Thankful Thursday | a snowy world
This week, I am thankful:
for the snow
We got a few inches of snow this past weekend and oooooh, my snow-loving heart was happy.
I went out for a walk it in and appreciated all the ways a coating of snow makes a winter world so much more beautiful.
Also: after I got back from my walk, a brilliant blue sky appeared and oh, I love the combo of a snowy world and a blue sky.
It was like this one day during my last ski trip at Lake Tahoe, and I thought the beauty was unbelievable.
for the indoor brightness from the snow
I say this every time it snows, I know. But I love, love, love how much brighter my indoor life is when there's snow out.
All the light bounces off the snow and into my windows, and the normal shadowy areas become bright and cheerful.
LOVE.
for the joy of a hot shower
It's been pretty chilly here this week, and I have been reminded of how very nice a hot shower feels after being outside in the cold (like after a morning walk).
But then I also remembered how much I appreciate a cool shower after a hot summer walk, and then I thought, ok, maybe I just really appreciate showers.
Or temperature regulation.
Ha.
Anyway. Yay for showers!
that my iron levels have improved
My red blood cells and my hemoglobin are in a normal range now! Woohoo!
But my ferritin levels are still a little bit low; that's the protein that stores iron. So, I'm supposed to keep supplementing for a bit to get those up high enough.
Still, this is good progress!
that Zoe and I finally got our Christmas tree
The trouble with living in a household where both members are college students is...that it's hard to get any Christmas activities done until the semester is over.
Better late than never, I say.
We have not had a tree topper ever since we moved here (I think I left my original one at my old house!), but Zoe and I picked out a rather silly cat angel topper, and we are waiting for it to arrive. 😉
for our cats
They both happened to do their woolly bear caterpillar pose this week.
that I got to start PT this week
I have known I have a rotator cuff issue and tendinitis since this summer. But I got so swamped with school and work, I never managed to get myself started with the prescribed PT.
But now that my horrible class is over, I have time! And my second PT session is today.
Here's hoping I'll be back to a state of better shoulder mobility soon.
that I got to see my friends graduate
I had many friends graduating from my nursing school last week, and I really wanted to cheer them on. But pinning ceremony tickets are extremely limited.
So, I asked if I could volunteer to help with the pinning ceremony (they always need people to do things like take tickets, give directions to the bathrooms and so on) and the professor in charge said yes. YAY!
I was so happy to see them walk, and I teared up, of course. 🙂
Pretty tree!
Thankfuls:
--Today is my youngest son's 11th birthday, and I am very thankful for him. He's such a sweet kid, everyone's friend, very sensitive to other people, and generally happy. I appreciate his straight-forward approach to life even more given the relative complexity of my other kids. 🙂
--That I'm experiencing the chaos of moving into our newly-built school only as a parent, not as a staff member. Well, and as a friend of the staff members. It's been nuts as they rush to get out of the old buildings for the next phase of demolition and renovation, and I'm so glad I'm not dealing with that right before Christmas.
--That whatever I did to the muscle in my leg is getting better. I have been having a lot of tightness and achiness in my legs--related to needing a new mattress I think--and then one night my right leg just seized up or something and hurt SO MUCH. Maybe I slept weird? Maybe it had something to do with the run I went on that morning? I don't know, but I couldn't even turn over in bed without waking up for a couple of nights and it ached so much during the day I couldn't do a lot. I spent a few days taking hot baths, stretching (as much as I could because OW), and using our massage gun and it's better now. Not all the way, but at least I'm functional again and can sleep. Mid-forties are fun . . .
--For a delivery of firewood, finally. Our house is not warm enough without the woodstove. We've had a very warm December so far, but I still want to have a fire most mornings.
--For Christmas lights. My daughter always wants to tour the village when we leave her First Communion class so we can see the houses with good lights. I mean, we're talking about eight houses, but some of them have a lot of lights. Her delight is fun, and I love lights too.
I love the cat stocking and the cats themselves!
I have so many thankfuls this week!
1. My biggest thankful is that I came home for Christmas last night! The airport was pretty empty, the flight was smooth and now I'm home with my family for a couple of weeks 🙂
2. I went to yoga with a friend this morning and she treated me to breakfast.
3. I went to St Lucia's parade last week. People sail along the canals wearing crowns with candles (electric, of course) with lights on the boats and everyone sings the St Lucia song.
4. I got in one last swim before getting back and enjoyed a beautiful sunset when I was in the sea!
5. I am thankful for this wonderful online space Kristen has created where we can have such interesting discussions. We may not always agree but I enjoy the discourse!
@Sophie in Denmark, I'd love to see a St Lucia parade! That sounds wonderful.
