Thankful

My favorite holiday is just around the corner. There are so many reasons I love Thanksgiving. The food. The family and friends. The quiet. The reminder to slow down and count my blessings. It probably also has to do with the lack of commercialization. There is really not much money to be made on a holiday that involves purely eating and being together (and maybe some football. But I suppose someone makes money on TVs. And probably table runners. Okay, and porcelain turkeys. But that's about it). I think that fact makes me like it all the more.

For many reasons this fall has seemed to fly by at a record pace. Maybe it's because I have a little girl who is growing and changing so rapidly, I can barely keep up. Or because volleyball and football season have come and gone, faster than ever, it seems. Or it could be that I'm just a bit mentally slower to adapt to the world around me. It's probably that.

Last night I finally hung my "thankful" sign. I meant to hang it two weeks ago. But I had to make it, so that slows the process down a little bit. Okay, a lot bit. The best part is that when I laid it out on the floor to show my husband, saying "what do you think?" He said, "It's nice; what's it for?" That made me feel really great about my effort. I countered his indifference with the statement that the entire thing took me like $2 to make - and that it's one of a kind. He seemed to appreciate it more after that.

My goal over the next few weeks (and always, really) is to take more time to think about the many ways in which I'm blessed. I certainly have a tendency to think of the frustrations more easily (dirty house, old cars, dark/cold season, nasty face rash ;), etc.....). So I'm hoping my lovely sign will remind me that I have much to be thankful for! Here are just a few things I've been reflecting on recently. I'm thankful for...

*The fact that my thankful sign is done - projects are hard to complete around here ;).

*The constant babble of my little girl. I may grow tired of it one day, but I love being surprised each day as she adds new words and phrases to her repertoire. She said the words "I love you" for the first time to her Bammy (Grammy) the other day.

*Eggnog lattes in the morning.

*The fact that God is in control of my life (not me) and that is a really good thing.

*Friends with little ones who want to go through life together - and who are transparent about the joys and challenges of motherhood.

*Making soups and stews, lighting candles, piling up firewood, and adding an extra blanket to our bed (I'm trying to look at the positive side of this daylight savings dreariness!).

*Being married to my favorite person on the planet.

My list could be much longer. I am one blessed woman. And I want to remember that.