A very full day and evening with Joey ended with a nice ride home and a very cooperative time getting him changed and into bed. He flopped into bed like one of his Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls! And so did I!

I couldn’t have “done” that day alone. I had helpers. And as I look in the rearview mirror of his 36 years, I again realize we’ve had many wonderful people in his life helping him and us in so many ways. Here are a few:

• Grandparents
• Aunts
• Sisters
• Parents (Joe and I!)
• Bus drivers
• Friends from Church
• Friends in the neighborhood
• Drivers who help me occasionally – getting him from work
• Friends from “forever” ago that keep us on the straight and narrow with our attitudes
• Doctors
• Therapists – Occupational, Speech, Physical
• Teachers
• Aides
• Hospital workers (nursed, techs, etc.)
• Add YOUR helpers:

There are so many more. Many offers along the road of life came from people who welcomed the opportunity to help last minute or “fill in” in a pinch. I’ve not “tapped into” that list, but it is there, and I occasionally mention to those people how thankful I am that they have made that gracious offer. It’s like an insurance policy with excellent coverage for us, and it has a good and safe feeling attached to it.

During this month of THANKSGIVING we give thanks for and to those who’ve lightened our load, helped Joey grow and become a very wonderful young man, given Joey breaks from us, and us from him, emotionally lifted us up in times of challenge, kept us on all the “right foot” when we want to give up, and well, that list goes on and on, too!

Who helps share your load; your challenge? Taking a moment to make a phone call, write a note or blog to say THANK YOU to that helper who was there when we needed that extra helping hand when couldn’t go the distance – might also help them go the distance with their own challenges and struggles. I know we’ve made it this far because they helped us get where we all our today – THANK YOU!