@Sophie in Denmark, Ooh interesting about the St. Lucia parade. Must look it up. You can add to your comment about how wonderful Kristen's space here is, that I always learn of interesting things.
My thankfuls this week:
--We got enough snow that it was pretty, but not enough that it completely swamped us. Though the cold was intense (negative digits at night), our newly repaired furnace was up to the task, and the house stayed cozy.
--The weather is warming up now so DH can cycle to work, his preference to driving.
--I noticed that the CLEP psychology credits I should have earned in August were not showing anywhere on my transcript, so I gave my advisor a call, and after getting shunted around to two different departments, the issue was resolved. Now I do not have to take General Psychology as a core. I did point out to my advisor that it seemed silly that my Bachelor's degree in Psychology didn't count, but rules are rules. And I was able to circumvent them. 😉
--DS#2 and I are still waiting impatiently to be able to schedule our nurse aide state certification tests--we have to wait until the paperwork winds its way through from the school to the testing scheduling site--but in the meantime he has decided to join DH, me, and DS#4 on our trip down to Florida in January, reasoning that this is his chance for a real vacation before he starts working and going to nursing school full time. I'm so pleased. Doing school together has brought us closer together, and he's really matured quite a lot, and DS#3 and DS#1 get along great, so they'll be fine watching the house and the Commodore together.
--For the Commodore, who is currently having his morning nap on my desk and pulling the most adorable stretches and poses while he naps. Sometimes I still can't believe we have a fluffy little creature running around the house.
--I'm not in classes right now so I had time to cook DS#4 a nice breakfast after we got back from the orthodontist; french toast with whipped cream and hot cocoa goes nicely with getting one's braces tightened after a snowy walk there and back again.
Oooh,so glad you get to skip a class. That's a win!
@Kristen, Indeed! Though I wish I had known about Modern State's CLEP vouchers before I paid the fee at the College Board...sigh. Oh well. 90 dollars is still cheaper than a full 3 credit course and a required textbook!
And it saves you precious time!
Smart move to help out at the ceremony so you could see you friends pinned!
This week I am thankful and relieved that our sweet cat seems to respond well to her medication. And lets us administer the medication in the first place -
And that I got more work done ahead of the holidays that I had anticipated.
Now for the last leg until vacation starts!
1. For my son, and that I got to see him this week. I love who he is.
2. For the opportunity to help others, and witness their growth.
3. For ChatGPT. Although I do have concerns about how AI will change us, and its potential for misuse, right now I am enjoying its ability to engage in some pretty interesting discussions.
4. For the director of our library’s children’s services, who is unfailingly kind and welcoming and ensures we have many engaging activities.
5. That my treadmill is working out. It’s my third one, I was hesitant to buy it because the others were problematic, but it fits my needs perfectly.
-- Yes to the snow and bright sky and bright home! I am so thankful for the sheer beauty of it. I had a rough day last Tuesday single-handedly moving my step-father into a memory care facility and helping my mother come to grips with it. It had snowed quite a bit the day before, which had me dreading the actual physical moving part. But when I got in my car, I took a breath and looked around; I saw the morning sun shining through the snowy trees in my yard and instantly felt better. I took a photo and decided whatever else happens today, this was beautiful. So I am very thankful for the beautiful snow and for Kristen, who has inspired this kind of outlook with all of her gorgeous photos.
-- I'm also thankful for Loretta, a resident at the memory care facility, who strolled up on a walker that was swinging wooden sign with her name painted on it in lots of fun colors. She was so positive and fun and chatty that we instantly felt more at ease. And her presence made our departure much less gut-wrenching.
-- I am beyond thankful for hospice workers and all the helpful and surprising ways they have, and continue to, help us during this new and difficult phase of life.
-- I am thankful for my dogs. It's wonderful to come home and snuggle up with their cute, furry selves.
-- And I am thankful that my daughter who has multiple chronic illnesses was able to do so much this year. She's singing in a large, amazing choir. And she's just completed a semester of college that was bumpy, but she hung in there, asked for what she needed, and worked very hard. And . . . she wrapped it up with all A's.
@Beth (in VA),
Wow! Tell your daughter she really rocked it this semester! All A's is no mean feat even if you have everything going for you, but getting over all those obstacles and still making good grades -- well, that's over-the-top fantastic!
Meanwhile, I'm sorry you're going through the hospice/memory care thing. Give your mom and dad -- and all those who support you --a virtual hug from me.
Yay for your girl!! Woohoo!
@Beth (in VA), I can absolutely sympathize with your and your mother's having to move your stepfather into the MC facility. (The day I moved DH into his nursing home was a rough one, too.) And I join the others in applauding your daughter's accomplishments.
