Thankful Thursday

I am overjoyed, thankful, laughing with uncontainable excitement, smiling from ear-to-ear, calling everyone in my phonebook to say that a very generous firefighter has given up his opportunity to be off on Christmas Eve so that Ryan can be at home with us!  For the first time in a few years!!!  I love Ryan's job.  I don't mind the shifts.  But there are times that I loathe it.  Christmas is one of those times.  Not just for me, but trying to explain to the kids & seeing their disappointment when he has to miss things that are important to them.  It's always been our life.  They've never known any different.  But it's still hard.  Especially Christmas. 

This really is an answer to my prayers.  We always have to be creative with when Santa visits.  Ryan doesn't want to miss it either!  This morning on the way to school, the boys were discussing watching Santa on the Norad radar...this has to be their favorite holiday tradition.  They watch it for HOURS!  Silently, I began praying in car-line this morning that somehow, someway, someone would be willing to work so that Ryan could be off.  I kept this to myself.  I almost always end up feeling selfish, because I do realize that someone has to work on the holidays & that no one wants their husband/wife/father/mother/child to be that person.  I had not talked to Ryan all morning, when the phone rang just as I was entering the dentist office.  He called just to say that a co-worker had come to him & said that since he didn't have small children at home, he would like Ryan to have the day with his family.  I squealed so loud that I scared the kids =)

Thank you God for hearing my prayer & Thank you Dennis for generosity!  This is already the best Christmas present ever!