Thankful Thursday | And I'm 45!
Today is my birthday! I'm halfway to 90 years old, so I think I will now identify as middle-aged. 😉
This week I am thankful:
for 45 years
Every year is a privilege and a gift, and I know that not everyone has the privilege of accumulating 45 birthdays.
The only alternative to getting older is to...not have the opportunity to get older!
So, I am thankful.
for the fullness of these 45 years
I'm sure I've said something like this in previous birthday posts, but I often reflect back on my life and feel appreciative of and amazed at how much I have gotten to experience in these 45 years.
I have had the opportunity to learn so many skills, I've had several different careers already, I've visited lots of this country, I've built so many relationships, I've raised children, I've almost finished a solid 19 years of homeschooling, I've cooked a million or so meals...and so much more.
I know sometimes people look back on their years and feel a sense of regret, like, "Man, I wish I'd done more stuff." but I really feel like my years have been jam-packed.
I hope I get another 45 years, of course, but I feel like I've packed a lifetime into the last 45 years.
for the way the hard things in my life have shaped me
I would not actively choose any of the hurtful, scarring things that have happened to me, most especially the ones that have involved people hurting me in order to achieve their own ends.
But I can see that there are ways in which these things have shaped me into who I am today; I think these things have given me gifts of empathy, kindness, and strength that I may not have had otherwise.
Occasionally Lisey has met people who have had extremely easy lives, and almost every time, those people have been seriously lacking in empathy, humility, and kindness. She and I say to each other, "This person has not had enough hard times." 😉
(And of course, I would not actively wish suffering on anyone. I want to become a nurse in order to alleviate suffering! I'm just saying that suffering often results in character growth.)
for ways of healing from hard things
I am so thankful for my support group, for my therapist, and for friends who have walked some of these same hard roads as me.
I am thankful for tears and walks in the woods and new beginnings.
for independence
Last Saturday, I finally tackled my overgrown yard, and as I was looping around the yard on the riding mower, Lisey was busy changing her brakes in the driveway.
I thought what a beautiful thing it is that we, as women, are capable of doing these things for ourselves.
I've been supporting myself this whole last year, and Lisey's about to launch into being entirely self-supporting too; it's such a good feeling to know you can provide for yourself!
I don't think either Lisey or I want to be single for the rest of our days, but I think it's a lovely thing to be in a place where you can enter a relationship not out of necessity but out of desire.
for dependence
The riding mower? I borrowed it from my neighbor Donna; she'd rescued it from someone else and rehabbed it.
And before Lisey started working on her car that day, she had a little consultation with Donna.
We get by with a little help from Donna. 🙂
And I recognize that my independent abilities are at least partly a result of other people pouring into me over the course of my life.
for the pine needles in my yard
As I was mowing over the fallen needles, the pine scent filled the air and oh, I love that smell!
I've never had a yard with pine trees before and I really like this experience.
for ivy help from a neighbor
One of my neighbors is on a mission to save the local trees from the English ivy that's killing them, so she came over yesterday and we removed ivy from a bunch of trees in my yard.
I was happy for the help, and she was just thrilled that I was willing to help the trees even though I am a renter.
that Lisey graduated this week!
She's all done aviation mechanic school now and I AM SO PROUD.
that Zoe and I could cheer up my friend
One of my friends from my support group has an ex that is just...ugh. I am sorry to say that he is really quite a terrible human being.
My friend was talking to me the other day about some of his antics, and the things he was doing were just so ridiculous, Zoe and I were just rolling our eyes SO HARD.
Zoe said something funny about it and I told my friend, and then my friend went from crying to laughing. Since Zoe and I were able to see his behavior as ridiculous and over-the-top, she was able to stop taking it so seriously too.
And I felt so thankful that Zoe was able to bless my friend that way.
for beautiful weather today
Earlier in the week, the forecast for my birthday was full of rain.
But it changed, and now my weather app says, "times of clouds and sun; nicest day of the week."
And I feel like this is very happy news for my birthday!
for birthday freebies
You know I will be getting my free Starbucks drink this morning. And I probably will snag another few birthday freebies as well. 🙂
for my cat
She is terrible at taking selfies with me but I still always try. 😉
Oh, Kristen, I am thankful for you. Many happy returns!
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday! You look great!
Wishing you a wonderful birthday. ❤️
Thankful for my cat's improved health, for my friend who will be giving my son a vacuum cleaner as he sets up his first apartment, for the financial ability to manage new car costs ( he will get my current vehicle and I will get a replacement), which is due in large part to frugal living now bearing fruit, and to a rare lunch at a restaurant as a belated anniversary celebration.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY my friend!! May you get to my age of 84 with many more adventures. GOD BLESS!! (hugs)
Wishing you a great day! I'm so glad you were born. You are a treasured asset to all of us.
Happiest of birthdays to you, Kristen! May you be blessed with many more happy and healthy years! Enjoy your day! You so deserve it!!
@Gina,
Also, Congratulations to Lisey on her graduation! Best of luck for a successful career!
Happy birthday to yoouuu! And congratulations to Lisey. So much to celebrate.
Thankfuls:
--For RAIN! We have had none at all, and it was dire. We got about half an inch yesterday, which is not as much as we need, but is at least a start. I don't know if it's really enough for the grass in the pastures, but the weeds will at least probably start growing now. Sheep are just as happy to eat weeds as grass. Happier, sometimes.
--For so many eggs on hand. And not only eggs, but, thanks to our chickens and my friend's numerous chickens, home eggs. I eat two every morning, I make a lot of egg-heavy desserts for my custard- and pudding-loving children, and I never have to worry about running out.
