Dearest readers, many months ago, I wrote a post about people and things in my life who deserved a hearty thank you. Because I am one to celebrate gratitude, I present to you another installment of Thank You Notes, courtesy of yours truly.
Thank you, kindergarten teacher.
Every week, you send my son home with schoolwork that requests that he glue strips of paper to another sheet of paper. Every week, we attach the slips of paper in various ways — scotch tape and masking tape are the norm. I haven’t had to use chewing gum yet, but I’m not opposed to it. We had glue, but it dried up, ok? At any rate, you still give him a “Good Job!” stamp or sticker. And I know I should buy more glue, but I haven’t yet. Still, thanks for letting it slide. I mean, he is at least doing the homework correctly.
Thank you, Mexican restaurants everywhere.
You’re just awesome and basically my favorite. But really, thank you for having endless chips and salsa, for being an eternal bottomless pit to fill the bellies of my bottomless pits while we wait on our food. Thank you for queso, and thank you for cheese quesadillas, and thank you for having non-Mexican food items on your kids’ menus for when my kiddos decide to be bratty and ask for Mexican food but want corndogs once we arrive. Did I say thanks for queso already?
Thank you, husband.
You found me pacing outside on the brink of tears. You asked if I was ok and when I shook my head no, you didn’t keep asking questions. You just hugged me tightly and let me soak your shirt. I couldn’t breathe because you smushed my nose, but I appreciated the thought. Sometimes I just have to cry it out.
Thank you, fruit snacks.
You are the perfect bribe. Time to cut fingernails? Fruit snacks. Tired of sitting through a haircut? Fruit snacks? Hungry while we’re out with no hope of real food? Fruit snacks. You come in all shapes and sizes: Curious George, Toy Story, all natural fruit, etc. The list goes on and on! These suckers have a shelf life that borders on magical, and I can almost always find a pouch of them in the bottom of my purse. Be right back — I need to re-up my stash.
Thank you, preschool teachers.
You didn’t ask any questions when my son had a long streak of black marker on his arm for well over a week. I promise you, he was showering, but he’s new at it, so we might have to use the term “showering” loosely. More often, it is simply getting wet, gently brushing a soap-filled loofah across the skin and listening to me yell orders from the other side of the shower curtain. He got wet, but not necessarily clean. We’re working on it.
Thank you, coffee.
Thank you for being you — always warm and cozy. Always ready to perk me up when I’m feeling down. Thank you for providing a warm steam bath for my face, for providing me warmth and for coming in so many different forms. I don’t think our forefathers would have ever imagined a day where iced coffee, macchiatos, lattes, and coffee ice cream would exist. I, for one, am grateful I never will know a day without you in your various forms.
Thank you, bedtime.
My kids’ bedtime to be exact. At roughly 7:45pm, the struggle begins, but the sweet reward is worth it. I love my children, but by 7:45pm we are over IT. After the storm of brushing teeth, pajamas, and cleaning up is over, they snuggle in their beds and say their prayers. We kiss them goodnight, turn on their nightlight that projects stars on the ceiling. We close the door and we PAR-TY! Netflix, ice cream, laundry, guilty pleasure TV — it.is.on.
So look around at your life and see what or who deserves a thank you — whether it’s legitimate or humorous or both. And to jog your memory or help you think, here are some thank you notes from the mastermind himself, Mr. Jimmy Fallon.
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