@Beth (in VA), beautiful perspective all around! You made it through your heavy week because you can do hard things and you're awesome! Sounds like a challenging season of life in so many ways. Hugs to you. Cheering for your daughter with you!
Thanks so much everyone for the kind words and encouragement. This is the kindest comment section on the internet!
@A. Marie, Thank you for this. I actually thought of you last Tuesday. I'm a years long comment lurker here and have always enjoyed your outlook. I've been sending good vibes your way over the years.
Some very big thankfuls this week:
(1) For Jane Austen on her 250th birthday; for my beloved Jane Austen Society of North America; and for the community of friends I've made through JASNA, especially JASNA BFF and JASNA Panera. My current life would be unimaginably poorer without all these connections, and JASNA BFF (who lost her DH the year before I lost mine) feels the same way.
(2) For Kristen, Katy, and the Commentariats of this blog and the NCA. All of you make up another community my life would be far poorer without.
(3) And, as always, for my dear Dr. Bestest Neighbor--who (with help from Ms. BN and several friends) is throwing his annual latke party on Sunday, and who turns 89 on Monday. I kidded him yesterday, when he was complaining of slowing down, that a lot of guys who are 69 would be glad to be doing as well as he is. Long may he wave!
Oh, enjoy the latke party! And I'm glad YOU are here. 🙂
I'm right there with you regarding the snow (not a popular opinion). We've had a crazy amount of snow for this early in the season (around 40 inches total) but now we're in a warmer weather pattern. It's currently raining. Ick.
But this is supposed to be a time to be thankful, so I'm mentally shifting gears. Firstly, my daughter comes home today after her last exam! As for the weather, the bright side of the warmup is that my husband is helping my son move home over the next several days (which involves a lot of driving between Michigan and Wisconsin, some of which involves my husband towing a trailer) and the weather should be more conducive to safe travels. I'm thankful that I made a good dent in culling stuff in my basement to make additional storage for my son when he does arrive. There's more to do (I try to keep things sorted, but somehow it seems to multiply). Thankful for a really good Bible study the other night with our young adult group. It's so encouraging to see these people growing and maturing. One of them led the Bible study and did a bang-up job. Finally, thankful that my friend had a good trip to Austria. She's had a lot of stressors over the past few years, and I'm thrilled for her to have had the opportunity to do something fun that she has longed to do. Oh, I just remembered--I had my annual eye appointment earlier this week, and had a new-to-me eye doctor. She was able to identify a problem and I'm already seeing better. Good vision is soooooo important.
Kristen, I think your tree corner is beautiful. I'm wondering--is the stocking with the cat on it a stocking for a human, or for one of the cats? 😉
It's for my human, Zoe! 🙂
Congrats on the end of your class.
I am thankful the snow melted and I haven't heard of any broken bones from all the ice. It was beautiful and we walked early, while it was still snowing and before everything froze. I am less enamored of snow than Kristen.
I am thankful I was able to talk to an actual customer service representative. I had a notice that I was found on the dark web. I was unable to get into my account so I called and talked to a person. She told me what the problem was (my email and password for it are on the dark web) and gave me a temporary password for the monitoring system that found it, since the password reset feature seems not to be working. I changed my password. Whew!
I’ve been thankful for all this snow, too. Due to bad roads and -20 wind chills, my kids had a e-learning day Monday. I was very thankful to stay home that morning! Our weather station does just-for-fun winter weather predictions based on wooly worm colors and persimmon seed shapes. I had never heard of this before moving here, but this year both the wooly worms and seeds predicted lots of snow. So far, we are set to break some old records with 20” of snow in just the past three weeks.
I’m thankful for an “ah ha” moment with my therapist this week. It turns out that many of my nearly lifelong struggles that I thought were due to depression and anxiety are ADHD symptoms. Treating my ADHD first may help reduce a lot of my depression and anxiety challenges. I am hoping!
I finally got to check out H-mart, an Asian food grocery store, with my daughter. Her friend from China is always gifting her special snacks and I wanted some nostalgia from my trip to China years ago. We enjoyed wandering the aisles together.
I’m glad the semester ends this week. My high-schooler has finals today and tomorrow, and is ready for a break from school work!
I’m thankful my mom thought to give me her mom’s Christmas cookie recipe years before she died. Now I get to still make cookies with my kids while having fond thoughts of my mom.
@JenRR, You might enjoy the book "Crying in H-mart."
@ErikaJS, Interesting. I never would have guessed there was a book involving H-Mart!
@JenRR,
It's a good read. Also, my adult niece was recently diagnosed with ADHD, and since she is now taking medication (plus getting therapy), her anxiety is much better. It was very, very severe prior to the ADHD diagnosis snd treatment. I'm hoping the same for you!