--For seven healthy lambs so far up and running around with no help from us. April lambing is soooo much better than March lambing.
--For schedule flexibility for both my husband and I, so that when a last-minute school field trip is scheduled, I can be home with the ones too old or young to go, and he can drive the bus for the field trip. One or the other of us is always available for our children, and that is something I do not take for granted.
--For rhubarb, asparagus, and parsley. It makes me very happy to harvest from my garden every day, and these are the first things available for harvest in the spring.
Happy Birthday to You!!! I promise not to sing (you're welcome!) but here is a poem by Hafiz to start off your Birthday and your Thankful Thursday:
“I sometimes forget that I was created for Joy.
My mind is too busy. My heart is too heavy for me to remember
that I have been called to dance
the Sacred dance of life.
I was created to smile
To love
To be lifted up
And to lift others up.
O Sacred One
Untangle my feet from all that ensnares.
Free my soul that we might dance
and that our dancing might be contagious.”
Here's wishing you the next 45 years of contagious dancing!
@JDinNM, Also, I am thankful that, as we progress through The Seasons of New Mexico, we seem to have made it from Winter to Fool’s Spring to Second Winter to Spring of Deception to Third Winter to The Pollening (achoo!) to Actual Spring!!!
@JDinNM, this is wonderful!
@JDinNM, I am thankful to you for posting this poem!
@JDinNM, Brilliant!
@JDinNM,
A lovely share.
Oh, I like this. Yes. I want to lift others up. 🙂
@Kristen, And you do! Any time you doubt that, just come back to this post and re-read all these birthday greetings, and you will know what a blessing you are to so many people.
@JDinNM, That's beautiful!
Happy Birthday!
A great big happy birthday to you, Kristen, and huge congratulations to Lisey on her graduation! I'm thankful for a happy week for you; goodness knows you deserve it.
And thanks to everyone who commented so honestly in yesterday's discussion. I gained some fresh insights.
Happy Birthday! Thank you for sharing your life, I am always so encouraged by you.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KRISTEN! All the best people are on this date: my grandma, 2 dear cousins, and now you.
I bet all the pilots needing mechanic assistance will request the cute girl. Lisey, you are super impressive—congratulations! Congratulations for knowing what you want, pursuing it, getting through all the schooling, and now having a fantastic trade. It is a rare person who isn't flailing around, seeking direction well into one's 30s.
Great discussion yesterday.
How does one qualify for birthday freebies? I hear these mentioned often, but not living in a town of franchises, I remain in darkness here.
I wonder if there is a guy equivalent of this blog, where they congratulate one another on getting spots out of clothing, sewing on buttons, trying new recipes, figuring out efficient ways to clean house, recovering from marriages that have ended for various reasons. . . (Now someone will get ticked at me and call me "sexist". . . sigh.) I firmly believe that all people, regardless of sex, should know how to do laundry and change oil (if they have a car).
Plenty to be thankful here, but just wanted to spout a few thoughts.
Haha, I'll have to think if there is a male equivalent. Lots of dudes do write about money, but their blogs definitely skew toward the investing/real estate side of things!
Happy birthday to your family members who share this auspicious date. Heh.
Birthday freebies are mostly through apps and mailing lists; lots are chains, but I have gotten a fair number through local places too.
@Kristen, thank you for the reply. In the interest of keeping my life simple, I'll do without the apps, lists, and chains and pass on the freebies. It would mean more time than I want to spend while putting more miles on my '96 Accord. But now my curiosity is satisfied!
Happy Birthday!
A banner week! Happy birthday to you and congratulations to Lisey, as well as to Zoe for her well-said comment.
I'm thankful...
1. For the rain we got yesterday and more predicted today. We've not had the "April showers to bring May flowers" this year, so we need this rain.
2. For a rare moment this week when my husband suddenly spoke and looked like his old self. He doesn't have dementia, but he definitely has "cognitive deficits" from his strokes. This week, he suddenly made one of his trademark dry, witty statements with that deadpan face, just like he used to do and almost never does now. His remark made me laugh spontaneously, and I could tell that pleased him.
3. For the happy greeting I get every morning from two wiggly dogs.
4. For the re-emergence of the marjoram that I thought the cold snap this winter had killed. I never successfully grew marjoram before so I am just now discovering how nice it can be in my cooking.
5. For the berries ripening on my bushes - assuming I can keep the birds and squirrels off of them!
@JD, I love your #2 (and, as you can imagine, I'm wistful about it too). I also congratulate you on being able to maintain marjoram as a tender perennial; I have to treat it as an annual here in Central NY. It is a lovely herb, isn't it?
@A. Marie,
I understand! My wish for you would be for you to have a few of those moments with your DH too, no matter how unlikely they might be.
My mother never used marjoram, so I was a stranger to it, then decided to grow it, only to see it fail. Now that I have it, I like using it, and I was thrilled to have it come back this spring.
@JD, Thank you for the idea of growing marjoram - I've grown lots of other herbs so I'm not sure why it never occurred to me! But it's not always the easiest to find in my local stores, and there is one dish my mom/grandma made that it is essential for (dressing for Thanksgiving) - and as you said, once I had it around, I found we really enjoy it in lots of other dishes.
Aww, what a lovely moment with your husband. When something lovely like that happens, I imagine that I am bottling up that memory and storing it away, close to my heart, so I can refer back to it later.
@JD, Your #2 made my heart happy for you!
