10 Things
As another year of my life is about to come to completion, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I’ve spent WAY too much time grumping around complaining about all the things wrong with my life. I’ve decided, as a birthday resolution, I’m going to try and spend more time being happy about all of the wonderful things in my life, instead of focusing on the things I’m not so happy about. Because when I am negative about my life, it doesn’t make my life any better. It’s the same, only grumpier.
So, in no particular order, here are 10 Things I’m Thankful For today:
Evenings at the pool in the late summer or early fall when all the pool bunnies have scattered. It’s still warm enough to be a great time, but it’s quiet and peaceful. You can sink underwater and hold your breath, and, for a second, in the muffled silence, feel 10-years-old again.
My niece broke her leg a few weeks ago and is now scooting around in a wheelchair. Thank god she is going to recover, but it could have been a horrific ordeal. I’ve never before been so thankful for not only health, but happiness as well. When she bejeweled her cast and had her toenails done with little, orange flowers on them, her eyes lit up like they hadn’t since the accident. It was a very good thing.
I am so blessed to have been able to travel the world and see things some can only read about in history books. I can tell you what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel, how to find an apartment in Portugal without knowing any Portugese and how to find David Hasselhoff or Vin Diesel anywhere in Europe without really trying. Now that’s what I call a life experience.
She’s big, she’s bad, she’s horribly ignored by her humans who always seem to be running around with too much to do and no time to rub her belly. She’s Professor Molly McGoo, Ph.D. She is the dog we always wanted, the dog we always needed. She thinks she’s a cat and is sweet to our baby. And she makes me feel safe when Trent works late. Good dog.
When a storm rolls in, bringing torrents of rain and darkness to the late afternoon. Perfect for napping.
Sometimes nothing seems more boring than Kansas. But other times, like when you get an amazing sunset out in the country, you realize how lucky you are to live in a place where things like this are possible. Somewhere over the rainbow, indeed.
In many instances the simple things, like having a working heater, can be lost in the shuffle of all of the needs and wants of daily life. But it wasn’t too long ago I lived in an apartment where, during the worst snowstorm of the year, Trent and I huddled up to the stove, wearing gloves, hats and coats, drank some rum and attempted not to freeze to death.
The boy drives me nuts sometimes, but we’ve really managed to make this thing work. And by “this thing” I mean our wonderful, wonderful life. Some days I can’t believe it, that we’ve managed to make it through all of the rough stuff in the past few years and end up in a place where I don’t only love him, I like him (most of the time). And, the feeling is returned 100% (most of the time). We’re both strong and independent, but we’ve found a way to be those things and be nurturing for each other. It’s a tender balance, and we work every day. When I look back at old photos of us I want to tell those two young, naive kids that it’ll all work out. And also, spend more time laughing and less time yelling.
Her. Her kisses. Her dance moves. Her laugh. Her smile. Her sobs. Her whining. Her life. Her spirit. Her.
This blog was something I started over three years ago. I had no way of knowing how it would affect my life. From devastating live changes to daily grumps, this site has seen it all. It’s led me to new outlets, like photography, that I probably never would have found without it. It is my voice. It is my therapist. Something I can turn to when I feel like I can’t talk to anyone. Who new a simple blog could add so much to a life.
For more things to be thankful for, click here.
