cuñadas

November 1 – A family member.

Today's prompt is tricky because I have a large family.  How do I only choose 3 people?  Fortunately, I posted about how thankful I am for my parents fairly recently, so that relieves a little of the pressure.

So I'm going to take a different direction.  I have three brothers.  They are all awesome in their own rights.  Adam is 3 years older than me, John is about 2 years younger, and Joseph is 7 years younger.  I could (and will, one day) do a post about each of them.  They all play the gee-tar and sing songs, as pictured below.

I love you brothers, but today, I'm thankful for your wives.  I have 3 amazing sisters-in-law, and they deserve a little time in the spotlight. 

APRIL:  I am thankful for April because she reminds us all to play and have fun.

She always finds something to giggle at.  She reminds us that we don't have to take everything so seriously.  She knows how to be silly, which is not a skill I have.  She is a great mom to six beautiful children and a supportive, devoted wife to my headstrong brother.  (and she doesn't look a day older than when we graduated high school together 17 years ago... no fair!)

                            

April - thank you for your smiles, your light-hearted spirit and your loyalty to our family.  I think you've been around so long that it would be easy to take you for granted.  I really can't imagine life without you!

DEJAH:  I am thankful for Dejah because she doesn't do anything halfway.

If she is going to love you, she is going to love hard.  If she is your friend, you are the only person in the world.  If she works for you, she gives her all.  She didn't tiptoe into the family, she waltzed in and basically said, "Here I am, I'm here to stay, so you really don't have any choice but to love me."  And we do.

Dejah - thank you for living a life of passion.  Thank you for giving us all a chance even when we didn't want to give you one!  You knew what you were signing up for and you and you never batted an eyelid.  Plus, you are the classiest hot mess I've ever known. 

MELANIE:  I am thankful for Melanie because she makes me want to be a better person.

(It is very telling that she does not have a single picture on her facebook in which she is the sole subject.)  She is clever and quick and is constantly looking out for other people.  She has a way of living an incredibly admirable life without being judgy.  She isn't preachy, she is just so cute and humble and modest (and self-deprecating) that you can't help but want to know her secret.  (Which isn't a secret.... she wears her faith on her cardiganed sleeve.)

Melanie - thank you for being such a beautiful example of humility and grace.  I love that you go with the flow most of the time but stand strong and don't waver when things matter.  Shakespeare was talking about you when he wrote "Though she be but little, she is fierce!"  

I'm not sure how all 3 of my brothers found such beautiful, smart, talented and fun women, but I'm so glad they did.  xoxo