Thankful, day 9

I'm thankful for so many petty little things, but one big thing that amounts to some of the greatest joy in my life is my family. Of course by that I mean Danny, Alyssa, Parker and Reagan, but you hear about them all the time. Not nearly often enough do I mention what an incredible extended family I have - on both sides! We have the wonderful "problem" of balancing a slew of grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, neices, nephews, cousins, brothers and sisters, most of whom live within 15 minutes of us. For all our differences (and there are many - does anyone else sometimes feel like the odd man out?) we get along incredibly well and actually enjoy being together. Danny and I joke that if our respective parents had to choose sides, they would each choose their in-laws before the children they gave birth to. Our kids have the benefit of grandparents who adore them, fight for dates with them, and make up for some of the deficiencies in our parenting. We are blessed far beyond what we deserve, and those of you who know all of us know just how true those words are!