Giving Thanks

I suppose Thanksgiving has put me in a thoughtful mood, or perhaps it's the fact that I'm trying to figure out what to buy for my already terribly spoiled children, but I've been pondering gratitude. I have much to be grateful for in my life. Many of the things I'm grateful for would be on other people's lists as well--but I have a few extras.

1. I am thankful that I can run. And walk. And see. And play with my kids. You see, a little more than 5 years ago, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It was putting pressure on my optic nerve, causing loss of peripheral vision. Because of the placement, I had a craniotomy. Because my neurosurgeon couldn't remove the tumor without risking damage to my optic nerve and other surrounding things, I had 5 weeks of radiation about 2 months after the surgery. And now, 5 years later, I can still see, walk, play with my kids, and I run on a regular basis, which is something I had never done.

2. I am thankful for Sophie's food allergies. The things that are hardest for us are often also the things that make us grow the most. Because of Sophie's food allergies, I have developed skills that I never would have otherwise--such as creating recipes. I have also accomplished things I never would have thought of before--such as publishing Sophie Safe Cooking.

I am also grateful for the usual suspects: my family, my home, God, my husband's job, etc. But I find that I am the most grateful for the things that have been the hardest.