Tis the season

To be thankful.

Gratitude should not only be expressed at Christmastime but this year has been extra emotional.  A mere two weeks before Christmas we were shocked by the shootings in Newtown, CT.  That night every parent went home to their kids and held them extra long and extra tight because we became shockingly aware of how precious life is.  Each day we send our kids to school assuming they are in a safe secure place until they arrive back at home.  Any shooting spree is a shock and leaves us rocked, but this was so much worse because the majority of the victims were children.  Defenseless, innocent, and undeserving of having their lives taken from them for reasons that we may never fully understand.  The fallen adults were heroes.  Many giving their lives to save the students that they could.  It's the ultimate sacrifice to give your life to save that of another.  I have nothing but respect for the adults who did so without hesitation to protect the children. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1T7JwwyAv8

I thought this tribute was extremely classy by artists on The Voice.  Well done.

These are my gratitudes:

I am grateful to have my baby safe and happy and warm. 
I am grateful for my wonderful husband who is a wonderful father and my best friend.
I am grateful for my parents and siblings.
I am grateful for my friends.
I am grateful for every day I am able to spend with them.  
I am grateful to have a home, a job and steady income.
I am grateful.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone.  May you all be lucky enough to spend them surrounded by love, as I have been.

The terror of night

Seriously.  Sometimes my dreams scare the beegeezus out of me.  Last night was particularly creepy.  Halloween dreams visiting a bit late, but man I woke up in a panic!  Visions of vampires, monsters, and things standing between me and my baby.  Fighting to get to him, to protect him from things he should not see.  It's a dream that crops up every now and then in different forms, I guess every mom and dad has similar dreams every now and then.  The minute I woke up I shot out of bed to make sure he was still in his.  Of course he was.  Sleeping like an angel.  What a relief.  Still felt like it took about 10 yrs off of my life though.  And I really don't have them to spare. 

What is it about our psyche that releases all of our anxiety in our dreams?  Why are mine so vivid and panic ridden?  Psychologists would have a field day with me, I'm sure.