When "Thank You" isn't enough

I have amazing people in my life. People whom I will never be able to repay. People who leave me speechless at their willingness to drop everything and help (me) when they have a million other things to do. There are times when a simple "Thank You" isn't enough. Tonight is one of those times. 

To My husband - who should probably get some kind of a medal. These last few months have absolutely not been easy and you've been a trooper. I'm forever grateful that we are on this journey together. I love you so much more than words can explain. even when I'm being a brat.

First, my parents. I don't deserve them. My Dad has single-handedly been the general contractor on this house remodel from the beginning, while running a business. He gets up between 415 and 430 every single morning, goes to work, comes home for a change of clothes, and heads over to "the cabin" where you can find him until 8 or 9 pm every. single. night. Since September. No joke. And he's 52. How could I ever Thank him for that? My mom has kept it all going. She is practically managing two households, grocery shopping, planning meals, doing laundry, cleaning up, running errands, for a family of 5 instead of 2, and still offers to help me keep up with things at school. She. never. stops. If she isn't at her home, she is helping me make our home "perfect". Did I mention that she also watches G with his cousin one day a week and many more nights than she should have to. These are just things my mom and dad do for Casey and I. They are also constantly doing for my brothers' families, church families, and their siblings' families as well. And they never blink an eye. Ever. While I was on spring break this past week, my parents worked from sun up to sun down to help us move in to our house. Thank you is like a needle in a hay stack for what they deserve. Did I mention they have let us live with them for the last 9 months. And they genuinely love it. 

My brothers and their amazing wives. One of them lives 3 hours away, but they constantly text and call asking for pictures and to see the house the only way they are able. They are thoughtful and sincere and I love them dearly. The other, has been on vacation - and on their first day home, when they need to do their own catch-up, they give me their whole entire day. The whole thing. Without hesitation. They don't have to do these things for me, but they do. because they are awesome. This is just a glimpse of the things in which I should thank them for. 

Aunt Jackie and Uncle Bill - they've always been my second parents, which means they are always there for me by default. And it isn't like they haven't had enough things going on in their lives. They show up early, and stay late to help out. They bring food...and it isn't just any food, it is delicious. Always. They don't have to do any of this, but they do and a simple "thank you" just won't cut it for them. 

My cousins. One has been in ICU - the intensive. care. unit. she still checks in to see how things are going. And she has a toddler. Yea, she's awesome. The other - just had a new baby girl...their first baby girl. This sweet baby's mama came over this week to help. Did I mention she just had a baby - like 2 weeks ago? She strapped that baby on like a champ and got right to work - with her mom, because her mom is awesome too. And then, she let her husband out of the house for practically the entire day on a saturday - one of the 2 days he gets to spend with his new, fresh, sweet baby girl. He gave it to me - to help us out. "Thank you" will never be enough for them (or his in-laws, who came just because. they are so awesome!).

My grandparents - who come just to see the new house, marvel at it's beauty, and make vegetable soup. And then offer to help any way they can. I'm 27 so the g-parents are getting up there...(sorry if you are reading this!) but they have no business helping us move. The fact that they even offer to help is enough to be grateful for. Their giving hearts are something I wish to inherit. And pass on. 

I know I am forgetting people. My Aunt Cindy left her husband's birthday lunch to spend an afternoon washing boxed up dishes at our house. Thank you! My Uncle Vance, comes by almost daily - just to stop by and brings popcorn. Thank You! Please don't be offended if I forgot someone, I'm running on little sleep, but THANK YOU!

I want to shout it from the rooftops - Thank YOU! I owe you and I promise to pay it back or forward - for as long as it takes. I aspire to be like you. 

sorry for this jumbled mess. My graciousness has me blubbering like an idiot. 

Who's to blame?

Prepare yourself for my opinion: this is my blog after all. 

Last week, I had a conversation with a very nice man. We covered quite a few topics, but there's one that struck me and has resonated with me since. He said when he was in 8th grade, very few students in a rather large class weighed over 200 lbs, had asthma, allergies, or other chronic health problems plaguing our youth today. He then proceeded to tell me to look at my 8th graders and see if I could say the same.  Without giving me time to disagree, he said there could only be one common denominator....how we grow, prepare, and consume food. 

WAIT. JUST. ONE. MINUTE. Am I in a chipotle ad? When you walked through the Ag shop, did you fail to realize I was an Ag teacher? Are we really blaming the obesity epidemic on food? I can guarantee you that the sleeve of Girl Scout cookies I just ate are not responsible for my expanding waist line. My hand, controlled by my brain, placing each and every single delicious thin mint in to my mouth is responsible. 

Not the GMOs that help us feed the ever growing population, or even the antibiotics that keep my animals healthy. I know it isn't the use of naturally produced hormones that has helped us reach a much more efficient rate of production or even the pesticides, dye colors, and preservatives. I can blame absolutely no one single person or thing except for myself. 

Have we ever considered that "kids these days" are lazy because we have spent generations working our asses off to make their lives easier? It takes less farmers to feed us which allows for more families to have the privilege to get off the school bus and lay on the couch watching tv for hours until dinner is ready. The dinner that practically jumped off the grocery shelf in to your high tech cart with holes for your overpriced latte. We have developed technology to make our lives easier and information readily available. It isn't necessary to physically get off the couch to turn the channel on the tv or walk the aisles in the library searching for the information necessary to complete our homework assignments. 

So many of our ancestors worked for us to get to this point of complacency. Now...If it isn't easy, they don't want it. I just want to quit blaming everyone else and start taking the blame ourselves. It's not my fault as a teacher for students that are failing. It isn't the pencils fault for misspelling words. A gun doesn't kill people. Food is NOT making people fat. You are making yourself fat. Now, get off your ass and do something about it. 

Ill be cheering from the couch. Kidding,