I didn't participate in the Facebook "I'm thankful for..." game. I enjoyed reading other people's thoughts (mostly) but I've met myself before, and I'm pretty sure that I could never post for 30 days in a row. Well, I could. I just don't think I would.
Which doesn't mean, however, that I am not thankful for many things in my life. I am so very, very lucky to have so very, very many wonderful things in my life. An active, healthy family. A steady job that I enjoy. A warm and beautiful house. Good friends. You know the drill. My cup certainly overflows.
30 things I could have told Facebook I was thankful for......
1) The sass that is my daughter. She drives me crazy and lights up my life. All at the same moment.
2) The opportunity to watch Josh in class. He's growing up, and I get a front row seat every afternoon.
3) That James is thriving in third grade, spending each day with his best, best friends.
4) My husband, who only complains a little that I am always planning his life out, minute by minute.
5) My family. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, sister. You know, the ones who get Medford.
6) My friends. Cheese plates and wine and Diet Coke and lots of laughing. And kids. LOTS of kids.
7) The view out my back window.
8) That my friend's trip to Ethiopia changed my world viewpoint in a lasting way. Now, I want to go to Ethiopia, and I want to always remember what matters. And I didn't even have to pay for the plane ticket.
9) That other people keep supplying me with babies to snuggle.
10) That my new job pushes me out of my comfort zone. New places, new people, unanswered questions. And I haven't even died yet. Who would have thought?
11) Power Hour. James comes home with completed homework EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I could cry tears of joy just typing that.
12) A tight budget for the last three months. I'm glad to know we can and did live on a smaller budget as our finances adjusted from the whole purchasing a house while keeping the old one scenario.
13) The long season of bright red and orange leaves on trees this year. So beautiful.
14) That my kids are looking forward to making Christmas stocking for other kids almost as much as they are looking forward to their own.
15) That we have a steady flow of kids at our house. And that our kids join the steady flow of kids at other people's houses. Living here is giving them the childhood I want for them.
16) Chocolate ice cream. And Rocky Road.
17) That tomorrow night, I get to watch Love Actually to kick off the holiday season.
18) Kids who ask me to give them spelling tests and math problems. For fun.
19) The fact that if you try hard enough, you will learn to love coffee. Especially Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
20) That my husband makes dinner nearly every night.
21) Sunday afternoons, when my fridge is full and my house is clean.
22) Christmas decorations. And Christmas music.
23) Being able to play a simple song on the piano.
24) DVR
25) Knowing that any given moment, there are at least ten people less than ten minutes away I could call on to help me or my kids.
26) Listening to a rainstorm from my warm, cozy bed.
27) That my mom takes pictures to record the moments of my life.
28) That for $100, I got to own a sectional. I've always wanted one, and suddenly the stars aligned.
29) For the first time in a VERY long time (well over a year) John will have off four days in a row. We will be all together for FOUR days. Sleeping in, Christmas decorating, hot chocolate drinking, relaxing days.
30) Tomorrow, my entire family will come together in a warm house with more food than we can eat. We will laugh and talk and be lucky. And that's what really matters.
life is hard and weird (in 3 stories)
10 years ago
