The "thankful" box tradition (My family is my why)

Last Thanksgiving another daddy blogger I read, Mocha Dad, talked about his family's "thankful" box tradition.

Throughout the year he and his wife and kids write notes about something they're thankful about and put it in the box. Then at Thanksgiving, they read them to one another.

Such a lovely tradition that Mama and I decided to co-opt for our family as well. We picked out a box, cut out a bunch of images and words that had special meaning for us and covered the box with them.

Of course, our girls are too little to start writing their own thankful notes yet, but in the next few years Beatrice will followed by her little sister Bryce.

We've started reading them earlier this week and it's like listening to favorite songs that represent contextual moments of time.

It reminds us of why we live and love as family. Even under everyday fun and duress, like this week's things I'm thankful for:

• Sharing family colds, snot and tissue gardens.
• Family "workout" walks along the water (pushing the girls in the double stroller, otherwise knows as the "Lil' Limo".
• Ant traps and Windex that kill the rain-driven, food-crazed ants.
• Children's Tylenol that is stickier than maple syrup or tar. And gets everywhere. Except inside the child's mouth.
• Swinging crying babies to sleep like sweaty irregular pendulums of doom.
  
• Getting one girl to sleep while the other one won't.
• The hi-fidelity sound of dueling girl cry-shrieks. Infinitum.
• Watching Elmo's World. Infinitum.
• Developing the career/business rebound after a disappointing 4th quarter.
• Promising ourselves that this year everybody gets at least a wing and a prayer for Christmas. And a family Christmas photo card.
• Our wonderful babysitter who allows us to get out for pre-Turkday Day beer, nachos and Harry Potter.
• Dear friends who are having us over for Thanksgiving today. We're bringing ham and pies and little girlie cries.

In fact, what I've come to find out is that no matter what we've written and added to the box throughout the year (or experienced this short holiday week), it's the why of giving thanks, rather than the act itself, that emboldens our hearts and minds to love and grow.

My family is my why.

Happy Thanksgiving.