Tis the season to be thankful! Anyone able to read this had SO much to be thankful for. Instead of posting this day by day I decided to do it all in one fell swoop.
This is in no means all the blessings I have in my life, but just a fun list that got me thinking and hopefully gets you thinking about all the good around you as well.
A is for Ava. My 18 month old niece is a joy to so many people ranging from her parents and grandparents, to my aunt and uncle who are transitioning into empty nesters, to her brother who wanted a sibling for years to even me, the well documented child phobe.
B is for Bon Jovi. No explanation required 🙂
C is for Cell Phones. If they had never been invented I never would have met my husband!
D is for Dad. I admire my dad so much. He’s a man of integrity, honor and quiet strength. So much of who I am is because of him.
E is for Employment. We all know someone who is struggling to find work. I am thankful that I am gainfully employed at a growing, stable company that actually cares about its employees as human beings.
F is for felines. There is nothing better than snuggling up with a purring kitty. It’s contentment at its best. I’ve had pet indoor cats for 18 years now and don’t plan to ever be without one or two furballs sharing my home.
G is for Grandparents. I am incredibly lucky to say that I got to know and have memories all 4 of my grandparents and 3 of my great grandparents. There’s nothing quite like going to Grandma’s house!
H is for Home. I was blessed to grow up on a family farm with two parents who still have a great marriage. I also had most of my extended family less than 20 miles from me. I have wonderful memories of Christmases with both sets of grandparents and all my aunts and uncles gathered around one tree full of presents singing Christmas carols together. I’m now blessed to live in the home my husband grew up in and has loved all his life.
I is for Internet. The Internet has allowed me to reconnect with old friends and make amazing new ones. I’d never be able to say I have friends on multiple continents without it.
J is for Julie. My cousin/ goddaughter was an unexpected but very welcome addition to our family and I have loved watching her grow up into the intelligent, talented young woman she is today.
K is for Kittens. If looking at and and cuddling with kittens doesn’t make your heart melt then you don’t have one.
L is for Lord. I am a Christian and I truly believe everything happens for a reason even though many times I don’t know what that reason could be. I trust that the Lord has things under control. Without that trust I would have been in a padded cell years ago.
M is Music. I took piano lessons for 10 years and thought I hated them- looking back I am so glad my parents never let me quit! I also played clarinet through college and still play with 2 local concert bands which I enjoy so much. Also, several years ago my husband got me a satellite radio for Christmas which I use every day and love and of course there’s that Bon Jovi obsession I have as well!
N is for nephew. The birth of my nephew Luke 8 years ago made 3 people first time grandparents and me a first time aunt. And even though he has a little sister now he’s still a pretty big deal.
O is for Ozone. How there can be any ozone layer left after all the Aqua Net hairspray my friends and I used during the 80’s is truly a miracle.
P is for Pat. Pat is my husband, my best friend, my rock and my biggest cheerleader. We had a strange and twisted journey to where we are now, but I think that just made our relationship that much stronger when we did finally come together.
Q is for Quinn. Quinn is my husband’s middle name. I thought he was kidding first time he told me that, turns out he wasn’t! His sense of humor is another one of the many many things I love about Pat.
R is for Razors. Without these handy tools I would look like Chewbacca- at least from the waist down!
S is for school. Specifically college for me. I spent two years at a small Lutheran college and two plus years at one of the largest colleges in the US. Both experiences were eye opening, growing times for me- exactly what college is supposed to be. Many of my dearest friends today are ones I met during these years.
T is for Traditions. The older I get the most I appreciate some traditions I thought were silly when I was younger. They tie families and communities together. They are priceless.
U is for United States of America. We certainly have our problems, but I cannot imagine living anywhere else. The USA might be a dysfunctional family, but it’s my dysfunctional family and I love it.
V is for Veterans. The USA is who we are because of all of the brave men women who have served in the armed forces over the years. My dad served in Vietnam, one of his cousins was in Desert Storm, both my grandfathers were in WWII. I have several former coworkers who served in the Egypt and Afghanistan. Thankfully, they all returned safe and sound. Many other families aren’t as lucky. My neighbors up the street lost their son as a result of a head injury sustained in Iraq. Our former next door neighbors lost a son in Vietnam. All citizens should thank Veterans more often!
W is for water. Some of my best vacation memories take place on or near lakes and rivers. Watching the boats at Canal Park on Lake Superior, the geysers and other oddities in Yellowstone, the gorge and swinging bridge at Jay Cooke, the falls at Minneopa- these are just a few of my favorite aquatic things.
X is for Ex-husband. (Yes I know that doesn’t really start with an X, but come on!) An odd thing to be thankful for I know, but we both learned a lot and grew as people during our marriage and maintain a strong friendship to this day. I am convinced that without the mistakes I made and learned from during that relationship I wouldn’t be nearly as successful in my current marriage as I am.
Y is for You. Yes you, the person actually reading this 🙂 Thanks for spending a moment inside my world!
Z is for Zigzag. Just because it’s fun to say. Go ahead- try it!