@JenRR, I was diagnosed with ADHD at 50. Meds have been life-changing. No more depression and anxiety and greatly improved functioning. Wishing you all the best as you move forward!
The photos that you have posted of the snow are absolutely beautiful. There is much to be thankful for this week.
In my mammogram last year, the doctor's found an area of concern. Although a biopsy showed that it was benign, the area was considered atypical. Although I am under the care of an oncologist, I chosen to watch this carefully. Yesterday's test has shown there have been no changes to the area in the last six months. So I can breath a sigh of relief once again. For this, I am thankful.
Calico Kitty, who is nearly 18 and has been with me since she was 10 days old, became very sick the day after Thanksgiving. I was certain her time was near. However, she has rebounded and I think she will be spending one more Christmas will her family. I am grateful.
I am thankful that my son has arrive safely to spend the holidays with us. My daughter will arrive this weekend. We will all be together this year.
DH and I brought the Grands to the zoo on Sunday. The weather was beautiful and we all had a wonderful time. Spending time with them is a true blessing.
I am thankful for a quiet morning and the day ahead to be spent with family and friends.
Wishing you all peace, good health, and prosperity.
@Bee,
Hooray for the good medical news, and I hope your calico makes it a lot farther, in good health!
@Bee, I'm glad for the good test result, and for all your other good news.
@Bee, Yeah on your mammogram update! I had a biopsy that was benign also but had to get checked every 6 months for 2 years as the 5 mammograms in 3 months showed concern before biopsy. Honestly it's still good to keep an extra attention to be sure it continues to be that good news.
I am thankful for:
*Enjoying the beauty of the white snow and blue skies in Kristen's lovely photos right now while I sit on a screen porch in 70-degree weather sipping tea and recounting my many thankfuls.
*An easy and uneventful flight last weekend. My husband doesn't enjoy travel like he used to so when I saw him smiling even before the plane landed it was a huge win.
*Happy grandchildren.
*No sew amigurumi - just when I thought I knew it all, here comes a new way to crochet soft and colorful stuffies.
*The Advent season - I love seeing more evidence of human kindness and people regarding others as important.
@Book Club Elaine, I love your last thankful and wish it were always so. Maybe the harsh conditions right now are bringing out the goodness in people to counteract things.
Love this list! And, skiing in Tahoe on a gorgeous day is always breath taking.
1) That DH & I had an unexpected date night last night, and legitimately enjoy each other.
2) That both boys are working a lot, even if it does make it difficult to find time to open our gifts! (We always open our gifts to each other, Hannukah style - one per night, ahead of flying to my parents for Christmas.) So far, they've been home without working together one night and no additional days before we leave.
3) We had a really fun time on Sunday, when we did open a few gifts. Everyone really liked what they got, and DS18 liked the backpacking ornament I picked out. I wasn't sure if he was yet at an age where he would appreciate starting to get his own ornaments, but it was a hit.
4) That the house in the evening is filled with laughs & teens playing games & eating all of our snacks. I'm also grateful that I wear earplugs to bed, and that our bedroom is as far away from the noise as you can get. I still occasionally hear the laughing, but generally I can sleep.
5) That a large work project that has occupied a significant portion of my time is wrapping up.
I saw a cat applique on the Christmas stocking in your Christmas tree photo. Was that stocking for one of your fur babies?
My thankfuls:
1. It has rained the last couple of days but it isn't freezing. The streets may be slick but they are not icy. Plus, that takes care of the problem I have: I had to take in and store all the water hoses and sprinklers before last week's freeze, and I always need help in fastening the hoses to the faucets due to not having enough hand strength to do this job myself. It's not easy to find someone to do this when you live alone. But the rain solves the problem, in that I don't need to water the grass and trees myself. (Thank You, God!)
2. I'm getting off 3 days Christmas week, although I will have to work Christmas Eve.
3. The church is having services at 10 p.m. Christmas Eve so I can attend those. (Assuming I'm not dead on my feet from the last-minute shopping rush.) Sadly, what used to be a 6 p.m. service got moved to 4 p.m. so I will be working then.
4. Exterminators are coming out to deal with the rats-in-the-attic problem.
5. I was once again invited to hang out at my friends' Christmas Day non-event. They open their house to anyone not having anywhere else to go and we just chill.
Hehe, no, that stocking is my human baby's stocking (Zoe!)
What pretty snow pictures! I miss snowy days, but not snowy driving and shoveling.
1. First, I'm thankful that today is my son-in-law's birthday, and it seems he shares a birthday with Kristin@ going country's son! My son-in-law is such a loving husband and son, and a hands-on father, with the good humor that is a valuable asset when parenting four closely spaced kids. In high school, he became good friends with my youngest; after a few years of friendship, she convinced him and my oldest to have a date, thinking they were perfect for each other, and she was right! They've been married almost 14 years now.
