Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Weekend in the Great White North. So much to be thankful for this year.

The wife just passed the last of her many incredibly intense exams at the Canadian Police College. I'm so proud of, and thankful for, her.

After two months at the Canadian Police College, she arrives back here in the paradise that is Thompson, Manitoba, today at 3:20 p.m. So very happy, happy, happy to have her back. It's been a long two months and it has tested my parenting skills, my patience and my sanity. I passed my tests as well, although I can't claim high marks.

I'm thankful for my boys. Yes, they are reaching a stage of interaction that is, at times, difficult to handle. They are each laying claim to everything in the house, from each toy, to the dog and cat, to each couch and chair, to daddy's attention. And when one feels the other has invaded his turf, he is very vocal about it and daddy, the judge and jury, is summoned at high volume.

Also very high on my list of things to be thankful for, dadstayshome.com. It's an on-line meeting place for stay-at-home dads. I've mentioned them before, but I have gained a new appreciation for the site during these last two months. When the pressure was on and I needed to vent, to rant and to be heard, this bunch of SAHDs was there. There to laugh at me, offer encouragement and let me know someone was listening. If you are a stay-at-home dad, check this site out. You won't be sorry. I've explored a lot of SAHD sites on the net and this one is by far the most active. You can almost always find someone there to talk to when you have answered the preschooler's favourite question, "why?" for the 500th time in one day. Or when you have one of those days when it's snowing outside, both kids are sick, one gets croup, the furnace breaks down and the vacuum cleaner bag explodes.

And I'm thankful for the stuff I tend to take for granted: the roof over my head, the food on the table, the health of my boys and the love of my wife.

I'm thankful for the life I have. The RCMP lifestyle is not for everyone. It's a lot of things, but it's rarely boring. I've lived in more places than I thought I would and there are more to come. I've met new friends, seen things I never expected to see and done things I never expected to do (like driving a six-tonne snowmobile trail groomer 18 miles across a frozen Lake Winnipeg, and back).

This weekend we will be joining some of my wife's colleagues for Thanksgiving Dinner and I am really looking forward to it. Adult conversation, good food, new friends, a chance to escape the house and I DON'T HAVE TO COOK IT!

Have a great weekend everyone! Happy Thanksgiving!