Top Ten Things I'm Thankful For #2 - A wonderful family surrounding me

"The only people who truly know your story are the ones who help you write it."

For the second thing that I am most thankful for in all of the world, I think of the wonderful people that surround me.  That I call family.

I'm eternally grateful for my wonderful wife.  For my best friend, for my confidant, for my equal and match.  She is my helper and I am hers.  She is my patron and I am hers.  I am ever thankful for the decade we have been together and am hopeful for many more to come.  To the ends of the earth...

I'm exceedingly thankful for my two crazy and charming children.  For my daughter who made me a father and showed what a wonderful experience that would be.  For her amazing mind and personality that continue to surprise us.  For my son who shows us how to explore the world.  Who's sweet smile can brighten up the darkest of days.  I'm so thankful for learning that love is the one resource we have that cannot be depleted.  It is never divided, only multiplied.

I'm extremely thankful for the family that I was born into.  I'm thankful to have been blessed with parents that nurtured their children's dreams and equipped them to run toward them head long.  For parents that loved the unique qualities that made each of us different and who challenged us to be our best selves.  I'm thankful for a sister who was my closest friend and near twin growing up.  For a traveling partner.  And I'm thankful for a brother to share a room with, an apartment with, and a variety of interests and hobbies with.  For someone to share comics with.  I'm grateful to have known my grandparents, all five of them, to still have two with us, and to have briefly know two great grandparents.  I'm thankful for aunts, uncles, and cousins, all of whom left an indelible mark on my life.

I'm especially thankful for the family that I've married into.  I'm grateful for two in-laws that have welcomed me into the family as if I was always one of their own.  I'm grateful for new brothers and sisters to share movies, food, and life with.  I'm grateful for a new extended family, it's warmth, and it's wealth of knowledge and experiences.

I'm equally grateful for the family I've chosen.  For friends throughout my lifetime that have made this life enjoyable.  For memories that will last a lifetime and for new experiences yet to come.  Even if I haven't seen you in a while, I'm still thinking of you and looking forward to catching up.

There's a quote that I love - "when you have more than you need build a bigger table, not a higher fence."  My cup runneth over from blessings in family and friends.

Here's to bigger tables.