Now I Lay Me down to Sleep......A Thanksgiving Reflection
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm going to reflect a bit and consider a few things than I am personally thankful for. Yeah, I know everyone does this....
It's been a very eventful year. To begin, the Chrysler plant where hubby worked as a tool & die maker for the past 10 years or so closed. Had such a thing happened 10 years ago, it would have been disappointing, but as a journeyman skilled tradesman, hubby would have found another tool & die maker position elsewhere albeit for a little less pay. Fast forward to 2009, and the game has changed. Since we don't make anything here is the USA except hamburgers, there are no manufacturing places, and therefor, no manufacturing related jobs. So, he hasn't worked since last December. But, we have no mortgage, car payments or debt of any kind. For this, I am especially thankful.
I have two kids. The eldest just turned 21 and is in a very good apprenticeship program with the IBEW. He's following in his grandfather's footsteps. He's not in jail, addicted to drugs or nearly as big of a schmuck as he was a few years ago. Ha- something else for which to be thankful!
He's been saving to buy his first place, and has over $10k set aside, but can't get a mortgage. Although he had a loan for $5,000 that he paid on time and in full a year and a half ago, he has no credit cards, so he can't get a mortgage. He tried to get a credit card, but because he doesn't have any credit cards, nobody will give him one. Geez, have things changed since I bought my first house 25 years ago. I'm sure glad I'm not just starting out these days. Ah-ha! -yet another thing to be thankful for!
My youngest child graduated from high school this year. She's a smart girl- national honor society, and a slew of other awards and honors, but she lost her mind this summer. She hooked up with a boyfriend that served time in jail for a serious crime, and time in a metal institution. He had her nearly convinced to leave home and go to Tulsa, OK to be with him. I've really tried not to micromanage my kid's lives at this stage in the game as I think it just causes resentment from young adults, but I HAD to make an exception here. I forbid her to go and told her that I would do everything in my power to stop it. She is still here, and just recently her boyfriend broke up with her. Wow! I am so thankful for that! She's even registered for a full scedule of classes at the local college. Whew...
As many of you know, my father recently passed away. He had cancer, but his prognosis was quite good, He under went chemo and surgery. The cancer was very localized, and was successfully removed. About 6 weeks post surgical, he started to have internal bleeding near the surgical area. This continued for a month and a half with the bleeding episodes getting closer together and more severe. My father had always made his thoughts on quality of life quite clear. My brother and I agreed and told the ICU staff to only provide my father with comfort care. My father was very weak, but we had a chance to say good bye. Because of the tubes and weakness, he couldn't speak, but he could make facial expressions. As I said my goodbyes, he looked at me and knitted his brow (he would do that whenever he got emotional). Both of his eyes welled up and a tear dropped down from the edge of his right eye. He knew. He knew he was loved, he knew it was his time, he knew we would be OK, and he knew it was goodbye. His passing was peaceful and not prolonged from that point. I'm thankful that I had such a wonderful dad, and that he isn't suffering anymore.
My fathers illness and passing, although a sorrowful cloud, has a silver lining. I only have one sibling, my older brother. Honestly, he was involved with drugs and alcohol abuse for years, and was a nightmare as a teen. I always felt like he made life very unpleasant for our family, and was resentful towards him for a very long time. To some degree, I even blamed him for my parents' divorce. But, we were force to spend many hours together due to my father's situation. From this, I realized that he isn't the same person at all anymore. Actually, we are far more similar than I could have ever imagined. Although this episode ended with us losing our father, I feel like I gained a brother- and a darned good one at that. I am extremely thankful for that blessing.
OK, but what does this have to do with "now I lay me down to sleep"? Well, that is one of the first phrases that comes to my mind at Thanksgiving. You see, when I was about 3 years old, I wanted desperately to say grace at the Thanksgiving table. After a fair amount of begging and bugging, my mother conceded and told me to keep it short. Well, I only knew one prayer, but it had nothing to do with eating or Thanksgiving....hmmm....so I improvised!
Happy Thanksgiving!
It's been a very eventful year. To begin, the Chrysler plant where hubby worked as a tool & die maker for the past 10 years or so closed. Had such a thing happened 10 years ago, it would have been disappointing, but as a journeyman skilled tradesman, hubby would have found another tool & die maker position elsewhere albeit for a little less pay. Fast forward to 2009, and the game has changed. Since we don't make anything here is the USA except hamburgers, there are no manufacturing places, and therefor, no manufacturing related jobs. So, he hasn't worked since last December. But, we have no mortgage, car payments or debt of any kind. For this, I am especially thankful.
I have two kids. The eldest just turned 21 and is in a very good apprenticeship program with the IBEW. He's following in his grandfather's footsteps. He's not in jail, addicted to drugs or nearly as big of a schmuck as he was a few years ago. Ha- something else for which to be thankful!
