Thankfulness, every day - Ten

I had something else in mind for today... something about how thankful I am that I'd had the most delicious chocolate fudge milk for lunch (I did, and I am) and that I'd survived my 5.30am start for a day in Cardiff, the third city in as many days this week, and am looking forward to a night at home (I did, and I am) but then my sister sent me the picture of my nephew and niece and my heart just expanded and overflowed with the love I have for these little people and the gratitude I feel that they are a part of my world. Chocolate milk and making it through a gruelling day just don't compare on my gratitude scale with this. I had to find a photograph of my other nephew (with his dad) to add to the mix too. I cannot really put into words how much these three children mean to me, and how thankful I am to be their aunt.

I don't get to spend nearly as much time with them as I'd like and they grow and change so very quickly - it makes me sad that I miss out on a lot of that. The joy they bring me is nevertheless untold and I so appreciate the modern technology that means we can have live video conversations across continents, during which they tell me about their day, show me their latest artwork or the cupcakes they've just decorated, and blow me sweeter-than-cupcake kisses.... It's a marvel. The sometimes overwhelming reality of not having children of my own is so much more bearable because they're in my life, even at a distance. And for that I am thankful. Truly thankful.