@JD, I think marjoram is either the same as or closely related to oregano. I've grown both and cannot tell them apart. Our climate is considered Mediterranean, and they usually make it through winter (but not this year, phooey.) They do bolt in the summer, so I am always snipping off the blossoms. I dry the leaves and save it that way.
Happy birthday, Kristen. Your post today sounds so powerful, cheerful and optimistic.
Happy birthday, Kristen! Every day, you inspire us.
@Rose,
So do you. ♥
@Rose,
You are a witty, tough, super intelligent Warrior Heroine!!
@st, Amen to that! 🙂
Happy birthday, Kristen! I’m thankful for you, your blog, and the community you’ve built here. Also, congratulations to Lisey!
Dear Kristen, congratulations on your 45th and many happy and healthy returns of the day!
And congrats to Lisey for completing her technical education and becoming a role model!
This week's thankfuls
- a successfully completed project
- an unexpected but delightful bout of singing in a karaoke box
- sunshine, on a public holiday
- a good night's sleep after several bad nights
- a small stack of books to look forward to - and some podcast.
I have never tried a karaoke night but I'd love to sometime!
@Kristen, It's so ridiculously fun. Though I've only done it under the influence of alcohol and I assume you're not a drinker. That said, friends of mine have offered cold hard cash for the video of me singing "Push It" by Salt n Pepa.
OOOOH BABY BABY etc
@Rose,
Trust me, one can sing ones heart out on a cuppa!
Was I hoarse the next day-
I am thankful that our taxes are paid and we can move on!
I am thankful for weather that demands windows open and fresh air in the house.
I am thankful that other people have completed their taxes and have had no complaints about the documentation I provided. (I do the bookkeeping for our church.)
I am thankful that my family is healthy.
I am thankful for friends who gave us encouragement and good advice about raising kids.
I am thankful for morning coffee and afternoon tea.
Happy birthday!!! I love so much of your perspective that you've shared here. 45 looks great on you. Sounds like you are absolutely primed to slay this next era of a satisfying, fulfilled Kristen life. I feel energized just thinking about it - it's coming for you and it seems like you're going after it. Watch out everyone, here she comes!
OH! And congratulations to Lisey! Way to go (and pat on the back to Mom, who supported her to get to this point)!
@CrunchyCake,
Yes, here comes Kristen!! Congratulations for 45 years well lived! ♥
Look out, world! I'm coming through. 🙂
Wishing you a fabulous happy birthday.
also I hate to be that person, but apparently not enough not to be that person. It's a spruce rather than pine.
Signed,
Correction Girl
@Rose hahaha
Haha, yes, BUT the one that dropped all the needles I was mowing over IS actually a pine tree. I just didn't have a handy photo of it. lol
Happy birthday, Kristen!
You are a gift to this world and I enjoy reading your post every day, especially when things get difficult and I feel challenged by unexpected calamities or the negative and destructive behaviour of others I cannot influence, your posts help me to see the beauty in this world, find my inner peace and enjoy my life on earth. THANK YOU.
Aww, this makes me so happy to hear. Thank you, Claudia!
I wish you the happiest of birthdays! You deserve it after the past year. I know you are proud of your children and their accomplishments and you should be--they have learned from you.
Congratulations, Lisey! And happy birthday, Kristen!
My husband's birthday was last week and we celebrated by going away...20 minutes down the road to a B&B on a scenic river. He wanted to relax, nothing more. So he did. It was nice not having a long drive. I took yarn and knitting needles and I walked around explored the neighborhood. Lots of time watching rowing teams practicing, birds catching fish, and the changing light of the sun throughout the day.
I am thankful for a refreshing getaway.
Wishing you a year of blessed abundance!!! Happy, Happy Birthday!!!!
Thankful that we have an upcoming family vacation in the next week. This is the first getaway we have had jut the 3 of us on over three years and I am so excited to have the chance to enjoy that time away together.
Thankful again for a healthy body that allows me to pursue physical fitness. When you are out of shape & carry extra weight workouts are HARD both mentally and physically. I am grateful that I see improvements every week...inches lost, new exercises that I can do, increased energy, more flexibility. This is such a gift.
Thankful for my chiropractor who keeps me well-adjusted so I can do more of the hard workouts mentioned above. It takes a village y'all!
Thankful for pen & paper. I know spreadsheets and smartphones are the thing but I am still a pen and paper kinda girl. I'd be lost without my lists 🙂
Thankful for a Ladies conference this coming weekend. Looking so forward to some spiritual refreshment and time spent with community.
Wishing you all joy on this Thursday!
Happy birthday! You look wonderful. Congrats to Lisey. I hope you let us know where she ends up working. I know it will be someplace warm!
Happy birthday and many happy returns. It's always funny to remember that you're not that much older than me and here I am with an elementary school aged child and have tried recently for another. Still there are times where you look a whole lot younger than I do (or feel.)
Per your comment on hard times, I think it really depends on the person how they are affected by it. Some people do become rather empathetic and kind (the nicest people I've met are generally some of the poorest) and some become cold and bitter. Others end up as hoarders or hanging on and afraid of change (like a family member of mine.)
But most people don't know what hard times are, daddy! Hard times are when the textile workers around this country are out of work and got four, five kids, and can't pay their wages, can't buy their food. Hard times are when the auto workers are out of work and they tell them 'Go home!'. And hard times are when a man has worked at a job thirty years; thirty years! They give him a watch, kick him in the butt and say 'Hey, a computer took your place, daddy!'. That's hard times! That's hard times.