2. I'm thankful for the rain today. It's not pretty, like snow, but we are still in quite a rain deficit, so this rain is very needed. It's coming down mostly slow and steady, which is just right.
3. I'm thankful for the long conversations last weekend with the granddaughter. It's a real blessing be able to share the confidences of a newly-minted 20-year-old. I enjoy knowing we can make each other laugh.
4. The sight of Christmas lights on some of the houses I pass on my dark commute home makes me thankful. A few of the houses sitting out there, isolated and surrounded by woods or fields, really do a great job with the lights.
5. I'm thankful that I have only about 10 weeks before retirement!
@JD, I know you've been counting down for months and years, but let the official week countdown begin: 10, 9, 8...ignition, liftoff!! (A count that's familiar to all of us baby boomers who watched Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space mission launches on TV. And I did get to witness the last Apollo launch in person: Apollo 17 in December 1972. A carload of us rode over to the east coast of FL from Sarasota for the event.)
@A. Marie,
I lived along the Space Coast as a child. My mother worked for one of the big aerospace firms. We were let out of school for the space shots. It was an interesting place to live during an exciting time.
This week I am thankful…
• After the end of today’s workday I am off work until January 5th!
• My sister and niece are arriving today! They will be staying at our house through the weekend and it will be so nice to have little girl giggles in my house.
• My grandfather’s funeral is this Saturday. I am looking forward to honoring such a great man.
• Practice driving is going very well with my son. He needs at least 50 hours behind the wheel and he will get that well before he turns 16 and takes his driving test. Because of the time of year, he’ll have almost all his night hours done in no time.
• My son had conferences this week and so many of his teachers broke out in a broad smile when they saw him. We were told he’s a great student, a good leader, that the other boys look up to him, teachers enjoy having him in class (and he a bit of a goof but he’s a teenage boy so I don’t expect perfection). He’s thriving in school and my mama heart is happy.
• Puppy snuggles every night.
@Geneva, beautiful list!
Beautiful snow/sky contrast!
AND I CAN FINALLY POST COMMENTS! Yay! ❤️❤️❤️
OH MY GOODNESS I don't know why that's fixed but YAY!
Yay that your iron levels are better.
Our snow here is mostly melted. I'm wishing for more soon.
I'm thankful I finally got in to see the spine and pain specialist. He has me on new medication that is starting to help with my neck and shoulder pain.
For choirs! One of the choirs I'm in had their big performances this past weekend and it was so wonderful. The other choir has their performances this Saturday and Christmas Eve.
For Christmas cookies. I don't indulge much through the year, but give me a peanut butter blossom or frosted gingerbread tree and I am happy.
I, too, am a huge fan of hot showers!
Kristen - glad you are able to start PT for your rotator cuff. Our daughter is a PT has seen many patients that tell her that they are there for their "rotar cup" instead of their rotator cuff, which makes me giggle.
Thankfuls:
- Today and Monday are my last days to work this year.
- I am having lunch with a former co-worker today that I haven't seen in ages. Will be very nice to catch up in person.
- I was able to get a doctor's appointment for this afternoon.
- I am done with Christmas shopping, and almost all of the presents are wrapped and under the tree.
- The wooden reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh had fallen over in the yard and I didn't have a chance to stand them up before work. Not sure who, but someone kindly stood them up while I was at work, which made me really happy.
* That my 13yo DD has a good head on her shoulder when it comes to boys. There's a friend of hers, 15 yo, pursuing her, buying her gifts, asking her out, etc. She is not interested in him that way (plus, I find him too old for her anyways), and she told him so. Repetitively. My husband might have to intervene soon
* A quiet neighbourhood
* External support for my 16 yo DD that is still hospitalized and not doing so well but still might get discharged soon
* Turning 45 in a couple weeks. Growing old is a privilege that I don't take for granted (My dad passed at 46)
* Having private insurances for psychotherapy
@Isa,
I hope your daughter's health improves.
And Yeah for younger daughter being a stand up young woman towards boys who are not getting the hint.
@Isa, not to be a downer on Thankful Thursday but this is a concern for all parents.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/parents-worried-about-manosphere_l_69373bdbe4b013f1f7d2992e?origin=home-life-unit
I've already talked my daughter and she won't tolerate this crap. Nor does the mother of her step-child.
@Isa, a little kindness to the poor guy might be in order. just a thought.
But if he is not respecting a “no”, that is a huge red flag. He needs to know this is not ok.
@Anita Isaac, while I can feel for the boy because it's never fun to feel rejected, I care way more about girls/woman saying NO and not be listened to. There is no excuss to harass a woman, be 15 or 50.
