30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 15

Today I am thankful for Ryan’s gymnastics teacher, Adriane. Ryan is, to put it nicely, a bit of a challenge. To put it more bluntly, he’s a handful. And she is eminently patient with him (and with us). She manages to give him extra attention without slighting the other kids in the class. She doesn’t get annoyed when he and I have to have a wrestling match while she’s giving directions. And most impressively, she still likes Ryan even when he is at his most disruptive. (And he adores her, as well.) It takes a very special person to deal with other people’s children all day long, and Adriane does it with grace, patience, and genuine affection.

(Yes, Adriane is the one with a death grip on Ryan but still with a genuine smile on her face. And yes, Ryan is the one attempting to make a break for it.)


Three things I am thankful for today are hearing Katie’s first giggle, watching Ryan figure out how to work his new remote-controlled truck, and the lingering smell of fireplace in the living room.