What Are You Thankful For?

In Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October, making tomorrow the official Canadian Thanksgiving Day. With that, many families in Canada actually celebrate with family on the Sunday. Our family is one of those. For obvious reasons my wife and I have chosen to celebrate today with Parker in our own home with a special dinner that I will make for us.

I titled this article What Are You Thankful For? and to be honest there is so much for which I have to be thankful. I guess I shall start with the most obvious. My wife Tracy is the most important person in my life and each day I am so thankful for everything that she is and does. For if it was not for her I know that our son would not be doing as well as he has. When Parker took ill in January and she told me something was not right, I disagreed with her. It was her persistence and knowledge of her son that got him diagnosed as early as he did. For that I cannot thank her enough.

For my son Parker who wakes up each morning oblivious to everything that he has had to go through and will have to endure in the future. I could not imagine my life without him. When my son smiles at me I gain strength in a time when many would have difficulty doing so. Since having my son I am a completely different man. He has allowed me to focus on the positives in life and has allowed me to appreciate each day as it presents itself to me.

I am thankful for having such wonderful parents. If it were not for the love that they have had for me I would not be the man I am today. My parents have and continue to always be there for me and I am so appreciative of that.

When I married my wife I inherited two more very special people, her parents. They have gone out of their way countless times to help us when many people would not have. To the rest of our family who have been there for us whenever we have needed them, I say thank-you.

To all of our friends (old and new) who have done so much for us since we found out Parker had this disease, thank you.

Happy Thanksgiving!