@Selena, interesting article. I don't have boys so this has never been a concern for me, really. It's eye opening. We live in a scary world...
well, I am always thankful for you and your quirky, lovely observations! I am thankful for life -- and God's faithfulness -- and that we can stay connected with each other in ways that 50 years ago we could not.
So true! It is one of the gifts of the internet.
I am so thankful for your positive attitude and your blog. I haven't participated in the comments before, but I just wanted to say that you put out so much positive energy to the world and there are many of us who benefit from what you write and share. Thank you!
Aww, thank you for taking the time to encourage me! I am so glad to hear that you enjoy what I write. 🙂
Dead hangs are excellent for improving shoulder health and mobility! Discuss with your PT, obviously. But I got my quickest and most noticeable improvement when I started doing those regularly.
We are enjoying beautiful spring weather here, which makes my walks very pleasant and hopefully we will not get snow! Usually it gets icy or snowy here in February - I am not looking forward to that... However! Today I am thankful for:
*a dear friend who is coming over for lunch tomorrow
*several new puzzles I have found on thrifting excursions lately
*another PTO (prepare the others) day on Monday
*a wonderful nap yesterday (really, is there anything better?)
*my little crockpot which is doing its thing and making my house smell nice (:
Happy Thursday!
I love your snow photos! We rarely get snow here, so I like to enjoy the beauty of it vicariously when people share pictures. These are pretty spectacular.
I'm thankful that my parents are safely home after a road trip to visit family. It may sound silly, but I always worry a bit.
I'm thankful for sunshine and blue skies today, after many dull gray days.
I'm thankful for simple pleasures like drinking hot cocoa and looking at my little tree with the lights on it.
I'm thankful, as always, for my cats keeping me company and being cute and affectionate. I'm especially grateful right now that my two get along so well, after reading a heartbreaking story of someone who had to give up one of their much-loved cats because they were constantly terrorizing each other, even after having been good friends in the past. I hope mine never lose their love for each other.
Yeah for Christmas tree! I love to sit in the room with only the Christmas tree lights on, it's so soothing for me.
Thankful for the sunshine! Even with single digit temps the sun made it feel better & brighter. 🙂
Thankful for our house & furnace & gas woodstove keeping us warm. 🙂 I hope this is not the preview of what this winter will be since winter doesn't start until this weekend.
Thankful for the break in shoveling snow!
Thankful for the warm up yesterday & today. We saw 40* yesterday & expecting 50* today (with rain). Ice is melting!!! 🙂 on roof tops & solid frozen snow piles at end of driveways.
Not Thankful that the wet everything is going to flash freeze in early morning hours creating ICE EVERYWHERE with single digit temps again. 🙁
Thankful for plow trucks that hopefully will have road salted before teen goes to job for last day of work for the year.
Thankful that I have an interview tomorrow.
Thankful I should be able to donate blood tommorow after interview.
Thankful I got some donations to Free store yesterday & they promptly put out since they will be closed for next 2 weeks. I'll have more stuff ready to donate by then.
Thankful for teen & rescue dogs always!
Thankful for Kristen and her blog where we can learn & share with each other.
Have a great weekend. <3
I am grateful that we had a thaw this week, and the piles of snow are much smaller. And I can walk on the sidewalk without boots.
I am grateful that my Christmas shopping is done, and I can enjoy the season without stress.
I am grateful that I have so many little free libraries in my neighborhood, and even a little free pantry.
I am grateful that my grandson is home from college (temporarily) and that he has already adapted so well in his freshman year.
I am grateful for the excellent Goodwills in my area, that have kept me well -dressed for years!
I love to quilt by snow light so bright and
Thankful that we survived the very high wind/rain storm with just 2 HR power outage and a backyard full of tree branches.
I had a successful meeting with my financial advisor, got the few groceries needed to last thru the New Year and was able to drive Mom thru some fancy all decked out in Christmas lights neighborhoods.
Today is another atmospheric river with 45-60 mph winds and 3 in of rain. So grateful we live on a hill.
Snicker doodles on the menu today to thank the neighbor for fixing the downspout that got blown off the house. I didn't ask him, he just came up and checked out the barns, outbuildings and house while I was out of town. He is a blessing!
THankful for:
1. the snow that muffles all sound. We got 12 inches a few nights ago, which is rare when we are in the midst of 30 below zero temps.
2. the long nights and short days of December. Too soon the days will start getting longer.
3. the rollator we bought. I am no longer able to walk with just a cane even in the house, and walkers are clumsy for someone as tall as I am. I saw an ad for a walker that allows you to stand upright and has very stable wheels. It turns out to be even better than I had hoped. It has made it possible for me to walk around the house without fear.
