During every week, I have splashes of inspiration–colorful bubbles of fun thoughts that could develop into a scintillating blog post… Then they pop. Or drift lazily away before I have a chance to catch them.

The day before Thanksgiving, I was inspired and excited, ready to dive into all the fun plans. I imagined all the blessings I could list for my Friday evening post, with deep gratitude and poetic expressions welling from my heart.

But now… it is Friday.

Deep and thoughtful gratitude is not what was welling up in my heart tonight as I faced the chaos in the kitchen (and elsewhere), the tired and tearful children, and the laundry that still needed to be done so that my children have clean clothes tomorrow. There’s no one else, is there? I thought, No one else who will empty this dishwasher, or reload it, or make sure the laundry is done. These tasks are all mine.

Not to mention that after Thanksgiving comes hunting season. And, although I am slowly making peace with hunting season, I am still not jumping up and down when my husband plans and prepares seemingly absurd amounts of clothes and food, and becomes almost giddy with anticipation.

I am not a hunter. I went out with him one time during archery season this year, and I secretly hoped he wouldn’t get a chance to shoot a deer while I was there. My husband and I, we are different. At no time of the year does it become more apparent than during hunting season.

The blessings have surrounded me, though, in spite of the holiday aftermath today and hunting season tomorrow.

Perhaps I should name a few, throwing gratitude in the face of the exhaustion and the pity party. Because, yes, the dishes and the laundry and the whines are mine to take care of…

But the food and the clothes and the children and the husband–they are mine too!

And despite the fact that my husband will be going hunting all day tomorrow, I still had the chance yesterday to join him in one of his sports (or did he join me?) when we ran the 5K Turkey Trot together. Running a 5K together has been a long-time goal of ours, and we finally had the chance. Ben tried and tried to teach me to run with little success–and then the twins came. And now, post-twins, I have discovered I have a capacity for running (albeit quite slowly) that I did not have before. Perhaps chasing toddlers is a very successful form of training for 5Ks, who knew?

So here is my list of things I am thankful for, because every thanksgiving, everyone should write one of these:

• The ability and time to join my husband in one of his past-times in a way that gave us something fun to do together, and hopefully made him feel like I care about what he cares about.
• The friends and family so plentiful in this holiday–so plentiful that we had a hard time deciding where to be when.
• The fact that little Teddy did finally go back to sleep again and slept in after his early morning vigil last night, and that both of the twins were asleep soon after 8 tonight.
• The food, oh the food! It was delicious!
• The leftover Hidden Pear Salad that my sister forgot to put out during Thanksgiving dinner. It will make a great addition to my fellowship meal contributions this week. 😉
• My mom, who had just finished fixing a dress for me, and so had one ready and waiting yesterday when little Ellie jumped on me and my coffee dumped in my lap.
• My dear friend and neighbor who hung out with the babies and I this afternoon while Ben sighted in his guns. (Cited, sighted, sited?? I only ever hear Ben say this, it is not in the books I usually read…)
• A friend who offered to spend time with the twins and I tomorrow while Ben is hunting.
• Christmas coming up–and some of my family coming home from their corners of the world!

So many, many things to be grateful for… My mood is lifting, and I am no longer feeling the slightest bit sorry for the me who has to do dishes and laundry. Dishes and laundry are good for me and make me feel like a productive individual.

If you are struggling with chagrin over dishes, laundry, hunting season, or other sundry things…

Maybe just try the list thing!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, even if it is just the day after the holiday.