Thought 39: Staying thankful . . .

I spent my 39th year doing a lot of mommying and a lot of running. We took Megan to Walt Disney World for the first time with our dear friends, where my girl Jean and I ran the Disney Half Marathon. I made the commitment to run a full marathon and share my story through this blog. We traveled to Virginia to see my cousin be ordained as a priest. We played on the beach and in our front yard. We attended two 20 year high school reunions. We conquered potty training. We enjoyed going to Clemson football games. We welcomed a new nephew/cousin to the family. We found our rhythm as a Hubbard trio and a new sense of peace as a unit.

Being thankful. This is a challenging concept to explain or instill in a child. We have talked a lot with our Megan about what it means to be thankful and what we are thankful for, but it is a feeling that will have to be understood over time and with maturity. I think it really isn't something you can explain with words. Actions always speak louder. I know some like to use the month of November as a time to talk about what makes them thankful leading up to Thanksgiving Day. I am going to use Thanksgiving as a starting point for showing Megan what it means to be thankful as she learns more and more about this feeling. I think this is what the holiday season is for me - giving to others. I have been inspired by a great article on the Smyrna Parent blog that discusses acts of kindness for kids and toddlers - a different look at the Advent season (http://smyrnaparent.com/acts-of-kindness-for-toddlers/). I want to model "being thankful" to my daughter, and hopefully the holidays can be a starting point for "staying thankful" all year. Why can't we bring cookies to the fire department on a Tuesday in March? My parents instilled in me the importance of giving back. If I can raise a daughter that believes that giving back and being a good friend is the most important things in life, I will feel like a success.

I am thankful for lifetime friendships and there is one that has not made it into my blogs yet. For over 20 years, Bob and I have called Kris and Kay Watts our best friends. We were in each other's weddings in 1997 and we all met as young kids at Furman University. Kris and Bob are fraternity brothers and Kay and I are sorority sisters. But most of all, after over two decades of friendship, we are family. We are godparents to each other's children and, although we live states apart, we make time to connect at least once a year. We have gone through life's ups and downs together and Kris and Kay have been there for us through everything. I will never forget Kay getting on the first plane from upstate New York to fly to Florida to be there with me after I lost my mom. We spent last Thanksgiving together at their home and being with them is like being home.

Speaking of lifetime friendships, our circle with Kris and Kay is part of a greater circle of Furman friends that we are counting on growing old together. My blog would be incomplete if I didn't share the immense impact that our college friends have had on our lives. We have all grown up together. Kay wasn't the only one that showed up in Florida on that difficult July morning 5 years ago. Here they all came, walking up to me at my mom's funeral - Lisa, Madison, Keri, Shawn, Michael, Jay, and Kate. Whether we are eating Indian food, celebrating a new baby, cheering on our Paladins, enjoying a Soby's brunch, laughing over old stories, or being there during the hard times, our Furman family is a huge part of our story. Looking forward to that retirement community together!

I am thankful for today. I do not know what the future holds. No one does. But I want to be thankful for today and every day before that brought me to today. I am most thankful for my Bob and Megan. I am thankful for my my dad and brothers and my mom watching over us all. I am thankful for my Hubbard family. I am thankful for all my nieces and nephews - I now have 5 nieces and 3 nephews! I am thankful for my Nabors, Cavanaugh, Boulineaux, Johnson and Alley families. Whether I have known them since 1974 or 2014, I am thankful for all of my friends. I am incredibly thankful today for my good health and to all the professionals that have helped me get to today. I am thankful for good test results. I am thankful for the small moments - hearing my daughter sing in the back seat or watching her eyes open with surprise seeing the church Christmas tree light up. I am thankful for cups of coffee that bring a grateful smile. I am thankful for a warm bed, a full refrigerator, a husband safe at home, my independence, and my right to stand up for what I believe in as a woman.

There most certainly are times, periods, and moments in life when it is hard to feel thankful. Sometimes it is just impossible. I have faced those times and it has taken everything in me on those days to find a thankful heart. Today, however, I am a lucky, grateful, thankful Susie, and no matter what happens, I hope this statement can always deep down be true.