4. Our neighbor had an emergency so we have their dog for two weeks. He is another giant breed so we are rather cramped around here. We are glad to be able to do the neighbor a favor and it helps that he is a sweetheart and he is so much more affectionate than our dogs. We like are thankful for the sweet affection; we understand that our two boys have been beaten and starved so they never really learned to be affectionate, but it still is hard that they are sort of standoffish.
5. the husband, always the husband.
Volunteering for the event was a great idea!
I am thankful for the opposite in the weather, it has warmed here the past few days and I'm so happy for that. It isn't as visually beautiful as your cold, but it makes being outside so much better.
I am thankful for my stove that bakes so much better than my old stove. I didn't realize I had missed baking as much as I have.
I am thankful to be done with Christmas shopping, it's wrapped, and I don't have to mess with any of that for the week before Christmas.
I'm thankful that all the appointments for this month and errands have all been done. I just want to rest the next 2 weeks and enjoy the season.
I also am thankful for my 2 cats. They are a continuous source of entertainment and comfort.
Volunteering is a great way to be able to see and go to events without the ticket price, or even a free but limited ticket. Glad you were able to go to the pinning ceremony.
This week I am thankful for common sense and giving myself some grace. I went to a women's night at church on Tuesday and although wasn't prepared for a cookie exchange/potluck/white elephant gift exchange - I want anyway, and had a great time. I sat out on the gift exchange and didn't take any cookies from the cookie exchange, maybe next year I'll be more on the ball.
I am having a cookie party at my house after the neighborhood golf cart parade and made 6 batches of cookie dough, but then puttered out. I found out GFS foods has bulk cookie dough precut that you can just back off. I bought three packs and am excited to not have to measure, mix, and wash. I will bake off on Friday night and Saturday while cleaning. I find that I need to figure out ways to mitigate my own stress and may opt to let someone else host this next year if there's a calling for it.
I have been letting go of things and it feels good. I found that too much stuff didn't just clutter my house it made me have a lot of paralysis when it came to enjoying my spaces. I dont miss anything that left the house including three bags of clothes I gave to my neighbors and asked them to not return anything. I brought a box of things to donate to the library as well. Although it may be slow progress, much like your post the other day, I'll take the incremental wins.
This week I am thankful . . .
-For job options. My postdoc runs out this summer, and I am terrified I won't get an assistant professor job. A major weeding out happens at each level in academia; really it is a miracle that I have made it this far, something of which I was reminded when I read yesterday's post. I have come so far. But I really love my work and writing and teaching, and I need a flexible work situation to handle the rest of my life. Despite my fears, I have made the short list for two jobs already, and I interviewed for an academic-adjacent job last week. Maybe I'm going to be okay!!!!
-For health insurance. This is the main reason I have to keep working full time. My husband makes pretty good money in our small business, but not enough to cover the $50K in health insurance premiums and out of pockets our family's health coverage would cost if we bought it on our own. I didn't comment on your post referencing that study that said $130K is the new poverty level, but I did read the original post and I think he has a point. Our family falls into exactly the category he describes--making too much to get any government assistance, but too little to do something like pay $50K a year for healthcare. We made about $120K last year. Good money. We don't feel poor at all. We have robust retirement and college savings, and no debt on cars, cards, or colleges. But if just one major thing goes wrong--we lose health insurance, for example--we are struggling to make ends meet.
-For the care my dad receives. My dad had been descending into dementia for a couple of years when our family decided about a year ago he was too much for my mom to handle on her own. Since then he has received excellent care at the facility where he lives and now a rehab place where he is recovering from a stroke. His care is $9,000 a month. Luckily, he and my mom have always been frugal, so they went into retirement with no debt. He also had a pension that I convinced him to roll over into an investment account with Vanguard. I have thanked God over and over in the last year that we did that. If he had kept the pension, it would not have paid enough per month to cover his care. But now Mama has a big pile of cash to care for him for many years, if necessary.
-Our daughter's school. Our daughter has a range of disabilities, and after years of fighting with the public school system, we enrolled her in a private school that is designed for kids with special needs. (And we haven't given up the fight to have the public school place her in this specialty school. Instead, we are gathering more data and biding our time.) I was reminded today when I picked her up for a doctors appointment and dropped her back off how much joy it brings me to carry her to a school everyday where she is making educational progress in an environment that is comfortable for her. We have spent years watching her fail over and over and shoulder more stress than she could handle. I am so deeply grateful for the opportunity to enroll her in this school.
@Amanda in VA, I am rooting for you in your job search!! Having "opted out" of academia for industry a few years ago (a decision I sometimes regret), I understand how difficult and stressful that transition is. Best of luck; I can't wait to see your thankful someday soon when you land that position 🙂
Hi Kristen,
For the past week, these posts are not showing up on the home page of your website. I have to go to your facebook link to find the daily post.