He's been saving to buy his first place, and has over $10k set aside, but can't get a mortgage. Although he had a loan for $5,000 that he paid on time and in full a year and a half ago, he has no credit cards, so he can't get a mortgage. He tried to get a credit card, but because he doesn't have any credit cards, nobody will give him one. Geez, have things changed since I bought my first house 25 years ago. I'm sure glad I'm not just starting out these days. Ah-ha! -yet another thing to be thankful for!
My youngest child graduated from high school this year. She's a smart girl- national honor society, and a slew of other awards and honors, but she lost her mind this summer. She hooked up with a boyfriend that served time in jail for a serious crime, and time in a metal institution. He had her nearly convinced to leave home and go to Tulsa, OK to be with him. I've really tried not to micromanage my kid's lives at this stage in the game as I think it just causes resentment from young adults, but I HAD to make an exception here. I forbid her to go and told her that I would do everything in my power to stop it. She is still here, and just recently her boyfriend broke up with her. Wow! I am so thankful for that! She's even registered for a full scedule of classes at the local college. Whew...
As many of you know, my father recently passed away. He had cancer, but his prognosis was quite good, He under went chemo and surgery. The cancer was very localized, and was successfully removed. About 6 weeks post surgical, he started to have internal bleeding near the surgical area. This continued for a month and a half with the bleeding episodes getting closer together and more severe. My father had always made his thoughts on quality of life quite clear. My brother and I agreed and told the ICU staff to only provide my father with comfort care. My father was very weak, but we had a chance to say good bye. Because of the tubes and weakness, he couldn't speak, but he could make facial expressions. As I said my goodbyes, he looked at me and knitted his brow (he would do that whenever he got emotional). Both of his eyes welled up and a tear dropped down from the edge of his right eye. He knew. He knew he was loved, he knew it was his time, he knew we would be OK, and he knew it was goodbye. His passing was peaceful and not prolonged from that point. I'm thankful that I had such a wonderful dad, and that he isn't suffering anymore.
My fathers illness and passing, although a sorrowful cloud, has a silver lining. I only have one sibling, my older brother. Honestly, he was involved with drugs and alcohol abuse for years, and was a nightmare as a teen. I always felt like he made life very unpleasant for our family, and was resentful towards him for a very long time. To some degree, I even blamed him for my parents' divorce. But, we were force to spend many hours together due to my father's situation. From this, I realized that he isn't the same person at all anymore. Actually, we are far more similar than I could have ever imagined. Although this episode ended with us losing our father, I feel like I gained a brother- and a darned good one at that. I am extremely thankful for that blessing.
OK, but what does this have to do with "now I lay me down to sleep"? Well, that is one of the first phrases that comes to my mind at Thanksgiving. You see, when I was about 3 years old, I wanted desperately to say grace at the Thanksgiving table. After a fair amount of begging and bugging, my mother conceded and told me to keep it short. Well, I only knew one prayer, but it had nothing to do with eating or Thanksgiving....hmmm....so I improvised!
Hey- it was short..."Now I lay me down to sleep, gobble gobble, gobble."
Happy Thanksgiving!
You have a wonderful family and a lot to give thanks for. I love your blog and i wish you and your family the best! Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to you as well. Your storie's of your children are very similar to mine;my daughter of 25 has a good job, but has avoided credit. She can't get a new car loan without a cosigner, and she has a 6,000 down, a trade in, on a car loan of 9,000 net, because she has no credit card history. How far things have come in such a short time!
Found your blog today and spent many hours here.
Thank you for all the info.
I very much like your writing and family story above.
Came home yesterday from Thanksgiving in PA with family and my 91 year old mother.
Came back to NYC with her old 301A Singer.
Learned to sew on her featherweight and remember when she got the (color:LBOW) 301 when I was 10 in 1956.
Currently I was without a machine; burrowing a friends. Making camping quilts and accessories for hammock camping.
So nice to have the old singer under my hands again.
Am grateful for your site, review and information.
The machine must have been
cleaned and a new electric cord supplied when it was put away in it's carrier box about a decade ago when she got a new machine.
(BTW after read your review, laughing, went to sniff the carrier and it does not smell)
Expect to keep this until my last sewing decade.
Thanks again for your information and good reading.
Gallina
First Credit Card: I had always paid cash, so I had no credit history. Wells Fargo Bank suggested I get a secured card. I put up 300 dollars and they issued me a cc with a 300 limit. I used it a lot, so I would have a lot of activity on it. After one year, of not going over the limit, or not being late... I was issued a check for my 300 deposit, and was issued a regular, non-secured cc, and my good credit history was reported by Wells Fargo. After that, credit card companies sent me offers to obtain their cards. Maybe your son could look into this avenue. Worked for me. Good luck to him.
I just found your blog and read your heartbreaking/heartwarming Thanksgiving story. I want to thank you for being so open and honest and vulnerable by sharing your story. I too have a dad who is suffering from cancer and this holiday season I am grate ful for having him as long as I can.