Sharing gratitude

Last week during guidance class in Cora’s second grade, they discussed gratitude. She came home, and being her mother’s daughter, grabbed a pencil and paper and began writing. She begged chores off that night because she needed time to write. How could I say “no” to that?

As I was thinking about what my column should be about, and the approaching Thanksgiving holiday, I pondered for a moment writing a poem about all the things I am thankful for. Then I figured that reading a 7-year-old’s list of things she is thankful for might be more exciting.

I asked her permission to use her “gratitude book” as my column, and she happily obliged. I am also leaving her spellings as they are written, with a bit of help for those who may not be as proficient in deciphering children’s writing. I think sometimes as adults we think too hard about things to be thankful for, when in reality, the simplest ones are pretty great.

— I am thankful for Henry and Dane and Finley because they let me play with them.

— I am thankful for my toy cows, horses, sheep, chickens, goats, dogs, barns, and cars.

— I am thankful for Tassia because she let me go to her house.

— I am thankful for Uncle Tony because he was in the war.

— I am thankful for Aunt Sherry, Jadyn, Piper, Kendall, Jessa, Shaelynn, Whitlynn, Cole, Clayton, and Garrett because they help make lefse at the farm.

— I am thankful for my family because we get two turkeys for thanksgiveing.

— I am thankful for the hunters because they get to go hunting.

— I am thankful for Arabella (new red and white calf) because she is outside so she will be alive.

— I am thankful for my lego set because it helps me bild a pikcher (picture) of Ferdnand (Ferdinand the bull).

— I am thankful for the bin in my house because it is full of legos bilt.

— I am thankful for books because they give us informashane (information).

— I am thankful for my toy room in the farm house.

— I am thankful for Sophia (a friend) because she gets to go to her Gramas on Fridys.

— I am thankful for Hailey (a friend) she gets to go home right away.

— I am thankful for Stasy (Stacy) because she let me got to her house.

— I am thankful for Oliver because he helped me work on the farm.

— I am thankful for Peter and Linze (Lynzie) they let me go on a (horse) ride with them.

— I am thankful for Daylily (show calf) because she is helthey (healthy).

— I am thankful for silens (silence) to write.

— I am thankful I get to go to the cabin.

— I am thankful for a good book to read.

— I am thankful for my mom because she feeds me every day.

— I am thankful for a bed that is warm. I am thankful for a warm home.

— I am thankful for a warm blanket at night.

— I am thankful for Pa because he makes pancakes, waffles, and crepes.

— I am thankful for Ira because he hauls cattle.

— I am thankful I have a farm.

— I am thankful for a warm blanket at night.

— I am thankful for Stella because she milks cows at the farm.

— I am thankful for Garrett because he helped me move calfs.

— I am thankful for by barbeys (Barbies) because I can allways play with them.

— I am thankful for Lyla because she plays with me every day.

I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and a safe hunting season. May your plates be full and your meat hooks strong. I am thankful for all of you who read my wild writings year after year. Take care, dear friends.

Jacqui Davison and her family milk 800 cows and farm 1,200 acres in northeastern Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira, Dane, Henry and Cora, help on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos, and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.