Thursday 26 November 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  I thought, in honour of the holiday, I would make a list of things I am thankful for this year.  So with no further adieu, the top ten things I'm thankful for, in no particular order!

I am thankful for my parents!  They have always done everything they could to make sure I have what I need.  From basic necessities as a child, to child care and financial help as an adult, they've always been there.

I am thankful for awesome in-laws!  How many people do you know who would voluntarily go on vacation to stay with their in-laws sans spouse?  Jonathan's mom and dad raised an amazing man.  They have always made me feel like part of the family, and I even got a little brother when I married my awesome husband (Love you, Chris!)!  Much like my parents, Jonathan's mom and dad have always been there for us whether we needed advise, or financial help.

I am thankful for my house!  For the last year, I have been able to walk through my neighbourhood and see how many homes have been forclosed.  Sometimes I take this one for granted.  On days when Jonathan gets stuck in traffic coming home, or I wish we had a little more space, or I see how much my home is actually worth now, (Yikes, we couldn't sell if we had to!) I get frustrated with it.  All things considered, though I am thankful for my house.  Nothing beats having your own space!

I'm thankful for my truck!  When people find out that we only have one vehicle they look at us like we're crazy, but I honestly don't mind it.  It's awfully nice to only have one to maintain and fill with gas.  It's been very reliable transportation for us, and I am so glad to have it!

I'm thankful for the internet!  Does that seem a strange thing to be thankful for?  With the internet, I'm able to keep in touch with friends than have moved out of state, family members I never knew, and Jonathan when he's out of town.  The vast majority of our homeschooling materials come from the internet, and I can keep up with current events easily.  Is it a silly thing to be thankful for?  Maybe, but we can't be profound all the time!

I'm thankful for my job!  When I was laid off in February, I was just scared.  I knew there weren't many jobs out there, and that finding one at even near what I had been making would be a stretch.  After several months of being unemployed, we decided that I would just stay home.  We were spending less on just about everything without me working, and that's what we had been working towards anyway, so why not?  It didn't take too long of that for me to realise that I need a little adult interaction, and a little more cash.  When a friend sent me a message to let me know that the music store he worked at was hiring, that was perfect.  Even more perfect, they needed someone to work nights, so I could still stay home with the kids during the day!  I "heart" my job!

I'm thankful for Jonathan's job!  This is the job that he searched so hard for for several years after graduating, and another one that I take for granted for sometimes.  Lately, it seems like if something can go wrong while Jon is on a show, that it will go wrong.  Nonetheless, I am so thankful that Jonathan has a good job that he enjoys, with a stable company which has allowed me to work part time and spend more time with the kids.

I'm thankful for my dogs!  These mutts are big ol' cuddle bunnies.  They sound big, and look tough, and help me feel safer when Jonathan is on the road.  They love to cuddle, and give puppy kisses, and keep me warm when I'm napping on the sofa.  Earlier this year, when someone let two of them out of our yard, we were devastated.  We searched long and hard for them, often losing sleep in order to look longer.  When Floppy found his way home, we were excited, and sad at the same time.  Calypso has always been a tough girl, and we assumed when poor, traumatised Floppy showed up on his own, that something had happened to her.  When she actually ended up in the shelter over two months later it was nothing short of a miracle.  These dogs make us all smile, and I'm so glad they're part of our family!

I'm thankful for my kids!  Of course, this should go without saying!  What can I say about my beautiful girls?  I am so blessed to have such wonderful children.  I love that we've chosen to homeschool them so that we're able to spend even more time with them, and develop their personalities in a way that they wouldn't be able to do in a classroom with 20 other kids.  They're smart, silly, beautiful, wonderful girls, and even when they're misbehaving I love them SO MUCH!!!  :)

Last, but certainly not least, I'm thankful for my husband!  I have the best. husband... ever!  It's true!  He spoils the heck out of me - certainly far more than I could ever deserve.  He provides for our family, and is an incredible father.  I could go on and on, but our anniversary is in a couple of weeks, and I'll save it for that post!  ;)

Well, there you have it, folks.  things I'm thankful for on this beautiful Thanksgiving morning.  What are you thankful for this year?

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