Giving Thanks

Ok, so I am caught up in it.  I am now caught up in celebration of a holiday that my youth taught me was little more than a gorgefest.  A gorgefest with football.  A gorgefest with football, oh-  and did I mention, pretty little turkeys everywhere?  In an attempt to create a blogosphere-infinite-loop of sorts, I give you MD’s last post.

Tonight, in the interest of hugging my beautiful girls (two alive and one unborn), I bring you a strangely succinct post.  I bring you a description of what I am most thankful for.  I bring you my love(s) and I bring them to you in a Demboesque “image means a thousand words” -type format.  I might have been hesitant to do this a year ago.  Tell me I am too open if you think I am.  I know, I teach web-weirdness informally and weekly, and here I am still trying to figure this out.  Anyway, here we go…

What am I most thankful for?

momma and babe

…uh huh, that’s it.

How about we try one that is a bit more abstract?  Here is one from above:

daddy\'s legs

And really…  how can we celebrate mommy & babe and leave daddy out?

baby & daddy

And one last one for Michael…  of my “tadpole” (i love it, and so will she someday) as she was swimming in botanical monoculture this past July 4th:

triticum vs. homo

So-  happy thanksgiving day.  As my girls and I wait for another genetic gift… I ask you:

What are you thankful for?  I mean really thankful for?

Sean Nash

Biology teacher in the great state of Kansas. Back at it in the classroom after a 30-year career in Missouri. Former District Curriculum Administrator, Instructional Technology Coordinator, and Instructional Coach. Biology instructor since 1993. Find more about my passions and my work at http://nashworld.me

9 Comments

  1. First, a comment about your post and Michael Doyle’s last post…On Halloween this year I was playing a recording of “War of the Worlds” for my students and I’d set it up by telling them that this was broadcast before television existed when families sat around the radio to hear their “dramas.” The first student comment was, “when was TV invented, do you mean it has only been around 50-some years?” It reminded me that their history is today.
    As part of an exam they had to write a compare/contrast essay and among topic choices was home phone vs. cell phone. Many chose the topic and discussed how antiquated the home phone is and all the restrictions (space, privacy, format) that come with it.

    On to the topic at hand, I’m thankful for:
    My husband and sons who support me with unconditional love and limitless acceptance.
    My parents who always told me I could accomplish anything I wanted.
    My educators, past and present, who taught and teach me, sometimes without my recognizing or appreciating it.
    A new job that challenges me each day to be a better teacher and person. Wonderful administrators and peers who are ready to share laughs and tears in equal measure.
    140 students who demonstrate the capacity of the human mind and the variation of humankind, keep me honest, and force me to challenge my own view of the world.
    The Missouri Tigers!
    The Food Network
    My chocolate lab, Cocoa, and my yellow lab, Caramel.
    Friends who know me well, and like me anyway.
    A country where I can practice my faith, vote my conscience and speak my mind.
    People like Sean, Jeanette, Laura, and Kelly who inspire me, challenge me and accept me freckles and all.

  2. These are beautiful photos! I can’t wait to hear about the arrival of Neve.

    I am most thankful for my family, for my son being home, for my dad spending the last few days with us, for my nieces–who are the most wonderful little girls in the world–for my fiance, my soon-to-be step kids. I’m thankful for my job and the awesome people I work with and for the kids that I teach.
    I am thankful for being able to think, to laugh, to see the world around me.

  3. @Kerry, Jennifer, & Kelly – Thanks for the kind words. I am obviously quote proud of my girls… but have been sort of shy in sharing that online. I have mixed feelings about it. Apparently, I overcame them, eh?

    Kerry- you really put it out there… makes me wish I’d have listed ALL of my thanks as well. If so, I’d have quickly mentioned the most supportive and loving parents I have ever seen. They raised me in what was truly one of the most constructivist environments possible- without producing a perpetually-ornery kid.

    They just pretty much removed all of the barriers to my success that they possibly could. I always felt like I could explore and play to my heart’s content. Sometimes when I’m being a cocky punk, (i know… “who, Sean?”) my mom will remark that she didn’t know all of that “you can do anything you want and be anything you want to be” would go so quickly to my head. Heh. 😉

    Kelly- I can’t wait either. I cleaned all of the windows in the house today. All we have done for two weeks is polish the place up. I don’t know if it is “nesting” as much as it is putting your body to work while your mind is terribly busy in anticipation.

  4. Your pictures are beautiful. I am also thankful for my family and the joy I find in spending time with them. I feel so blessed and surrounded by love.

  5. Fatherhood, it’s a beautiful life-changing thing, isn’t it my friend? And yes, it embodies the very core of all things I am thankful for.

    • @Robert, Wow. Not sure how I missed this comment. I am trolling through all of my old posts to respond to being tagged on the “4R’s” blogging meme. So here’s one good result…

      Thanks, Robert. Life-changing for sure.

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