There are so many things that I’m grateful for.  I could write pages and pages.

Today I want to talk about my family, and my friends who are like family.  They are tough.  Many of them are more prone to eye-rolling than telling you “it’ll be alright sweetie pie. ” But they’re there.  They’re really and honestly there.

They are strong.  They are strong enough to lean on when your legs go out from under you.  Strong enough to carry you through the storms.  Strong enough to hear you cry when there’s nothing they can do to help you.

They are funny.  They are just as willing to laugh at themselves as anything else.  They know where the chinks in their armor are, and they don’t hide it.

They take the health issues my kids and I have very seriously.  They make a special pot of goulash just for us.  They read labels and articles.  They make whole multi-family meals with no gluten.  They tell me about the signs at the grocery store saying “gluten-free.”  They cut out recipes.  They make eye contact, stop for a moment and say, ”You’re worth it.”

They welcome everyone.  A family barbeque will include friends and family from three or four generations, their friends, their family and anyone from the office who has moved to the area recently.  Is your sister-in-law’s best friend’s mother-in-law in town?  Bring her over!  Someone new in your neighborhood?  Plenty of room!

I’m so grateful, and I’m so lucky to be part of such an amazing, warm, funny and strong group of friends and family.

I am truly and abundantly blessed.

1.  My husband and I dated off and on in high school, then went our seperate ways.  We met again at our 10-year high school reunion.  We’ve been together ever since.

2.  I wanted to be a mom of many.  I wanted four or five kids.  Then I got sick.  Once we figured out what was wrong with me and I started feeling better, I decided the two we have are enough.  Sometimes I still want more.

3.  I’ve been a Christian for almost three years.   I finally jumped, He caught me, and I’ve never looked back.

4.   I worked crew on a movie.  Starring the guy from Airplane and the brunette woman from thirty-something.  The back of my head even got some screen time.

5.  If there’s ever a cure for celiac, I’m diving headfirst into a bucket of KFC.  Then I’m not cooking for a month.  At least.

6.  I have a 120-pound “labrador retriever”.   The vet says there is no way he’s just a lab. and he must be part something else.  We’re thinking horse.

7.  I don’t have a permanent favorite color.  When we got married my favorite color was purple.   I’m coming out of an orange phase.  Not sure what I’d say my favorite color is now.

8.  I love to sing.  I’m pretty good at it.  Not American Idol good.  Just not embarassing myself on karaoke night good.  I have absolutely NO stage presence whatsoever.  When I go to sing I look like someone forced me to do it.  Even though I’m enjoying myself immensely.

Here are the rules:

1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts.
4. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

My middle name is Renee:

R – Reasonably responsible.  I’ve just started being frugal after SO NOT being frugal.  At all.  So I couldn’t make myself just say Responsible.  But I’ve been doing really well with it, so I’ll claim to be reasonably responsible for now.

E – Entertaining.  In real life, I’m somewhat shy, but most people think I’m funny.  So I break the ice that way.   If I’m in a social situation and I can get a laugh, I feel much more comfortable.  My husband doesn’t think I’m funny at all.  Which I find hilarious.

N – Nice.  Just being nice is so important.  If at the end of my life people remember me as being nice, I’d be happy.  Btw, nice does not equal being overly agreeable, apushover or wishy-washy.  It’s being respectful of another person’s opinions and feelings, whether you agree with them or not.

E -  Education.   I’m not much for book learnin’.  But I’m a big time information junkie.

E – Essayist.  This E is sponsored by thesaurus.reference.com .   Blog entries are kind of like essays right?

Now I have to tag one person for each letter of my middle name – DeeDee ,  SarahK, Mrs. Pear, SheltieGirl and Sandy.

Here’s my list.

1.  God.  For His patience, His faithfulness, His kindness and His love.

2.  My husband.  For his hard work and dedication to his family.  For loving me.

3.  My kids.  They are growing out of their difficult phases, so it’s getting much more calm around here. 

4.  My friends.  Without them, the world just wouldn’t be the same.

5.  My family.

6.  My health.  After years of being sick, I’m so grateful that I’m healthy now.

7.  My home.  I love it here.

8.  The internet.  It has a way of making the world bigger AND smaller at the same time.

9.  Our wireless internet adapters.

10.  My breadmaker.  A gluten-free mom’s best friend.

11.  Haagan Dazs.

12.  Tivo.  bloop-BLOOP-BLOOP.

13.  Huggies Overnights diapers.   My son is not wanting to potty train and holds it like a camel.

Yay!  I made it to 13!