(bonus points to anyone who gets that without looking it up 😉 )
My Thankful things this week are varied:
* That we can afford some things we couldn't in the past like vacations and upgrading things that still work but that we really should replace. We're not sure where we want to go this summer (my daughter is asking about Hershey Park again but also Legoland)
* Which brings me to my next one: We're getting some new AC units that should be quieter and more efficient. We looked into Mini-splits or central air but for the cost we'd really want to be in the house for a good number of years more to make it worthwhile. We can't really guarantee that right now for a number of reasons.
* For a functional plumbing system and some electrical improvements.
* TMI but I joined the bidet club and got one of the fancy types that will heat the water and seat and all sorts of nice stuff. So far everyone, including the little one, has become a convert to it.
* That I can handle some small repairs and installs myself. For example I installed the bidet myself with just some basic tools (adjustable wrench, channel locks and Teflon tape.) A plumber would've charged a lot more.
* That my wife and I get to go out tomorrow night together.
@Battra92, Cinderella Man?
I wish I could get my husband to convert to a bidet. He usually embraces change but for this he says, "You like paper to write on and I like paper to wipe with." There is no way to argue against a nonsensical statement, as I always say in response. I am impressed you installed it yourself!
@Lindsey, This is not the most frugal way to do it but take him to Japan. They are everywhere there and it just makes more sense after a while. We've installed them in three of our bathrooms (four, if you include the one in our last house).
No points for me because that quote is not familiar to me!
@Battra92, Legoland is fun!! We took our kids (ages 4, 6, and 9) last month and they loved it.
@Kristen, haha it's a famous pro wrestling promo. It's a low brow quote to say the least. 🙂
Happy birthday!! Wishing you another 45 even better years.
On financial independence: when I started medical school, my grandmother said to me, "So, you're going to be a doctor...you don't have to get married." It really struck me that that's what my career meant to her; that I didn't have to marry. She was unusually educated for her generation (she has a BA in interior design) but she married at 21 and was a homemaker thereafter. My grandparents had a long and happy marriage, but still, the possibility that I could choose a different path meant a lot to my grandma.
This week I am grateful for:
1. The arrival of spring. It's coming!
2. Old friendships. I'm still very close to a few of my high school friends and there's really nothing as wonderful/mortifying as the people who knew your at your most awkward age.
3. My aunt and uncle. They're my family stay at their house for the weekend while they're out of town, and it'll be like a free vacation for us! It's in the same city, but a different neighbourhood. I'm so excited.
4. My apartment. It's a little too small and a lot too expensive, but it's easy to clean and has great light.
5. My colleagues' whatsapp chat for moms. It's such a helpful resource for advice and support!
@Meira@meirathebear, The line about "you don't have to get married" is kind of wonderful and....kind of not. Sad that so many women had to get married, my mother among them. (OK, well, she didn't have to...but she was 19 and pregnant and got fired from her Wall Street secretary's job when they figured out she was pregnant.) And it worked out. My parents were married for 53 years. Still, when my great-grandmother offered to sell her summer house so Mom could afford to go to nursing school, I wish she'd said yes. Instead she said she didn't need to go to college and she didn't want Nana to have to sell. I feel like if Mom had a brother and Nana offered to sell to send him to go to college, he'd've taken her up on it. Oh well, autres temps, autres mœurs.
@Rose, My mother's father died when she was about 5, but her mother remarried and my mom loved her stepfather (so did I). But the one thing she resented was that he paid for his son to go to college but wouldn't pay for my mom to go to college. Because girls didn't need to go to college.
Happy Birthday! Enjoy being middle aged! It was far more traumatic to realize I had exited middle age that it was to enter those years. Enjoy them for all the possibilities they present.
Happy Birthday! Today is my birthday as well, and I'm thankful to share it with you. I hope you have a wonderful birthday!
Happy Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!!! I hope you have a lovely day!
I am thankful for my first full year in remission from pancreatic cancer.
I am so thankful for the village of people who got me through that hard time - everyone from the medical techs, RNs, Drs, therapists, to my church community and work community to my family- my sister, my mom, my dad and my aunt. They made it easy for me to be sick, so that I could recover faster (if that makes any sense at all!).
I am thankful for the village that has come together to support my family as we deal with the reality of dementia and the medical issues that come with it.
I am thankful for the rather odd sense of humor that helps us through each day and each challenge. Without that I’m pretty sure I’d go to bed, pull the covers over my head and refuse to come out!
@KtB,
congratulations on your health. That's like kind of a birthday. And may you have many, many happy returns of that kind of birthday!
@KtB, Wow, what terrific news about your cancer! I agree with Lea, it is another kind of birthday so enjoy.
@KtB, I'm thankful for your remission, too!
Oh, such wonderful news about your cancer!
@KtB, I add my congratulations on your year of remission--and on your "village" supporting you through a loved one's dementia. I wouldn't have made it this far through DH's Alzheimer's without my own "village."
@KtB, Great to hear about your remission! I hope you continue to receive support from your village; dementia can be life-sucking for caregivers, please take care of yourself!
@KtB, That is wonderful about your cancer! I've always understood that pancreatic cancer is just the absolute worst---so painful. Great news.
@KtB, What a wonderful thing to hear! Sending all good wishes for many more years of remission. Your family sounds lovely.
Happy Happy birthday!
Happy, happy birthday, Kristen!!! I love reading your blog, although I rarely comment. You are a strong and amazing woman. I hope this next year is wonderful for you. You deserve much happiness!!!