I don't know WHY this keeps happening randomly! I'm going to get an updated WordPress theme and hire some people to help me switch it over and I'm dearly hoping that fixes the problem.
Is it only on your mobile device? It never happens to me on my laptop or desktop but does sometimes happen on my iphone.
@Kristen, before you hire someone you might want to ask at your library (if they have Technology dept) for help. Our local library has great Tech people who have basically fixed anything tech related free of charge.
@Kristen, it happens routinely to me on my iPad:)
1) For this post every week. Mornings can be difficult for me, being thrown into the emotions of midday at my 5am (working overseas). When I scroll through everyone's thankfuls it makes me remember all the good things that happen in life.
2) For an awareness that a lot of my irritations at work are driven by fear, which is driven by a desire to support myself and my family. And for the realization that I will find a way to support us no matter what happens.
3) For a spouse that is deeply committed and knowledgeable about responsible money management.
4) For characters of friends who do all kinds of crazy things like sail across Puget Sound in the winter...and then send me pictures and anecdotes about it.
5) For the lack of expectation from my friends for me to be on social media. I keep expecting a "I posted on Facebook about it, go see it there so I don't have to send it to another person", but I've never once gotten that from my friends.
I teared up at both my undergrad RN graduation and my masters NP graduation. But surprisingly, I tear up almost more watching other people do this after me. Maybe you can just relate more because you know how hard it was. Congrats to your friends!
Late today, but I showed up. Today I'm thankful:
*that I'm home. I've been running about for two days-- dentist, orthodontist, podiatrist, and the laundromat plus shopping and bank. My head is spinning, but I'm glad to be home.
*that our kitchen is done. We're waiting for some things to dry, but I can use the kitchen tomorrow. I am so thankful it looks nice.
*that we tagged a tree at a farm earlier. We didn't want to get it earlier because of the chaos we knew we would have about now with the kitchen remodel.
*that the orthodontist said the girls didn't need braces. That's an expense we would have paid, but I'm awfully glad we don't need to.
*that my boys are home. It feels so good.
I'm thankful that
1. The kids craft afternoon I helped plan and run yesterday went much better than I expected, thanks in part to my wonderful helper!
2. I am successfully completing many of the responsibilities that have been on my plate for the last two months. I was afraid I was not going to be able to meet deadlines and still maintain my health and sanity. However, today I felt cheerful and optimistic for the first time in weeks.
3. For my strong immune system. People all around me have been really sick, staff and students alike. So far I have had no symptoms. Thank you, God!
4. For the chance to do fun things with my class.
5. For music opportunities. I got to work with a 70-person children's choir, and they were all so engaged and cooperative. I don't take this for granted!
6. I was able to participate in the live Nativity Walk put on by various churches in my town in our local park.
7. In spite of my busy, busy schedule, I was able to carve out some time to do Christmas baking, a tradition and hobby I find relaxing.
8. I don't have to drive anywhere tonight as it is snowing hard. If, needed, I can walk to work tomorrow if the snow is too deep to drive.
9. That tomorrow is the last day of school before Christmas break, and we have only a half day with students and a staff lunch out at a local restaurant afterwards.
10. For encouraging words from people in my life.
I am so blessed! I hope to bless others as well.
Among the complications of life, plenty to be thankful for:
- the perfect amounts of snow at perfect times for my schedule and enjoyment.
- not teaching a subject with state-mandated end of course tests. Those teachers have endless layers of added complication and chaos (in my experience).
- that my provider immediately determined my need for a referral to neurology and that I got into an open spot this Monday!!! Standard wait times in my area for those referrals is a couple months.
- that said appointment spot was with the neurologist who I've heard great things about all around and is a top choice.
- that I took a lot of pressure off of myself about how the holiday season "should" be. I just do my best with the resources (time, money, energy) that I have.
Your tree is beautiful! You have so much to be thankful for. Merry Christmas.
you are so wise. am glad you found a way to go to the pinning ceremony. glad you started pt. it is so helpful. and thanks for the shelley photo and the chiquita one. double whammy woo hoo.
The photo of those bright red berries in the snow is just beautiful! What a pretty moment to capture. And PLEASE, please share a photo of the new cat Christmas tree topper when you get it! It sounds so cute and fun. 🙂
Haha ok I will!
I'm thankful for my cat!! He makes life fun and wonderful and is so cute!!
I'm thankful for some time to decorate my THREE trees. I probably have enough decorations for fifteen trees but that would just be silly.
And I am so thankful for a working HVAC. I spent one winter heating with wood because the HVAC died. I didn't enjoy getting up every 2 hours to feed the woodstove.