27 November 2008

Thankfully

Thanksgiving is very much an American celebration. In Ireland, turkeys need to wait until Christmas before they are deemed fat and juicy enough to adorn the family table, alongside all the traditional trimmings of ham, mash and roast potatoes, cranberry sauce, and of course the dreaded Brussels sprouts.

I have just read today's post on Angela’s blog where she describe how The Tribe, this English family now living in New Zealand, have a tradition of celebrating this day by giving thanks for the parents of the children they have adopted and the parents of the children they foster. How incredibly nice and appropriate is that?

It got me thinking. And the conclusion of my mental meanderings is that, yes, I am thankful.

I am thankful for the little man who came into my life eight and half months ago, and opened so many doors for me. Doors inside the big house that is the society I live in, doors to the (until then) undiscovered wings of Special Needs. I keep pushing these doors open, I keep stepping in. What a discovery, and it’s only the start of it.

I am thankful to this little man who also put his hand on the handles of doors deep inside me, revealing hidden corners, recesses, secret passages. There again a new inner journey has been started. And some of those places are quite interesting!

And all because of one extra tiny little chromosome.



But I cannot let this day pass without acknowledging the people who make this blog so worth writing. I am thankful for all of you who keep coming back to it. And especially to those I tickle enough to prompt a comment.

About two weeks ago, Google Analytics showed me that my little blog had got over 1000 visits – it actually happened earlier than this but, due a little "techie" mix-up at the beginning, I have no data for the first two weeks of my virtual existence, so I don’t count them.

So to all of you who keep coming back, I say THANK YOU.

All of you in such places as - in no particular order… actually, let’s put them in alphabetical order, no jealousy that way!

Australia

Canada (who are you???)

France

Germany

Ireland

Luxembourg (and you, who are you???)

New Zealand

The UK (and you???)


The USA - especially California


Now, you can all sit down around my virtual table, and dig into my lovely virtually roast turkey dinner! Bon appétit!

7 comments:

Lisamaree said...

I am thankful too Nan, and thankful for meeting (if only virtually so far) bloggers like you.
xx

Jeffrey Goble said...

Well, at the moment, I'm stuffed from dinner at me Mom's house. . . I'm grateful that Cathal came along too. It's been a pleasure getting to know your family a bit, from all this way away.

Sesame said...

I am thankful that so many like you Nan P open their doors to let us see inside your world....Right this minit i am thankful for another day with my family and friends, both real & cyber...make every second count!!

Anonymous said...

nous, on a pas la dinde... mais on a d'autre truc sympa pour noël comme le foie gras. Et c'est très bien que ton blog deviennent international. Plus on parle et échange sur tes sujets mieux ils sont diffuser et font évoluer les mentalités;
Merci de nous permettre de t'accompagner et de livrer nos propres pensées.
amitiés à tous les lecteurs
dom de nantes (france!!)

My name is Sarah said...

This is Joyce ~ Sarah's mom. I just found your blog and think it is wonderful that a grandmother is sharing and informing others of the Down syndrome journey through the eyes of the grand generation. If you don't mind I will add you to our blog friends and let Sarah's grandmas know you are here.

jazzygal said...

What another lovely post Nan P.....you have such a lovely style of writing. It's nice to remind ourselves, from time to time, of the things we can be thankful for.

Sorry for late comment! I hope it's not too late to tuck into your lovely virtual roast dinner. I guess a virtual dinner never goes cold eh??! XX J

Cheri said...

I'm a little late in the "virtual" turkey feast.... but so thankful to have "met" you Nan P!

By the way....did you hear the tires squeal today way over there in Ireland? We are home...another operation was deemed not necessary at this point after all, hooray!

 
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