Thank you for delurking today!
May all your best birthday wishes come true!
Happy Birthday! Enjoy your special day
Happy, happy birthday and congratulations to Lisey!
Happiest Birthday to you!!!!
What a jam-packed week for you, Kristen, between birthday and graduation and finally tackling your lawn! You look marvelous and here is to 45 more years!! (When we see someone behaving petty and entitled, the husband and I inevitably say, "What they need is a good catastrophic illness" to make them appreciate what they have. Our version of not had enough hard times.)
Thankful for:
1. the grace of a friend who accepted my apology after I said something that sounded witty in my head but appalling when it came out of my mouth, just mean instead of clever. I don't mind alienating people but I want it to be on purpose, not by accident.
2. snow starting to melt. It is still well below freezing at night but this week it is supposed to warm up. As I write this at 9 am it is already 28 degrees, so I have high hopes because yesterday it started out like this and reached 40 by noon. I don't like summer much but by this point every year I am fed up with ice coating every walking surface.
3. the good feelings I get watching my husband's small singing group take care of others. One of the members is over 90 and went for a walk in the dark and below zero temps (!!) and fell and laid outside for a very long time before two guys drove by and saw him lying there and rescued him. He was hospitalized but is no longer able to walk and his quartet goes to his house to rehearse, knowing that he will never perform with them again because he is getting so weak. But they go to cheer him and to make sure his caretakers (he has no family) are treating him well. Another woman used to be the singing instructor for many of the group and she is getting progressively more senile. She can still live alone, but barely. The guys (it is a men's barbershop group) take turns checking on her and helping her. Good men who are just doing what needs to be done with no fanfare.
4. our neighbor's 8-year-old daughter, who loves our dog and chickens so after school jumps over the fence between our yards (the snow is so high and packed, she just walks over the five-foot fence) and comes in to ask to entertain the dog and chickens for a while. We have a giant dog door, legacy of our Irish wolfhounds, so she knocks and when I yell loves to come in through the dog door even though the backdoor is never locked. Pound hound loves having someone of high energy chase him around in the snow and the chickens love the popcorn she brings.
5. the husband, always the husband.
@Lindsey, My first puppy had 6 and 8 year old kids in our park who taught him how to skateboard. At least once a day I tell Current Dog (almost 4 but still with puppy energy) that I'm looking not for another dog but for an 8 year old boy to play with her. I'm a very poor substitute.
@JDinNM, That first puppy's name was Barkley (after Charles, the Round Mound of Rebound) but the kids always called him "the dog that stole Seth's baseball cap" because he loved to crash their soccer games and run off with all their gear. 17 years later I still miss him.
Haha, I love your saying about the catastrophic illness. Yes, that's such a similar idea to what Lisey and I say to each other!
@Lindsey, as I've said in the past, I feel there is a really fun children's book called "The Adventures of Pound Hound" waiting to be written. His 8-year-old human friend would fit into it nicely.
@Lindsey, I love your list! <3
@Lindsey, your #3 and #4 are so sweet! And don't worry about #1, we all say dumb stuff sometimes unintentionally, or at least I do. I'm glad your friend understood.
Happy birthday, Kristen! Don't forget Denny's gives you a free Grand Slam breakfast (served all day long) on your birthday. Coffee and tip not included. And when you turn 50, use your AARP card to get 15% off at Dennys on any day.
I have a plaque in my house that reads "Troubles are the tools by which God fashions us for better things." And certainly many of my problems caused me to become strong in the broken places: Enduring the school yard bullies helped me develop a thick hide, very useful later on when I was a news reporter.
Which brings to mind that I'm thankful, first of all, that I am a strong person. I have learned over the years to stand up for myself and fight for what I need. That's a necessary skill when you're a woman alone, as many of you already know first hand.
Secondly, the tornado sirens went off last night but aside from having a front yard that looks more like a big mud puddle, I dodged the (weather) bullet. Some folks in my county are lacking their roofs. We also had baseball sized hail and TV news showed numerous windows and windshields broken. Thankfully, that was not in my part of town. Psalms 91!
My third thankful thing is that I've been the recipient of free food/meals and coupons for same this week. This Saturday, I worked my retail job as a cashier, and the restaurant next door gave me a refillable drink cup (refills are $1.25; I can beat that price elsewhere; I didn't complain; I just politely thanked them) plus a very useful coupon for a free BBQ sandwich I subbed at an elementary school which provided pizza and salad for teachers and staff on Tuesday. Today, the high school secretary gave us treats and snacks; not a whole meal, but it's free.
Also thankful and happy for new series and programs they broadcast on over-the-air TV channels so I can watch for free. Who needs Outlander when you can watch Longmire?
Finally, I'm thanking the good Lord for folks who pray for me. I feel that I'm in the company of innumerable angels holding me in prayer. Somehow I'm getting through the situations I have to face.
@Fru-gal Lisa, We really enjoyed Longmire. And, I agree with you about caring people who prayed for us getting us through a rough bunch of months recently, all the way to wellness. Such a comfort.
Are things with Joshua still strained? My heart hurts for you, Kristen. I'm sorry for the pain you've endured.
No exciting update there, sadly. I will let you guys know if something ever changes!
I'm thankful for YOU to take us in this 7 stages of grief journey after divorce. What you're doing can be applied to so many relationships! I don't know how you managed to do this for so long. I wish you all the best and a super happy birthday. I look forward to reading your 90th B'day post. Xx.
I am so happy that me sharing is helpful to others!
