Blessings…

Mom arrived on Monday. Jordan & Keturah, appropriately, arrived on twofer Tuesday. Krits came late last night. Miss and I are reunited, once again, with our offspring and the feeling is fantastic. The feeling is an overwhelming emotion of gratitude. Our family has returned. For the next few days I will stay up past my bedtime and fall asleep to good conversation.

Last night, as I laid on the yellow couch, for instance, my last listening involved Jordan explaining his winning hand to Tay. Tay was tuned in and wanted to tell Jordan what he saw on Sunday, something about the flop and the river was all that registered in my tiny, tired brain. Miss was nestled in beside me and talking over me to Krits who was snuggled under the gray, young life blanket on the smaller red couch. The two of them were talking about Krits work, Missimoochichi’s meal, some show, and some other topic I couldn’t quite tune in. My eyes were closed but my ears were open and tuning in to as much as I could. I LOVE hearing our family TALK.

Last night, sleep enveloped my Mom first and then Keturah. Annie was out with friends and probably went down last. Miss nudged me to go to bed as she often does once I’ve dozed off on the yellow couch. As I made the short walk from family room to bedroom my senses, dull but not quite dead, picked up that Krits and Moochichi were all that remained. I assumed that Jordan and Tay had turned in too.

I was wrong.

As I made the right hander into our bedroom my ears perked up as they picked up the sound of Jordan in full teaching mode. He was quizzing young Tay about two of a kind statistics and when to hold and fold based on probability. My eyes never met theirs and my mouth didn’t even utter good night, I just kept shuffling my feet until I plopped under the sheets and pulled them up around me. Once sufficiently snuggled into my new home, my ears picked up some more transmissions from the office where, appropriately, some high education was occuring. Jordan was explaining how you use the statistics to form probabilities and then you combine that with your experience to form a course of action. Tay was asking him good questions to ensure his understanding. Knowledge was being transferred. Jordan the teacher, I thought to myself. Jordan the teacher.

My last listening was to Tay describing in detail to Jordan that our ping pong table was much lower than any of his friends. And, what a difference this lower table does make. I heard the setup beginning. Tay was getting ready to teach the older brother a thing or two on his table of choice. My mind pictured the two of them heading to the lower level, paddle in hand, smile and grimace on their face, and the ball flying back and forth across the net.

Brothers, I thought. Always wanted one. Now as a Dad, I thought, I get the chance to be one…

Here’s wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving, good conversation, a long walk and being overwhelmed with gratitude this day. And, may this feeling return more often than your children, your Mom, your cousins, your in-laws, your neighbors, or your perceived set of circumstances that you think predicate such joy. May you find a Hope, Peace, and a Joy within. May God bless you. And, may you become a blessing to those that choose to come ’round.

God, help me see you in the blessings. God, help me become a blessing not so much of a bummer. God, thank you for the blessings.

Blessings…