Date Night

This month of giving THANKS to all the BLESSINGS in my life has been very eye opening and making me realize how truly blessed I am.  It kind of makes me feel silly about some of the things I stress or complain about.   Looking at blessings each day has been good for me and I am so glad I am practicing the Thankful Project for this month!

Today I am THANKFUL for DATE NIGHT!  My husband and I try each week to set one night aside to go out alone or with friends.  This is something I look forward to tremendously.  We are lucky to have Nana's who are more than willing to watch the kids.  Although we eat together most nights, it's very busy and loud.  There is not much time for focusing on just the two of us.  It's so nice to go out anywhere and just focus on each other.  I think it's so important for couples to do it if they can.  It really helps us to catch up and regroup.  Plus who doesn't love to sit down for a meal and actually sit and be waited on. Ha!  

FAITH

Today I have a heavy heart.  My Aunt Diane has been battling breast cancer for the last ten years.  She has beat it two times.  Sadly, about a year ago, it came back!  She has had numerous treatments the past year which basically has kept her alive.  This week has brought some sad news.  There is nothing more they can do for her.  It is most likely her time.  

As I type this I feel a great sadness for my Aunt and My cousins Erin and Patrick.  They are young, in their twenties, not married.  Their Dad died unexpectedly a few years ago.  They are too young to loose their parents.  

My Aunt is a woman of strong faith and courage.  She never wavered from her faith throughout her sickness.  She knows God has a plan for her.  I feel BLESSED that she is such a great model of faith, living gods work each day.  I am THANKFUL she is my aunt who I look up to and admire.  Who I one day hope to encompass her strong faith.  

She feels this is the end for her.  She is not angry but is sad.  She does not want to leave her children  She is not ready, but has put all her trust in God.  

I am reminded how fragile life is and how important it really is to be THANKFUL for blessings each and every day!

Teachers

                 I can't tell you what a BLESSING it is to know your children are in the best of hands when they are not in you hands.  Well, that is how I feel about the teachers and school system my children go to.  I am so grateful to them each and every day for the knowledge, wisdom, compassion and joy they install in my kids every day.  School is such a big part of their lives and one hopes it will be a positive and pleasurable experience.  I am thrilled when my kids tell me they love school, adore their teacher, get excited for projects and love homework!  Alright the homework thing was a stretch.  Nobody really loves homework, but you get the point.  I am THANKFUL for all their efforts and and could not ask for better teachers or school system.  We are truly BLESSED!

The Sunshine

      Today I am grateful for the Sunshine.  These past two days have been beautiful!  Winter will be knocking on our doors all too soon.  I mean, I am just not ready.  Not even thawed out from last winter.  I must confess I am more of a summer girl . . . . I digress.  Anyhow, I am soaking up every last bit of warm sunshine that comes our way.  The warmth today lifted my spirits and left me content.  Thank you Sunshine!

Mondays

               Today I am grateful for Mondays.  Seeing that it is Monday, I thought I would send some love its way!

   Thank you Monday for allowing me to regroup after the weekend.
   Thanks for letting the kids get back to school and allowing me to clean the house in peace.
   Thanks for letting Ryland have preschool which allows me to head to the gym.
   Thanks for not having any activities after school we need to rush to.  All the others are booked!
   Thank you for allowing me the time to go to Starbucks or Dunkins alone.
   Thank you for todays sweetness:

         
       My new favorite drink, GINGERBREAD.  I have a small obsession with flavors of the season.  Last month I was all about pumpkin and now I have moved on to Gingerbread (and didn't even have to share)!  Thank you Mondays!

My Neighborhood

                      Today I must pay gratitude to my neighbors.  I feel so blessed to live where we do.  It's a small cul-de-sac with only twelve houses of neighbors who are more like family to us.  Lets face it, no matter where you live or move to, you can't really pick who your neighbors are.  You hope to find ones that you can get along with and respect.  I know through various family members how difficult it can be when neighbors do not see eye to eye.  There is something comforting about having a group of neighbors who love and watch out for your children as your own.  Where my kids can run through each others yards and play for hours.  Where two of my best girlfriends live.  Where we get together over coffee and laugh, comfort and cry together.
                       Today we finally celebrated our Halloween.  As usual, we did it together, with our neighbors!

Who wouldn't want neighbors that make the best Haunted House every year.  I mean amazing and super scary!

The Everyday

                 Today, I am grateful for the everyday.  The ordinary, sometimes, mundane days we often take for granted. This past week has taught me many lessons, including being thankful for things we often take for granted.  Nobody likes to really do housework, at least I don't!  But what happens when you can't do wash for five days, can't cook a meal for your family all week, don't have running water to wash the dishes, no power to vacuum.  This was the reality of people in my town this past week.
                Our little Halloween snow storm masked our homes with fluffy white piles of snow looking picturesque to say the least.  What it failed to let on was how the leaves still on the trees would become so heavy that the fluffy goodness would way them down causing turmoil to power lines everywhere.  My friends were out of power for five days.  No heat, many with wells meaning you can't even use the bathroom!  It's amazing how much we rely on electricity, the television and the internet.  We were lucky, only loosing power for a day.  School, however, was out for three days!
                  The beauty of this trying week shined through with neighbors helping each other.  Inviting those without power over for a warm meal and shower, helping cut down all the fallen trees, lifting their spirits with laughter.
                 The last of the power came back on for my town yesterday and I know some people extremely happy and very grateful to be back to the mundane.