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday, Kristen!!! You are such a blessing. I hope your day is wonderful.
Today I'm thankful:
- that today is beautiful enough to get some gardening done.
- that Andy Serkis narrated the audiobooks of The Lord of the Rings because - oh my stars - he did SUCH a good job! I'm loving it.
And Lisey - Congratulations!! What an accomplishment! We're all cheering you on here!
Happy birthday! You look fabulous!
Happy Birthday!! And best wishes and many happy returns! Your attitude and expressions of gratitude are inspirational to us all. Thank you for sharing your gifts.
I think what Lisey is doing is so cool. It is very empowering to know how to do practical stuff. Happy birthday! I agree, not everyone has the privilege to grow older and still be able. All the best to you this year and into the next one.
Happy, happy birthday! I'm grateful that you continue to create such a lovely & welcoming space for your readers.
1) Ever so thankful that we spent the time & money to visit my husband's family last week. It was so worth it.
2) Grateful that we have the resources to save up for such an expensive trip, which enabled the family time together.
3) Very thankful for the freedom I have, as a woman, and the trip was a great reminder that's not a universally held truth.
4) Appreciate that our teenagers managed the trip so well (both the logistics, but also meeting folks who were otherwise strangers to them) & really made the most of our time together.
5) Super appreciative of the sun this week. Sun helps reset your circadian rhythms, so I've been spending time in the sun this week to help with the jet lag. The rain is coming back next week, so I'm glad I get the chance this week.
Happy Birthday! Thank you so much for enriching our lives on pretty much a daily basis. You deserve the best year 45 ever!
@Kristen
Happy Birthday!
You've been a blessing in my life and I am thankful for you.
Happy Birthday!
"I thought what a beautiful thing it is that we, as women, are capable of doing these things for ourselves."
Well said! Thanks for the inspiration!
What a lovely day for you - hope you have a wonderful birthday! I too am thankful for you, and for the resilience and kindness you're encouraging with your blog. Great legacy for the first 45 years! : )
Big congrats also to Lisey, woo hoo!!
Happy Birthday!!!! May this be the year that all your dreams come true. You are off to a good start. Your Thankful Thursday list is overflowing with love and joy!
Oh Congratulations, Lisey, on a job well done!!!
Happy birthday! Thankful for your posts!
Happy Birthday! Hope you make 90!
Happy Birthday, Kristen! Tell your mom and dad they done good. And congrats to Lisey. Most things mechanical seem so overwhelming to me, and I can’t even process the workings of an airplane engine. (despite the fact that my dad, brother, and nephew all were/are pilots.)
Today I’m thankful that my husband was cleared for gallbladder surgery ( he had to have cardiac clearance. All tests were normal )
Wishing you Birthday Blessings!
Happy Birthday! May this year be a year of healing, growth and some wonderful surprises for you along the way!
And YAY for Lisey! I'll be very interested to see where her degree and newly acquired skills take her.
Congratulations to Lisey! Happy Birthday, Kristen! Enjoy those birthday freebies. My birthday was in early April and I'm still redeeming all my birthday freebies. It's fun!
Happy birthday to you and congratulations to Lisey!!
- I'm thankful that a group of girlfriends are getting together tonight. Pre-Covid we got together once a month but we haven't gotten our groove back yet.
- I'm thankful that my work hours are flexible so I can work extra during the week and get off early on Friday
- I'm thankful that it's not supposed to be raining this weekend.
- I'm thankful that the bulbs I planted in our refreshed flower bed are starting to come up.
- I'm thankful that we are debt free.
Happy birthday! And congrats to Lisey!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Kristen!!! May you feel blessed and loved! <3
Happy birthday!! At 65 I hope I am over events that “build character”. I am character enough thank you!
Happy Birthday
Happy birthday!!!
I’m thankful for a successful Bring Your Child to Work day 🙂
Wishing you a good day and a fulfilling year ahead! You are putting in place the stepping stones to a great second half of your life. Thank you for all you share; it is so helpful even to those of us who are a little further along in our life journeys.
Best wishes!
Happiest Birthday to you, Kristen!!
I hope your day has been special in many ways!!
Happy Birthday, Kristen! And congratulations to Lisey! I love celebrating milestones. Celebrations make the hard times feel a little less hurtful.
I am thankful this week for
1) the beautiful tenor singing of our new choir director, who aced his junior music recital (he is a junior at the local college);
2) the flowering trees all over town, dogwoods and pears and plums and more;
3) my big bottle of antihistamines (see above, maples are also blooming, and oaks);
4) my new Jaques Pepin cookbook that provided a wonderful recipe for dinner, I hope;
5) my beautiful husband, who mowed the lawn this morning without a word of complaint. Makes our yard look a little less like the "before" picture compared to the neighbor's, which is a lovingly tended formal garden.
PS My husband and I have shared a joke for many years related to your observation about suffering. We observed early on that some people behave badly because they were not lonely enough, or did not suffer enough, but there is often time for them to catch up. Sometimes they do! If we can stand to deal with them again, later.
Happy, happy birthday to you, Kristen! Number one on my thankful list today is you. ❤️
I’m also extremely thankful that my older son treated us to a hotel and breakfast last weekend. It was just what we needed: an opportunity to talk through many hard things and come out the other side reconnected.
I’m bc also thankful that I’m going to collaborate with that same son, and teach some group lessons through his studio. I want to make more money to save for our retirement, and doing this with him will mean he takes care of the venue and the advertising, so much less overwhelm for me.
I’m thankful for my dear and loving daughter. My world is much brighter with her in it.
