FOUR. It’s a four-letter word. One. Two. Three. Four.
Today I present to you four good reasons why I am thankful.
My husband, Randy, left to right, daughter Miranda, son Caleb, daughter Amber and me in a photo taken after Caleb’s high school graduation in June. The photographer is Marc, Amber’s boyfriend, another blessing in our family this year.
FAMILY: Hands down, family is among the most treasured of my blessings. I have a husband who loves and supports me (in more ways than one) and always, always encourages me. My three children (now all officially adults) are also loving and caring and just the best, and fill my mother’s heart to overflowing with love.
My extended family’s pretty great, too. I credit my mom, who turned 80 this year (so thankful to still have her in my life), for passing along her faith and compassion to me.
FRIENDS: For years, a group of us have met for bible study twice a month in each others’ homes. We’ve shared laughter and tears, given each other support and hope and prayed for one another and for those we know and love. Comforting peace comes from being held in the circle of such deep and caring friendship.
I have been blessed with many more friends, beyond this close group, who have woven their way into my heart and life. And that includes many of you readers out there whom I’ve never met.
A photo of Christ’s face from a stained glass window in my church, Trinity Lutheran, Faribault.
FAITH: Short and simple, my faith in God sustains me and gives me hope and joy.
A screen shot of the Tuesday, June 12, 2012, Freshly Pressed on the WordPress homepage. My post is featured in the bottom center. I’ve been Freshly Pressed twice since I began blogging, meaning my posts were chosen, for a single day, as among the top 10 WordPress posts in the world.
FANS: Perhaps “fans” is not the correct word for you, my readers. But since I’m going with “f” words here, I chose “fans.”
Because of you, I am encouraged daily to continue blogging, to share via words and photos the discoveries I make and my thoughts on life. You pushed my total monthly views to an all-time high of 28,467 in October and to a current average daily view of 940. I expect to surpass more than one-quarter of a million total views for 2012, more than 250,000 views in just this single year.
Amazing.
Thank you.
© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Amen!
I could add so many more reasons to be thankful to that list. I am blessed.
It has been both a pleasure and a privilege to join the ‘ranks’ as one of your “fans”/bloggy friends and I look forward to your writings in the year to come!! Hugs and Thanksgiving Blessings to you and your family, D
Ditto for you. And I expect eventually Randy and I will meet you and DH. It’s not like you live in Siberia and we need to return to explore more of your corner of the state. And you know how I enjoy discovering. And, yes, I promise. Soon I will publish posts about our visit to southeastern Minnesota in October.
Will be waiting for those future posts……maybe after the New Year when we are deep in the ‘white stuff’!!!!! And you are so right……there are really so few miles between us…..hmmmmmmmm. Have a great day. Am off to start on some craisin/pecan dinner rolls for tomorrow’s dinner at my brother’s.
Those rolls sound delicious. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family.
😀 The roll recipe is from a cookbook from the tea room in Wykoff, MN…..”The Bank Gift Haus and Mary’s Tea Room” (link: http://www.hometown-pages.com/main.asp?SectionID=11&SubSectionID=94&ArticleID=46046). These are in the bread/roll basket you get with your order, along with a dill roll (recipe in book, also). Such a fun place and one that seems to be “by its lonesome” in that somewhat isolated little town ….East of Spring Valley on Hwy 16 a bit then a mile, or so north. Been there????
Thanks, Doreen. No, I have not been to Wykoff.
On a related note, I always wanted to visit Brownlow’s Red Owl in LeRoy. And now it’s closed. Just goes to prove that one should not wait for some things.
Yes, in looking up the link for the tea room I caught my breath that it had “changed hands” again…back to Mary (as I read). The quilt shop in Spring Valley closed without warning and that was a destination for many of us here and then to lunch at the Bank Haus. Yes, we are ‘regulars’!!!!! Am anxious to see the new menu—-maybe a titch more “male” friendly!!
Oh, yes, we went to a “tea room” in Osakis this summer and my husband was the only one dining there. He felt really out of place and I told him I would never put him through that again.
Tom is very wary of such places unless there’s a site he can check out the menu!
what have you been feeding that boy, he has shot up! and i bet now that he is away at college you keep getting a surprise at how tall he is when he comes home on weekends dragging all his dirty laundry with him.. I am DYING to see my own boys, they are all tall and have to reach down to hug their little mother, Oh I cannot wait! c
My boy arrives home from Fargo late this evening and I cannot wait to see him. He’s been home only once in three months and I do miss him so. I can only imagine how much you miss your boys.
He had several growth spurts while in high school; seems I was always buying jeans and shirts to keep up with those ever lengthening limbs. I’m five-foot-eight, tall for a woman, so you know my son is tall, although I cannot remember exactly how tall. Will have to measure his height if he allows me to do so.
You are blessed indeed…..so many joys in your life. I’m blessed to have “accidentally” found you (your blog) this year. It was the one you did on West Concord…my mom’s home town 🙂 I hope someday our paths will cross, we’ve been very close! I hope you have a wonder Thanksgiving Audrey, enjoy your family !
I feel the same way about finding your blog, Jackie. I guess I never asked how you discovered Minnesota Prairie Roots. I need to revisit West Concord and write about Omar’s Cafe. What a fabulous place.
I expect we will eventually meet, especially if you’re in Faribault next spring to shop with your mom at Donahue’s Greenhouse and drive right by my house.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving too. My boy will be home tonight. Yeah! The girls will not be home for Thanksgiving, but so it goes.
Loving your post – thanks for sharing – Have a Great Thanksgiving – Be Blessed!!!
A blessed Thanksgiving to you too. Thank you for being among my faithful readers.
And I am thankful for you for one more way to stay connected to “home.” With family still in the area, that isn’t difficult, but it is nice to have the daily dose of things going on around there that my family may not attend!
Happy Thanksgiving! Love-Amy
Oh, dear, Amy, you touch my heart. So happy I can give you a daily glimpse of home. A most blessed Thanksgiving to you and your beloved Jon.
Love you!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and family. The picture of your family made me smile. Your son is so tall. Mine too. He towers over the rest of us.
Yup, a tall, tall boy.
Happy Thanksgiving to your and yours also!
Happy thankful day, my friend! Yes, these are four marvelous reasons to give thanks!
The list could stretch to infinity.
Indeed! Oh, and by the way, a few minutes ago Lucy said, “Remember how cool Audrey’s house is?” I said, “You mean her back yard?” “Yeah!” she said. We hadn’t been talking about you, she just remembered.
That Lucy. Give her a hug from me. I had no idea my backyard impressed her that much. We loved having you here. Maybe next summer we will finally get to the extreme sw corner of the state to explore.
🙂 We’d love to see you!
Audrey,
I really enjoy reading your blog and seeing the wonderful photos you include. You have a gift and deserve the recognition! Keep writing.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Ah, Nancy, thank you so much. A most blessed Thanksgiving to you and those you love!