Giving thanks...

There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.

--Ralph H. Blum

I am grateful for my oldest son, Ammon. I love him so much. He is clever and witty. He is obedient and almost always kind. He is a deep thinker and expresses himself so well.

He's very sincere, compassionate, and just an all around good kid. Because I've raised him on a strict Dr. Seuss diet, he rhymes like crazy. Sometimes he'll just stand up and throw out a spontaneous rap. It amazes us because he's never even heard a rap song except for the ones on the Sing-Off. Anyway, I think I'll share some poetry with you. First, a song to be sung to the tune of the chorus of "God Bless the U.S.A." (You know, the part that starts with, "I'm proud to be an American."):

I’m proud to be a librarian where people sit and read.

And I won’t forget the man alive, who gave this job to me.

And I gladly walk around to every wall hanging "Please Be Quiet" signs.

But what I love most of all is collecting people’s fines.

And then there's this one. I think it's an ode to a sidewalk, or something:

O long sidewalk, so strong, so stiff

If people fall down on you, they sob and sniff.

Do you get discouraged when people walk all over you?

But you can't talk, so I don't have a clue.

I'm pretty grateful for Ammon for more reasons than I can list.