores her poppops silly songs.  When they are there they are truly the center of the universe, and I am so thankful that my kids have that in their life. 

I am grateful for my brother and his beautiful wife-to-be.  Even though they both work full time, are planning their wedding, and buying a house, they make sure they see the kids at least once a week.  The kids get SO excited when I tell them they are coming over.. little man LOOOOVVVVVESSS his aunt Amanda, seriously none of us exist if she is in the room.

I am grateful to my step brothers (and my step brother's girlfriend :) ), again even though they aren't blood related, my kids will never know the difference.  The love and spoil the shit out of my kids :)

I am grateful for my friends, there are so many of them I don't have time to name each of them and why they are awesome, but just know that they are.  When we had little lady, a few friends come up to visit, one even came up to watch little man so that we could go to the hospital to have little lady!  I have friends with and without kids, and both are equally important to me.  I am thankful for the daily texts and emails from them to keep me connected to the outside world where there is more than boogers and diaper blow-outs.  

And finally, I am thankful for my husband.  I could never have imagined what a great father he would be to these kids, but I am beyond grateful for it.  Our family is his top priority, and I have never had to question that.

While I was never prepared for the disappointment that some people would give me, I also could never have anticipated just how thankful and grateful I would be for the people that truly make us a priority. Today, I could choose to be upset, or I could chose to be grateful, I chose gratitude.