Thanksgiving!

Today is the 3 year anniversary for my wife being diagnosed with breast cancer. Well, that's not exactly true, this is the day she stopped working and started her grueling trek towards defeating that ugly beast. Coincidentally, today is the 2 year anniversary that I went into the hospital with H1N1.

So to look ahead to my favorite holiday of the year, here is an abbreviated list of what I am thankful for:

• My beautiful wife who made sure she was by my side every day I was down and who became a single mother for six months and kicked ass doing it
• My three amazing children who did their best to be strong while we were hurting
• My mom who spent a week of doing nothing but sitting at my side in the nursing home
• My boss and co-workers who were understanding of my needs when I returned to work
• My church family who provided spiritual support and gifts of food and house cleaning when it wasn't easy for us to do it ourselves, they even once took my children to the movies so they could feel normal even if just for a few hours
• The doctors and nurses who fought for our lives either through surgery for my wife or monitoring my life while I was in the coma
• The cheeseburger that was my first meal after not eating for 4 months
• My brother who brought me shredded garlic chicken from Hunan House
• The physical therapists who taught me to walk again
• The physical therapists who came to my house after I came home to get me on my feet
• The leg/foot brace that was fitted and allows me to walk without fear of falling
• The nurse that gave us gas cards to offset our cost for traveling from north of Columbus to the west side for treatments
• The specialists who administered the chemotherapy that saved my wife's life
• The person who dedicated her life to making women feel beautiful on the outside after they've lost their hair
• The people who took an afternoon to help my wife feel whole again
• My family, friends and co-workers that took the time to stop by and see me in the nursing home, where without visitors feels like a very lonely place
• Everyone who took time to send a get well card
• Everyone who has taken the time to express their love and support to our family in the past few years
• Everyone who continues the fight to find a cure for breast cancer and all cancers
• Skype that allows me to see my parents who are 1000 miles away
• Every day that I get to wake up and see my wife and kids

Even if you haven't had a traumatic incident (or two) in your life, I urge you to look around and recognize the beauty of the people, places and things that are in your life. Know that your life is a miracle and appreciate every day you get to participate.