Thankfulness

I’ve been tagged in this thankfulness thing and since it doesn’t involve dumping something on my head or imply that I’m not thankful/caring/have a soul if I don’t pass this cute cat meme on, I will take part. Now I could do the obvious and list things like my husband, my kids, my faith, but to me that’s a given. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think, “How did I end up with these fine people because I’m not that nice a person.” So I thought I’d do something different. A couple of years back, I read an article that challenged the reader to spend a day thanking God for everything, not matter how small and inconsequential. This article resonated with me for a few reasons. The first reason is related to my favorite quote: “God is in the details.” We all love the stories of the big miracles, we all like the stories of the fancy things spouses do for each other but for me, but the closer I edge towards 30, 40, 50, I find what really counts is the small stuff. He bought me a coffee, I found the up front parking spot on a rainy day, my favorite ice cream is on sale. The little things can make or break a day. Secondly, the challenge seemed like the prayer without ceasing thing mentioned in 1 Thessalonians and I figured this would be a good step in that direction.

What I found doing the challenge was the more I said thanks for, the more I found to be thankful for. So I now walk around a lot mumbling “Thank you, Jesus.” And depending on your beliefs, maybe I’m walking around talking to God or maybe I’m walking around talking to the sky. But I do know I’ve been a lot more thankful since I’ve started and that can’t be a bad attitude to have.

So back to this Facebook challenge: I’m supposed to list three things I’m thankful for over a few days, but I’m kind of lazy so I figured I dump them all here at once. Ready? Here are the small things I’m thankful for:

1. Football season: Hubby works hard to keep me in the life I’ve become accustom to so early in our marriage, I resolved to do my best to indulge him in this interest. It has since turn into a lovely Sunday afternoon of him bonding with a few of our kids over football facts, fun foods for dinner (dough boys, anyone?) culminating in a Superbowl get together filled with cheese, bacon and carbs.
2. Knitting/Crocheting: it gives my fidgety fingers something to do, makes waiting at the doctor’s office (or anywhere else for that matter) more productive, allows me to be crafty without a huge cash/time outlay, and it’s enabled me to meet some really interesting people (interesting in a good way, not that raised eyebrow way)
3. Bubble tea: I can’t explain just trust me on this
4. Air conditioning
5. My laptop: It’s like my lovey.
6. My local library
7. Seafood
8. RV’s
9. Facebook: No, seriously. I really enjoy touching base with people I grew up with, went to school with, etc, looking at all the pretty wedding dresses.
10. My small group peeps and the ancillary folks associated with them. And by ancillary, I don’t mean second stringers, but the friends of my friends I’ve gotten to meet as a result of being friends with my friends. Got it?
11. Free Fun Fridays: When you have 6 kids, anything that’s free is good. Well, except half eaten pastries. No, really. I’ll tell you that story some other time.
12. My neighborhood: I love walking to the corner and buying cilantro and lemons off of the veggie vendors there. They will also hack open a fresh coconut for you too.
13. Eating out: I seldom get to so I’m very thankful for when I do.
14. Legos: Those things are bloody genius.
15. Books: If I’m not knitting/crocheting, I’m reading and vice versa
16. My big ol’ van: I know I complain about the gas milage and the maneuverability of it, but sometimes driving a bus comes in real handy. Could be a Napoleon complex thing.
17. Teaching Sunday school: Those kids are just too adorable and they’re at an age where pretty much anything I do is funny. It’s also a challenge to communicate why I believe what I believe. If I can’t get a seven year old to understand, then I’m doing it wrong. Also, my teammates are pretty cool too – especially that Jen Dyer woman.
18. BJ’s free samples: It’s now a Friday ritual for me and the kids. The boys think it’s awesome to get cake, ice cream and a bit of BBQ chicken pizza all in one day. When they realize what a small thrill this is, I’ll be bumming.
19. These: http://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/miacobbo/shop/Cleaning/Pan+Scrapers/2610
20. iPod Touch: It’s a phone book, memo book and calendar all in one small appliance. And as such, allows me to carry one of those cute small pocketbooks rather than a suitcase.
21. Yard sales
22. Internet: I can order yarn and crochet hooks and have them delivered to my comfy recliner? Yes, please!
23. Coffee
24. Ice Cream: Except those flavors with nuts in them. That’s just a travesty of justice.
25. Pizza: the savior of ruined dinners and the staple of a kid’s definition of a great day.
26. The smell of a newborn’s head.
27. The smile newborns make before they’re aware of smiling. It’s like they’re remembering something funny and not letting you in on the joke.
28. Ok so I can’t think of two more things to make an even 30 .
29. So I’ll stop here.
30. And you can be thankful for that.