Nov
24
Today I don’t think I can limit myself to just one thing to be thankful for. Today we are in College Station for the (soon to be cancelled) annual A&M/t.u. football game. Not only do we get to be in my favorite place, but my family and the Pike/Seeley clan is with us.
Today I am thankful for lifetime friends, family, food…and A&M. Now let’s just hope the Aggies can pull out a win 
Nov
23
Today I am thankful that I was able to spend 16 years with my older sister. We had a complicated relationship when we got to high school, but I have such incredible memories of us as kids. I loved her so much and I love my memories of us as little kids sleeping in the same bed by choice. We would stay up way too late talking and laughing while we were supposed to be sleeping her big waterbed. So many good times. I wish she was still here. Every milestone I have reached that she didn’t reach makes me miss her a little more. The day I started college I cried. The day I got married, the day I had my first baby. These are all things she never got the chance to do.
But I am thankful for the time I did get to spend with her. And I am thankful that the day the police officer came to the door to tell me she had died was the day that I literally forgot ALL of the bad stuff. People say that and I never believed it…but I am here to tell you it is true. I don’t remember any of the bad stuff, only the sweet memories are left
Love you Shelly!
Nov
22
Today I am thankful for health. I say this with all sincerity. I have so many friends (and thanks to the wonderful world of blog and the internet I know lots of strangers) with some pretty incredible health problems and tragedies. There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not consiously thankful that God has blessed my family with healthy bodies.
Nov
21
Today I am thankful for my friends. Growing up my parents were mainly focused on our family and didn’t have time for lots of their own friends. As I’m finding my way in this world and figuring out what is important to me I have found that friends are incredibly important to me. I love the friends that I have known since kindergarten, and the ones from college that I am lucky enough to take trips with and spend holidays with (looking at you Pikes!!). I am also thankful for the friends Randy and I have made as a marrie couple. I love each wave of friendship and I love keeping them in my life. I cherish the time I spend with these friends whether it is with our families, or girl time, or couple time.
Nov
20
Today I am thankful for yesterday. What a fantastic day. We had Thanksgiving with my family yesterday and I got to do what I love. I spent all day long in the kitchen cooking with my people. Then more of my people showed up and we ate (seriously) the single best Thanksgiving meal I have ever eaten (or cooked). It was awesome. Even more awesome is that everyone was happy to be there, we all had good times and good laughs and the topper is that it was 80 degrees and we ate dinner on the patio.
Then we proceeded to drink way too much while playing dominoes until 2:30 in the morning. Today I am NOT thankful for the after affects of too much wine and laughing way too late into the night. But I am thankful for the day
Nov
19
Today I am thankful for family. Not the greeting card type of thanks…but truly thankful that I have the family I have. We are disfunctional and have flair for the dramatic…but I love us.
Nov
18
Today is the anniversary of the bonfire collapse in 1999.
I was asleep in my bed (right across the street from campus) when my phone rang. It was my mom asking if I had heard the news. Obviously I hadn’t. I woke my roommate up and we all got dressed quickly and headed over to the site. What I saw when I got there was unlike anything I could have imagined. I truly don’t even know how to describe the scene other than to say it felt like a major crime scene or natural disaster. It was still early and the shock was still very real. No one spoke. The only sounds were tears and voices from the rescue workers.
Later in the day we went back to the site because I couldn’t stay away. Later in the day camera crews and media from around the state and eventually around the nation were on site. I cried and cried for no reason other than Texas A&M is who I am. Those kids crushed alive were my people. I felt a kinship and a fear and a pain so deep inside my heart that I didn’t know how to process it all.
That night there was a memorial/prayer service and it was probably the single most emotional experience of my life. Inside of Reed Arena was an incredibly respectful, and heartfelt service for the entire community to participate in (and it was standing room only). Outside it sounded like a war zone. Media helicopters circled constantly. Like I say, it was one of the single most significant events of my life.
All of this was emotional, and sad and terrible. The shining light in all were the Aggie Rings left by students at the site. As an Aggie my most important, prized and loved possession is my Aggie ring (then and now). Several dozen students didn’t know how to express their emotions so they did the only thing they could think of. They left their most prized possession at the foot of bonfire in honor and respect and memory of those people who unknowingly gave their lives to the school we all loved.
I love Texas A&M, I love College Station, and I love Bonfire. I am thankful that I was a student before Bonfire fell because I was present at 4 bonfires. I am even more thankful that I was a student when Bonfire fell. That tragedy bonded us to each other in the way that only a tragedy can.
One final thought. The weekend after Bonfire fell I had to get out of College Station. It was just too sad. I drove to Austin of all places to stay with my best friend Amber. I am forever thankful that I was able to see and hear the Austin/longhorn reaction first hand. The radio stations were talking of nothing else than how the longhorn community could support the Aggies in this time of tragedy. All conversation and thoughts were of support and love from the longhorns to the Aggies. In this tumultuous time of Texas A&M leaving t.u. to go to the SEC and all the hurt feelings that go along with it, I wish we could see a glimpse of what I saw that weekend. I wish we could remember that off the football field we really are in the this together. Our schools have a rich tradition of rivalry and sometimes hatred, but deep down we are on the same team. But thank the Lord we beat the Hell Out of t.u. The 12th Man won that game because there was no way we were going to lose.
As Reed likes to say ‘Gig em, Aggies’
Nov
18
Today I am thankful to hear the following words out of Reed’s mouth, ‘Mom-ma, my tummy hurts’. Stay with me, I’m not crazy and I’m not thankful that my little boy is sick.
I am thankful that he can finally verbalize what he is feeling. Being the mom of a small child is so hard when they are sick. They can’t tell you what’s wrong, they only know they hurt and so they do the only thing they know how to do…they cry. I feel like we have reached a significant milestone since he can specifically tell me what is wrong. He even pointed to a specific part of his tummy as the pain point (don’t worry, it is on the left side of his belly right above his waist. If it was on the right side we would be on our way to the doctor to rule out appendix issues.)
Nov
17
Today I am thankful for Thanksgiving. I know that sounds strange, but I finally have a break in the storm at work and I am making my Thanksgiving lists. HEB lists, recipe lists, invite lists, etc. We are doing Reasonover/Baldwin/Killam Thanksgiving this Saturday and I need to get myself organized. I am thankful for my favorite holiday. Thankgiving is a cook’s holiday which makes it my favorite (except Easter, and birthdays, ok I really love all holidays.)
Nov
16
Today I am thankful for the doctor who delivered Reed. (You can read about it here: http://blogs.randybaldwin.com/family/2009/03/true-knot-baby/)
Dr. Gonima truly saved Reed’s life by making the executive decision to perform a c-section. I didn’t have a birth plan, but I didn’t want a c-section. Dr. Gonima overrulled me and I am forever grateful to him. I am reminded to be thankful for Dr. Gonima today because I got to spend my lunch hour with my sweet almost 3 year old little boy for his Thanksgiving luncheon at school. Oh how I love that silly goose!
