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How do the Fridays come so quickly?! I suppose it’s because we’re approaching the hectic schedule of the end of another school year. But I’m so glad to introduce you to another member of our staff today.

I have to confess, I was a bit worried about asking him to do this blog post. He has been through some very difficult times over the last several months (some of which he shares with you below), and I know sometimes it’s so hard to look on the “bright side” of things when things are tough.

Whitby_LayneBut in true Layne Whitby style, he agreed to share some of his thoughts, and it brought tears to my eyes. He “gets” it – and knows that even though sometimes life doesn’t always go the way we want it to, there is still much to be grateful for.

He writes:

When I think of gratitude, I always remember the words of my late mother. As a kid, and also as an adult, whenever I would be feeling down about something she would start singing a line of a church hymn: “Count your blessings, name them one by one.”

So that is what I am going to do for this blog. I am going to going to count my blessings and name them one by one.

1. I am grateful for my loving wife. She is my best friend and surpasses all expectations on a daily basis. I have health problems that make it so she has to do even more than she should, and she does it all without complaint. Her service to our family is the definition of unconditional love.

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2. I am grateful for my children. We have been blessed with three sons (11, 7 and 5). They make life fun and interesting and keep us really busy. They all play sports, so almost year-round we are running them to games and practices. As much as I loved playing sports, there is nothing more gratifying than watching your kids. It also gives me the opportunity to pass on what knowledge I have and teach them skills that I learned. But most of all they are also good students and citizens. As you can probably tell, I couldn’t be more proud!

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3. I am grateful for my mother and father. My mother passed away three months ago, and it is still very hard to make it through the day without speaking to her. She was the rock of our family and really one of the two best people I have ever known (my wife being the other). Every day I am thankful for all that she taught me with her example of love and service. She was the most selfless person and was always serving others.

My father is the strongest person I have ever known. He served our country as a Marine scout sniper during the Vietnam War. His humility in regards to his service is astonishing. He has been contacted by authors wanting to write books about his experiences during the war, but he politely declines. He has no interest in gaining attention for what he did there. His example of hard work is something I don’t know anyone could rival. There were times when I was a child that he worked four jobs and we would only get to see him for about a half hour a day because he was so busy.

The most difficult part of having the parents I do is living up to their legacy. I have often told people that I am not my parents and know I can never live up to their greatness.

4. I am grateful to be alive. A little over two years ago, I was diagnosed with my second case of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). I had three veins that had clots, and those veins had already suffered severe damage from my first DVT seven years earlier. Because of all the damage to my veins I developed post thrombotic syndrome. The pain and swelling can be disabling.

But as difficult as it has made my life, I am still here. Many people who get clots die from a pulmonary embolism, which is what took my mother. Living in constant pain has given me a new perspective on life. Instead of wanting to jump higher and run faster, I get excited about walking without my cane. Instead of playing basketball with my kids, I sit and watch them play with my leg elevated. But the most important thing is that I am still here to be with them. And for that I am truly grateful.

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5. I am grateful for my job. I work for the best people on earth (and I’m not just saying that because of this blog). They have been understanding and supportive of the limitations I have because of my health. I know without a doubt that if I was working somewhere else I would probably be on disability and taking from the system. But instead I am able to contribute and be productive doing what I can from where I can. That means so much to my family and I.

I also work with some of my best friends. Going to work is something I get excited about, and I love the atmosphere at our office. We really do feel like a big extended family.

I could go on for hours and hours about what I am thankful for. As difficult as my life has been, I know that there are others who have tougher trials. That doesn’t make things any easier but it does give me the perspective to do as my mother taught me to always count my many blessings and name them one by one.

Thank you, Layne! I admire you so much, especially as I have watched you and your family over the last several months deal with the trials and hardship that have come into your lives. Your faith and courage is inspirational to me, and I am grateful to know you!