Thank Yous on Thanksgiving Day

I have about a million and a half Thank Yous to write, and I've told people that I just can't handle writing thank you notes, so what better place then here?

I can't say thank you enough to EVERYONE. I don't think I can really express how thankful I am, how much you have blessed us and made things somewhat easier for us these past couple months.

I'm just going to write a list, so bear with me. I'll also use first names, but not last, and they're in no particular order, whichever came to my mind next as I wrote this list. Please don't be offended if I have forgotten you, it wasn't on purpose. Quite honestly, I have had so many gifts, calls, donations etc etc that I haven't been able to keep everything and everyone straight.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to:

• All our our School families that brought us dinner while Barry was in the hospital and after he passed.
• The kids' teachers, and all the staff at the school for the gifts and gift cards
• All the parents who donated to the school's fund for us
• The booster club for the flowers for the funeral
• Lisa....you know why I am thankful. We are going to miss you guys!!
  
• Sara...you also know why I am thankful. You have been such a wonderful friend.
• Angela, for your wonderful friendship and fridge soup
• Adam and Donna, for the meals, for helping with the birthday party, for your friendship
• All the ladies at my MOPS group that prayed for us, brought us food at the funeral, dinners for a week afterward
• The ladies at Lori's MOPS group and Church for the gift cards
• Chaplain David at the hospital
• Deb, who was there with me the whole time at the hospital
• Amy and KC at the hospital
• Rick at the hospital
• All the Meet Up Group ladies for bringing us food for a week, and for the new friends I have made there.
  
• Cami for our movie night, dinner and snacks. I hope A gets you as a teacher!
  
• Everyone who donated to Rina's memorial fund for us
• Larina, thank you so very very much, I can't say enough.
  
• Scott and Andrea, it meant a lot to me
• Amanda, thank you so much for helping pay for our funeral outfits and a few fun things :)
  
• Melanie, I wear it all the time! I love it!
  
• Uncle Mike and Aunty Cheryl, it was really really helpful.
• Aunt Judy, Aunt Nancy and Aunt Lori (and your hubbys), thank you for the checks
• Liss, for the package of goodies from Australia! I'm saving some for Christmas still :)
  
• Rebecca, for being a listening ear, a good friend, and knowing what I am going through. I'm so glad we're friends! Thank you for opening your home to us, and having us over for dinner tonight. It has meant the world to me. I love ya!
  
• Christy, for being such a good friend and knowing exactly what I mean when i can't even say it, for knowing me so well, even though we've never met. I love ya!
  
• Black Tooth Callus Foot, Raccoon Face Cries A Lot, Brown Face Red Ears and the Irish man. I have already said my thank yous, but you know I mean it. I love you!
  
• Jarod for the help with the house stuff and teaching me how to thread the weed eater.
  
• The other 3 family members, Bryan, Kevin and Barry Sr, that filled in the holes in the yard
• Mimi for fueling my Costco addiction! Thanks for the membership!!! Lets go again soon!
  
• Everyone from Gymbo Friends for supporting me and the kids
• The two lovely ladies on Gymbo Friends that bought, and dedicated the Star in Barry's name, thank you so much for honoring his memory.
  
• Doug, I can't say enough. You and everyone else at work are fantastic.
  
• Dusty, you are so awesome and I really appreciate everything you did. Thank you for talking at the funeral
• Jeff, thanks for being a good friend to Barry and I, I am so glad I got to meet you.
• Michael, I am so thankful you were such a good friend to Barry and are being one to me, I really appreciate the phone calls. Please keep calling :)
  
• Everyone who came to the funeral to support us, thank you.
• Curt and Ken at the funeral home, Nancy too. I know it's your job, but your kindness meant everything to me.
  
• Connie, for being such a good listener last weekend.
• Dr Steve!!! I love ya, thank you so much for EVERYTHING. You've really helped me keep Barry alive in our hearts. I can't say how much it has meant to me, because there are no words.
  
• Everyone who called in for the Trucker Doody show on Weird Medicine and did the tribute to Barry, THANK YOU!
• Cari, thank you for that fun Saturday. It meant a lot to us and was great to get out of the house.
• All my new friends, you are all awesome!
• Everyone that has encouraged me in my writing, you've helped me keep going, thank you.
• Vickie, thank you for the phone!!!
• Monica, thanks for helping with A and babysitting, and inviting us out on Halloween.
• Michelle for the movie and for being an awesome twitter friend :)
  
• All the folks at my holiday grief support group
• Thank you to The Grocery Outlet, especially Cyndi and her husband
  
• Thank you to my children for also helping keep Daddy alive in our hearts. I love you guys!

And my last thank you goes to Barry. Thank you Barry for being the best husband I could have asked for. Thank you for loving me, for letting me love you. For trusting me and being my best friend, for allowing me into your life and marrying me. Thank you for providing for us, for sacrificing everything for us. Thank you for giving me the four best kids ever. Thank you for living on in them, so that we can see you always. Thank you for encouraging me, for believing in me, and knowing that I really did have potential. Thank you for celebrating the millennium with me, in Germany, on our honeymoon :). Thank you for driving almost everywhere when you were home, because you know I hated driving with you (and you hated me driving anyway! lol). Thank you for teaching me how to drive a stick shift. Thank you for teaching me new things, for helping me learn new things, and for forcing me to become more independent at certain times. Thank you for your wonderful Spaghetti, and for loving my cooking (I will always make no-bakes in remembrance of you). Thank you for being a Soldier and serving your country. Thank you for being the strongest man I have ever known.

Thank you for giving me the best 11 years of my life. Thank you for December 18th, 1999 when you went into Yahoo Chat and decided you liked my screen name and IMed me. Who would have thought a simple question like "What's Ska Music" would lead to a decade of love, family, and friendship. Thank you for August 28th '99 when you proposed to me in front of The Empress Hotel, and thank you for saying "Yes" on December 29th '99 when we took our vows and got married. Thank you for being YOU.

And lastly, thank you for being my best friend, my lover, my confidante, my everything. I will always love you.