Family and Gratitude

Family and Gratitude 

By Andrea Tadpole-Broussard 

11/23/23

It is funny that this memory of my brain surgery popped up in my Facebook feed today. This all happened in December 2020. It turned out that my brain was sagging outside of my skull. A simple 2 hour job to patch a leak, turned into a 9 hour surgery to put my brain back where it belonged! Recovery took me a year. Today I am grateful that I am not in a nursing home playing in my pudding with no memory. There are small differences that only I notice, but I have found ways to deal with it. 

My Dad was still alive at that time and I deeply miss him. I know he is home with God and we will meet again some day. Regardless, I still wish I could take him a bucket of KFC and chocolate cake. Just sit with him and talk about nothing and everything all at once. Those are the times I took for granted until they were gone. Now, they are treasured memories I cling to.

Some time between now and February we are going to have 2 beautiful, little, identical twin girls to add to our family. Can you believe it? I am going to be a great-grandmother!! My granddaughter Destiny is riding the storm out of her body being taken over with the twins! She is turning into an amazing woman, right before our very eyes. 

This time next year, my granddaughter Kaylee will be married to the love of her life. My middle granddaughter, Bella will be a high school graduate and well into her first semester of college. My youngest granddaughter, Courtney will be doing whatever her heart is led to do. My only grandson, Michael will be in kindergarten and I know he will be teaching everyone geography, even the teachers! I am sure the twins will be keeping Destiny and Zane very busy. My kids Sedrick and Alicia and their other halves will still be working their butts off to take care of their families like we all do. I guess my point is, life goes on.

At the end of the day, family is what matters most. While sitting here watching people pile in to share a meal with the ones they love on this Thanksgiving, I am reminded that family is not always blood. It is who I define it to be. I am so blessed and grateful for MY family.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I will always love you more!!

Andrea