I’m thankful my younger son’s family had a crisis-free week. It was much needed.
And I’m thankful a friend and I are going to start a workout program together. I need the companionship and the accountability.
Enjoy the sunshine on your special day!
Oh yes, and congratulations to Lisey on her fantastic accomplishment!!
Happiest of birthdays to you! Also big congrats to your daughter on her accomplishment. We almost share the same birthday. (24th for me) I turned 80 this year. Grateful for God’s goodness! Blessings and joy as you celebrate 45 and graduation!
Happy birthday Kristen!
Happy Birthday!!!! And congratulations to Lisey! That is such an amazing accomplishment.
I am thankful to have found your blog so many years ago. I learned to bake bread. I took the leap and started homeschooling my kids. I just thoroughly enjoy having this blog be a part of my day. Happy Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday and congratulations to Lisey!
Happy Birthday Kristen! I am 60 and "just" consider myself middle aged. When I was 45, I was raising a preschooler so I thought of myself as a younger Mom. Have a wonderful weekend and Congrats to Lisey! I am jealous. I wish I could do my own car repairs.
Happy Birthday!
And the ever so few silver threads are beautiful on you!
Happy, happy, happy birthday! I will remember your special day for sure. Enjoyed your birthday observations.
(This has always been a special day for me because a much beloved aunt has this birthday-now celebrating in heaven)
I am thankful for YOU and this kind smart online community. HAPPY 45th!
Happy birthday!
I am thankful for the little beach near us. It is on a small lake or a large pond, not sure which, but it is just enough for the kiddos to play after school in the sand and water, and only 5 minutes from our house.
Thankful the mask restriction at my hospital is lifted. It will feel so nice not to have one on for 12 hours at work, and for patients o be able to see faces again.
Thankful for his phase of child raising. My boys are 4 and 7, so now they are old enough to do a lot more fun stuff, outings, and activities. The time is going by really fast and this is a really nice age to have.
Thankful for nicer weather. When they kids are outside in nature they seem to fight so much less than when they are stuck indoors. Winter is fun to be outside too, but it is so much easier to convince kiddos to go outside when it isn’t 35, overcast, and windy.
Thankful my sourdough starter is maturing! My bread still isn’t perfect but as the starter is getting older and I am getting more practice the loaves are really tasty and so much better than anything you can get in the store.
Happy Birthday!
Congrats to Lisey on graduation!
After a couple of intense weeks, I'm thankful things are calming down.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Happy birthday, Kristen! I hope your birthday has been full of many blessings. Thank you for sharing your wonderful outlook on life; it is such an encouragement to me. I like the part about some people just haven’t gone through hard things- so true!
¡Feliz cumpleaños Kristen!
Dios te bendiga siempre.
I will turn 80 this year but I sure don't feel my age. I make cards, lots of them. I attend church services every Sunday. I communicate with friends, and I have a daughter and her family nearby plus a son who is a missionary in Thailand and a daughter who is married to a doctor in Canada. Then I have a son who has worked at Bob Jones University for over 30 years and is now working privately doing computer programming. Just keeping up with my family is a full time job! I enjoy making my own bread and cooking my own meals although sometimes it's hard to be creative. I lost the love of my life 17 years ago and it doesn't get any easier except that I know he's in heaven and I will see him again. I own my home and have to be very frugal but for me it's really not a burden. I trust the Lord to watch over me and am so thankful for His goodness and kindness to me. I am loved and I return that love with as much giving of my time as I can. Life is good!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy, Happy Birthday Kristen! So thank for you and this space you have created! I hope your day has been wonderful and your year ahead one of your best ones yet!
Happiest of Birthdays to you!
Happy birthday!!! May God bless you in all you do!! Thank you for blessing me with you posts!!!
Happy Birthday, Kristen!
Happy Birthday!!! I am so very thankful for you!!!
Happiest Birthday wishes to a cool lady, wonderful mother, talented photographer, and creator of a community we all enjoy so much! Many happy returns, dear Kristen.
Happy birthday Kristen! I love reading your blog because you have such a beautiful and kind heart, but also wisdom far beyond your years. Thank you so much for sharing it with all of us. May the coming year be sooo much better than the last and I wish you love and happiness!!
Happy birthday! And congratulations, Lisey!
I was late to thankful Thursday today, but I'm glad I had to wait. I was in a foul mood earlier; it'll be better now.
I'm thankful:
*for my facial therapists. I can't overstate how much this has helped me.
*for my husband. He decided I needed a foot massage before I got out of bed this morning.
*for my coffee and tea today. I probably overindulged.
*for Rose. Rose, you are so different from me, and I know it's been a hard time for you lately, but I just have this feeling I'm watching a movie when I read your comments. And it's a movie that I know has the most awesome ending BECAUSE of the bumpy road you've traveled. And also because of your sense of humor. I'm really thankful for that. You rarely fail to put a smile on my face. You have a cheering section here.
*for Leann. She hasn't commented for a while, but I love how she is so thankful in such a hard situation.
*that I heard my son's singing voice for the first time ever in church on Sunday. He usually sits in front of me (acolyte), but he stood behind me in line going up for Communion. I have 6 loud singing children, and this son is not one of them. It was a rare treat.
*that my husband found a lovely back way to return from the therapist. It has a slower speed limit, but the scenery is prettier and the traffic is minimal.
*that the hen is still sitting on the eggs. We're keeping our fingers crossed that we'll get a couple of peeps next week. Also, I'm thankful the kids have found some hidden nests of the other chickens.
