Last year I did the 30 days of thanks in the end but this year I decided I would do it weekly; however, as you can see I am already about three days late on my first one. Either way I decided to save the best for last (parents, kids, husband, sisters, God) so I'm going to start with some of the more simple things I'm particularly thankful for recently.
Day 1: I'm thankful for the gorgeous destressing drive I now have on the way home from work. Between the stress of work and the chaos of children at home I NEED this peaceful beauty in the middle of my day. It is sooo much better than that drive on that crazy city beltway.
Day 2: Our house. It's been more of a financial adjustment than I was anticipating because we maybe jumped the gun a year early and it's created some extra stress between us, but we're making it happen. We're doing what we got to do to make it work. All the unplanned stress with the adjustment will all be worth it in the end. I LOVE being out in the country. I LOVE the quiet and the peacefulness, the beautiful sunsets off the deck, watching my girls run and play in that huge yard. I love the small ltown feel. I love that Averi is going to preschool with kids she could possibly grow up with.
Day 3: Our renters. When we started talking about renting our house all people wanted to tell us was all these horror stories. We know this is a risk, but what was our other choice? Walk away from the house? Rely on our wonderful prospering economy to recover in time for us to not lose our asses on the house to sell it in time for Averi to start kindergarten. For now this is working and our renters are awesome! We're going to start begging them to stay here in the next month or so since their lease is up here in just three months or so. They haven't mentioned anything about wanting to move so hopefully their plan is to stay.
Day 4: Music. I have no musical talent at all. But I love music. It's so good for the soul and spirit. I like a variety of music but country music is my true love.
Day 5: Social Media. I know I sound like a teenager but social media has allowed me to stay connected to home and my past in a way my own mother who also lived so far from home couldn't. I look at my cousin who I feel just as close to as ever even though we're half a country apart and it's because we stay in touch almost daily through social media. I feel that I have a good relationship with my mother in law again because I feel that social media allows her not only the opportunity to foster her relationship with me but stay connected with her granddaughters. There are so many friends from back home that I get to watch their kids grow up online and we share memories and "I miss yous" from throwback Thursdays. I feel that social media allows me the opportunity to hold onto the memories and people of my past and even maintain and build relationship that otherwise wouldn't have been possible at such a great distance. (Don't worry you are each on the saving the best for last list so my thanks for you is not limited to social media :) )
Day 6: First world problems. Most of the time my biggest problem/worry is money with making everything work so we're covered or stressing out when things like three floods in one week happen. Believe it or not though I have thanked God for this problem. I would take these problems-money and broken appliances and cars- over any health or other third world type problems. Unfortunately, some health worries and problems have come up in my family recently (I'll reflect on that more in a different post). Recently I have gained a new appreciation for things we all take for granted like running water, hot water, air conditioner. But as the holidays approach, even an appreciation for things like food on the table and clothes to wear because so many out there struggle for even this.
Day 7: Sleeping children. I'm saving my individual children for last but I don't know how this happened but my kids never wake up before 730 on the weekend. I'm always reading about kids getting up anywhere from 5 in the morning to 7 on the weekends. Even 730 is an early day for my kids. Sometimes they sleep until 830 or even 9. I have no idea how I made this happen with not one but two kids. Great parental ignorance is what I'm thinking. Either way it is such a small simple blessing. I need that extra sleep on the weekends. Both of my girls have always been great sleepers once you get them past the going to bed part so for that I am incredibly thankful.
Day 1: I'm thankful for the gorgeous destressing drive I now have on the way home from work. Between the stress of work and the chaos of children at home I NEED this peaceful beauty in the middle of my day. It is sooo much better than that drive on that crazy city beltway.
Day 2: Our house. It's been more of a financial adjustment than I was anticipating because we maybe jumped the gun a year early and it's created some extra stress between us, but we're making it happen. We're doing what we got to do to make it work. All the unplanned stress with the adjustment will all be worth it in the end. I LOVE being out in the country. I LOVE the quiet and the peacefulness, the beautiful sunsets off the deck, watching my girls run and play in that huge yard. I love the small ltown feel. I love that Averi is going to preschool with kids she could possibly grow up with.
Day 3: Our renters. When we started talking about renting our house all people wanted to tell us was all these horror stories. We know this is a risk, but what was our other choice? Walk away from the house? Rely on our wonderful prospering economy to recover in time for us to not lose our asses on the house to sell it in time for Averi to start kindergarten. For now this is working and our renters are awesome! We're going to start begging them to stay here in the next month or so since their lease is up here in just three months or so. They haven't mentioned anything about wanting to move so hopefully their plan is to stay.
Day 4: Music. I have no musical talent at all. But I love music. It's so good for the soul and spirit. I like a variety of music but country music is my true love.
Day 5: Social Media. I know I sound like a teenager but social media has allowed me to stay connected to home and my past in a way my own mother who also lived so far from home couldn't. I look at my cousin who I feel just as close to as ever even though we're half a country apart and it's because we stay in touch almost daily through social media. I feel that I have a good relationship with my mother in law again because I feel that social media allows her not only the opportunity to foster her relationship with me but stay connected with her granddaughters. There are so many friends from back home that I get to watch their kids grow up online and we share memories and "I miss yous" from throwback Thursdays. I feel that social media allows me the opportunity to hold onto the memories and people of my past and even maintain and build relationship that otherwise wouldn't have been possible at such a great distance. (Don't worry you are each on the saving the best for last list so my thanks for you is not limited to social media :) )
Day 6: First world problems. Most of the time my biggest problem/worry is money with making everything work so we're covered or stressing out when things like three floods in one week happen. Believe it or not though I have thanked God for this problem. I would take these problems-money and broken appliances and cars- over any health or other third world type problems. Unfortunately, some health worries and problems have come up in my family recently (I'll reflect on that more in a different post). Recently I have gained a new appreciation for things we all take for granted like running water, hot water, air conditioner. But as the holidays approach, even an appreciation for things like food on the table and clothes to wear because so many out there struggle for even this.
Day 7: Sleeping children. I'm saving my individual children for last but I don't know how this happened but my kids never wake up before 730 on the weekend. I'm always reading about kids getting up anywhere from 5 in the morning to 7 on the weekends. Even 730 is an early day for my kids. Sometimes they sleep until 830 or even 9. I have no idea how I made this happen with not one but two kids. Great parental ignorance is what I'm thinking. Either way it is such a small simple blessing. I need that extra sleep on the weekends. Both of my girls have always been great sleepers once you get them past the going to bed part so for that I am incredibly thankful.
For each of my thankful posts this month I'm going to include one of Nate's photos from his website, Point Click Capture Photography
Check out more of his photos on his website. You can order a variety of photo products.
Fourth of July in our Nation's Capital
Niagara Falls, Canada
This is one of his photos that I edited for my facebook banner.
Assateague Island, Maryland
I love your list of things you are thankful for. =) Great post Angela.
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