10 Things I'm Thankful for This Holiday Season (What Are You Thankful For?) by Mike Prochaska

Today I had a bad day. So, as I was speeding home to meet the kids on the bus, I started to think about things I was thankful for before dealing with the craziest of home. Here are 10 things I am thankful for this holiday season:

• I am thankful for my wife who works her tail off at Clearbook in Arlington Heights, Ill., making sure all 70 of her clients with disabilities are taken care of, fed and dressed. This population seems to flock to her like kiddos do to me. I don’t honestly know how she does it. After work she has to come home and deal with me, two kids and a crazy dog. I am thankful she gave me one of the best, most-exhausting jobs in the world of being a stay-at-home dad for six years.

• I am thankful for my two crazy kids who make every day an adventure! They both are growing up so fast. My daughter is always so happy and full of life and wants to make art projects for everyone. I love how she gets so excited over the simplest things – like a box. My son is Mr. Social and invites the entire neighborhood over every day to play, and he can talk your ears off about every topic under the sun.

• I am thankful for cousin days and no-school days when our house is full of kids playing and exploring the world together. I love watching them make up their own games and just being kids. I love watching the crazy ideas they come up with all the time!

• And snow days! Why don’t parents love snow days? I was so excited to go play in the snow with the kids until we were freezing, then going inside to drink hot cocoa and do it all again a few hours later!

• Going to work where the ratio of kids to adults is higher. One adult to four kids is like a vacation after being at home.

• Coffee!! Coffee gives me energy to keep up with the kiddos! I remember when coffee would keep me awake for a week, now I am glad it keeps me going for a day.

• School lunches. We haven’t had to pack our kids a lunch all year because they have a hot lunch program at school.

• Gracie, our dog. I can’t even put it into words how amazing it is to watch my son with our dog. They sleep together, lounge on the couch together, and that dog is so good to him. She lets him hug and climb on her and she is always protecting him for whatever she thinks is going to “get him,” which, most of the time, is shadows.

• My minivan. I still remember driving around with three kids in a four-door car. I am so thankful for our messy, kid-mover minivan that always has five car seats installed even though we only have two kids. You never know when you will end up with extra kids for an adventure.

• I am thankful for Donna John for being an awesome editor, and 30Seconds and Elisa All Schmitz for giving me a place to share the importance of play and involved men.

So, tell me what you are thankful for this Christmas season!

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