Happy birthday!
About hard times, there is a very wise and true saying:
"Hard times create strong men; strong men create easy times; easy times make weak men; weak men create difficult times."
Happy birthday and happy graduation to Lisey. I am feeling very old. You were born 2 days before my wedding day!! And I wasn't a young bride. But I have loved all the years God has blessed me with. Not saying some years weren't hard - this one is one of the worst. But God is faithful. How does one find a support group? My son will soon be out of a very hard marriage. There are support groups for abused woman but none that we. can find for abused men. I am most thankful for the counseling he receives through a local organization.
Thankful for YOU! Happy birthday, the best is yet to be!
Happy Birthday.
Celebrate each one.
Happy, happy birthday, Kristen!!!
Today I am thankful to report that Buddy has been producing his own insulin for about three days now! Hurray for a healed pancreas!
Happy happy birthday! All the best wishes for this next year of life!
Happy Birthday, Kristen!
Here's to the best year full of beautiful moments,
and filled to brim with enough happiness
to make every day as wonderful as you!
Lisey, turned her can't into cans and her
dreams into plans. So excited for her bright future!
I'm thankful for spring weather showing up in my neck of the woods this week.
I went to two estate sales today and was able to find just what I needed on my wants list.
Because of Kristen, I've been picking up full cans of spray paint and full cans of stains and paints to use for various projects. So handy!
Happy Birthday Kristen
And Thank You!!!
Kristen,
Happiest of Birthdays to you!
How did you find the support group that has been so helpful to you?
I've looked and looked in my area, but can't find anything except DivorceCare, which doesn't start up again/is not available until August. 🙁
Thanks!
I am thankful for this, my favorite-ist blog, so by extension I am grateful for you. 🙂
Happy Happy Birthday to You, Kristen!
conGRADulations to Lisey too!
And we are thankful for you! For the way you brighten and inform our days, for your sweet spirit, and for sharing your journey, easy or heart-breaking, with us so that we can grow along with you! May God bless your next 45 or whatever he gives you!
Happy Birthday Kristen !! Wishing you a day full of sunshine 🙂
I love the quote from your weather app! Happy birthday to you, and congratulations to Lisey!
I would love your don’t throw away your bread tips. I’ve been subscribing for years and never saw them!
Happy Birthday! You are a champ!
Happy birthday, Kristen! Thanks for all you do for this blog community & the positivity you exude! And huge congrats to Lisey!!
Happy, happy birthday! Thank you for bringing us all together <3
Happy Birthday!! You have a full life and much to be happy about!
I turn 60 on May 28th and I've been nervous about starting another decade. But I'm going to start looking for the blessings like you did in todays post and that'll help. Thank you for that reminder!
I met my husband when I was 49. There is still soooo much life ahead of you. Single can be lots of fun but so can meeting the love of your life at 49!
Happy Birthday! So glad to see your hair aging naturally as well….it looks fabulous! I’m a fellow “going natural” gal as well. Take care
Happy birthday Kristen!
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday, twin! I turned 50 yesterday and am loving it! It's all about the attitude -- and gratitude is a huge part of that.
Happy Birthday! You always brighten my day.
Happy 45th Birthday Kristen!
When my father - a trained mathmetician - turned 50, he remarked that now he felt old. I said, with all the seriousness I could muster "Oh, are you going to live to be 100? Cool!"
Happy Birthday from the UK
Wishing you birthday blessings.
Happy Birthday Kristen! And a huge congratulations to Lisey! My HB is an automotive mechanic (retired); over the years I have watched him and learned so that I know how a vehicle works, plus in the 80's I took 2 automotive classes at college out of interest.
Had to take junior cat to vet as she stopped eating for 3 meals: turns out she had a slight fever. She may possibly have had an infection, but the vet could not tell; Kitty's bloodwork came back okay, for that I am thankful. And she is back to eating again, we gave her a new food, that both her and senior cat LOVE!
I had a follow up physiotherapy appointment, and it appears that the exercises she told me to do are helping to strengthen the muscles in my lower back.
Spring has mostly sprung! The plants that we overwinter indoors are slowly being taken back outside, I am happy to get my dining room back! (Think SMALL house!) Though this week it is rain for 6 out of 7 days, thankful that I am on higher ground: all this rain is making everything SO green it is lovely to look at.
Times of cloud and sun… seems pretty fitting for the year you’ve had ☺️
You are so right!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Do you think, maybe, you can start calling yourself 'The Frugal Woman' now? I think you've earned it.
Happy Birthday Kristen! Sorry to hear about your hardships though I agree that they lead to growth. I love to read about your humble and honest voice coming through your blog posts.
Please. You look like a teenager. You help so many people. I am a baby boomer. We did not trust anyone over 30 and now I am twice that and then some. Two things beside marriage and kids changed my life. Cataract surgery at 57. And my primary doctor making me go to a diabetic specialist. It took 8 months to get an appointment with the specialist. I was so bummed. Thought she would make me test my blood. I never test my blood ever. I was taught by nurses how to eat when I was first diagnosed. But after 20 years it got really hard. My primary said there are new meds out there and I am not familiar with them. That was the best.
Look how well your kids turned out. YOU ARE A HUGE SUCCESS. To use a very trite expression "the best is yet to come."
PS Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday.
I'm late to the party, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
I am thankful for YOU - reading your blog is a ray of sunshine in my day. Thank you for being cheerfully optimistic even in the darkest of days. You help my brain either look for the positive or realize that the hard times won't last forever. You are a gift.