fw: Being Thankful...

[Guest guest]

This might ring some bells!

Caroline

Jersey

THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR

When I was younger, I remember receiving the inevitable homework

assignment to write an essay on " something I am thankful for " . Then I'd

spend a lot of time sitting in my room trying to figure out just what in

the world that could possibly be; and I'd end up writing down everything

I could think of from God to environmental consciousness. But after

having children, my priorities have clearly changed:

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful to have been born the USA, the most

powerful free democracy in the world.

AFTER CHILDREN : I am thankful for Velcro tennis shoes. As well as

saving valuable time, now I can hear the sound of my son taking off his

shoes - which gives me three extra seconds to activate the safety locks

on the back seat windows right before he hurls them out of the car and

onto the freeway.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for the recycling program which will

preserve our natural resources and prevent the overloading of landfills.

AFTER CHILDREN : I am thankful for swim diapers because every time my

son wanders into water in plain disposables, he ends up wearing a blimp

the size of, say, New Jersey, on his bottom.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for fresh, organic vegetables.

AFTER CHILDREN : I am thankful for microwaveable macaroni and cheese -

without which my children would be surviving on about three bites of

cereal and their own spit.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for the opportunity to obtain a college

education and have a higher quality of life than my ancestors.

AFTER CHILDREN : I am thankful to finish a complete thought without

being interrupted.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for holistic medicine and natural herbs.

AFTER CHILDREN : I am thankful for pediatric cough syrup guaranteed to

" cause drowsiness " in young children.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for all of the teachers who had taught,

encouraged and nurtured me throughout my formative years.

AFTER CHILDREN : I am thankful for all of the people at Weight Watchers

who let me strip down to pantyhose and a strategically placed scarf

before getting on the scale each week.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for the opportunity to vacation in

exotic foreign countries so I could experience a different way of life

in a new culture.

AFTER CHILDREN : I am thankful to have time to make it all the way down

the driveway to get the mail.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for the Moosewood Vegetarian cookbook.

AFTER CHILDREN : I am thankful for the Butterball turkey hotline.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for a warm, cozy home to share with my

loved ones.

AFTER CHILDREN : I am thankful for the lock on the bathroom door.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for material objects like custom

furniture, a nice car and trendy clothes.

AFTER CHILDREN : I am thankful when the baby spits up and misses my good

shoes.

Jersey, British Isles