Appreciation

If I have not said it recently, then I want each and every one of you to know I truly appreciate you.  New followers and old - who've been with me since my first anxious post - I am honored you stop by, sit for a spell with me and share a smile from your day.

I'm waxing a bit emotional because I had a little sit-down with Chipmunk.  At age seven, her world is her world and that's all she cares about.  I couldn't help thinking back to when I was her age, getting my first pair of glasses, getting talked about by other kids because I was officially "four eyes", dirt poor, and somehow a straight "A" student.  I showed her what my book stand looked like for me when I was her age.  After I emptied all her books, it was occupied by dust bunnies and swirlie whirls.  That's because I didn't have a book stand at her age.

I mention this because I, sometimes, forget to appreciate what I have.  Staring at that empty book stand made me want to bawl.  Although my mother took notice of my interest in books and eventually started doing things to help keep a book in my hand (accruing books and making sure I had a library card), it was hard for her as a high school educated single mother of three living in a neighborhood where hard work was not always looked upon as the "thing to do".  But she did work hard - and kept her sanity somehow raising us alone, and yes, still "alone" even after she married - and that gave me an appreciation for hard work.

I don't want to take any of you for granted.  I'm so thankful to every commentor, every person who's expressed interest in my Abby and Basil blog opera, every person who's shared a word of encouragement offline.

Everything you do.  Thank you.

*Note: No dust bunnies were injured in the making of this post and all the books are back on the stand, except those Chipmunk wants to give away so another little kid doesn't have to have an empty book stand.