Thankful Thursday | for a bad forecast!
This week, I'm thankful:
for a bad forecast on our Hershey Park trip day
We almost canceled the trip because the forecast was wet and cold.
But I am so glad we didn't, for multiple reasons:
- The rain was really only an intermittent mist.
- The cooler temperatures were a blessing; I'd take that over 95 degrees any day.
- The skies did eventually clear up
- The poor forecast meant we didn't face crowd problems. We rode something like 12 coasters, and for many of them, we had only a 5-15 minute wait.
- We managed to fit our trip in before schools are all out for the summer (thus, a smaller crowd)
for a good grade on my TEAS exam
I got an 89.3% overall, and the hilarious part is that I got a 100, not on the English section, but on the math section.
One might conclude I make my living as a mathematician rather than a writer. 😉
The true reasons for this are probably more like:
- English questions are shifter and less accurate in nature. Math questions are straightforward and more suited for multiple-choice.
- I've been slogging through math as a homeschool mom since 2004. I've been through K-12 math so many times, I couldn't help but know how to do these problems
Regardless, my score is way beyond the 58% required for consideration at my school, so I'm good to go!
that I don't have to pay the $95 TEAS fee again
I'm happy I don't have to go through the work of taking the test, of course, but since it costs $95 a pop, I'm doubly glad I got a good score the first time.
No one wants to repeatedly pay $95 for something as un-fun as a test!
that a school friend let me borrow her TEAS prep book
A friend from my anatomy and physiology classes had bought a TEAS study guide/prep book, and she let me borrow it to help me study for my own test.
that you only have to take the TEAS once
I love tasks that are one and done.
Cooking? You do it over and over until you die.
Laundry? You do it over and over and you are never done.
But once you take the TEAS, you never have to do it again!
It's such a nice, accomplished feeling to cross tasks like this off.
that I am so close to having my nursing school requirements done
Now that the TEAS is over, I only have a few things left:
- Developmental Psych
- Microbiology
and maybe chemistry. I'm waiting on pins and needles to see if the school is going to accept my high school transcript, which predates their official homeschool transcript policies.
Worst-case scenario, I take chemistry this fall. Best-case, I get to skip spending that time and money.
Either way, I'm super close!
for beautiful summer mornings
July and August mornings are often too hot and humid for my taste, but June offers some nice morning fare, weather-wise.
that Zoe is doing all right after her wisdom tooth removal
She's not exactly feeling awesome, but she's doing fine, and I anticipate that tomorrow will be a good turning point with the swelling.
Zoe gets the benefit of being my fourth wisdom tooth patient, so I'm well-practiced at being the caretaker. 😉
that this is the very last wisdom tooth go-round for me
All of my kids are wisdom-tooth-less now, and I had my own out when I was pregnant with Lisey.
So I am all done with wisdom teeth after this!
that I have lots of ripe mangoes
They were $0.39 a piece so I bought quite a few last week, and they are all deliciously ripe now.
I am thankful for digital audio books and good authors. Audio books keep me company when I'm working in the kitchen and exercising. I finished a Barbara Kingsolver book, Prodigal Summer, yesterday and it was a great listen. I am planning to listen to more of her books. I've read some of them over the years and her talent is astonishing.
I am thankful for summer fruit: strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries, nectarines, etc.
I am thankful for the opportunity to walk with a friend this morning. We were walking regularly and then life became extra crazy for her in April. Her parents, out of state, require a lot of attention. Her son just graduated from high school and was accepted into a gap year program overseas so there's been prep work for that.
I'm thankful for haircuts. I was overdue for one and I'm happy with the cut I got yesterday. A friend referred me to my current stylist after the previous stylist started phoning it in.
I'm thankful for the return of mat Pilates classes at my yoga studio. The new teachers are great and they make me work harder than I would at home. I hope to remain agile as I age and Pilates seems beneficial in that pursuit.
I'm glad Zoe is doing OK after the wisdom teeth extraction and should be feeling better soon.
Thankful that I'm doing fine after my own extraction. Somehow the space in my mouth feels as if it formerly held three molars instead of just one, but I suppose I'll get used to it.
Thankful as always for the support provided by the Bestest Neighbors, who not only fed me well on the night before the procedure, but allowed me to bum a few generic Tylenols from them the evening afterward. (I don't usually keep acetaminophen on hand, but I needed it because ibuprofen was temporarily off limits.)
Thankful for my own forethought in thawing some chicken stock. I made a chicken noodle soup yesterday, with dill from the garden, that would probably cure anyone of anything.
And thankful for our unusual run of lovely sunny days and cool nights, which not only have been pleasant, but (along with the solar panels) have kept my electricity usage charge at $0.00 for the second straight month!
Oh, that's so interesting you are not allowed ibuprofen. Zoe got a prescription for mega-ibuprofen!
@Kristen, I was told to avoid ibuprofen for a few days because of the chance that it could increase bleeding. Of course, Zoe's procedure was different from mine, and our different professionals may have different views.
True, true. I'm happy for her that she can take it because Tylenol does not seem to help anyone in my family much with pain!
And I'm happy she hasn't needed the more serious painkillers they prescribed her.
@A. Marie,
When my youngest had his tonsils and adenoids removed, they told us no advil because of increased risk of bleeding. I didn't know until then that Tylenol does absolutely nothing for him. (It does nothing for me either.) He was in such utter agony, and finally after like the fourth call to the doctor, they relented and said to alternate Advil and Tylenol every two hours. The on-call doctor said there is conflicting advice about Advil and bleeding anyway. The Advil worked, so now I ignore the Advil causes bleeding advice.
Me too. Tylenol is utterly useless for me so I hit the ibuprofen.
@Becca, I am the same way with Tylenol--when I was a teenager and started having bad migraines (we just thought they were regular headaches) I would take Tylenol to the max, even over the dosage, and wondered why it didn't work. Must have been great for my liver! I always thought it was because I had taken too much and developed a tolerance, it's interesting to hear it doesn't work for others as well.
@Karen et al., thanks for the additional comments. I'm another one for whom Tylenol does little ordinarily, but I found that at the high dosage recommended by my periodontist, it did take the edge off. In any case, I've gone back to ibuprofen this morning. Ahhhhh.
@Karen,
I also was a migraine sufferer and a long time user of Ibuprofen
was my drug of choice and really the only thing that worked. However,
that combined with high blood pressure I am now on hemodialysis
for kidney disease. So just a warning, be careful with too much Ibuprofen
cuz it can do kidney damage vs Tylenol doing liver damage.
@Judy, Thanks! I actually do my best to avoid taking medication during a migraine in order to avoid rebound headaches. I've found tart cherry juice is actually really good at the onset, as well as avoiding my known trigger foods and not getting overheated.
Congratulations on your excellent test results. Well done!
I’m glad this is now off your to-do list unlike laundry. Laundry is always on the to-do list. The laundry pile changes size, color and shape; but it never seems to go away.
The summer heat is here. The days are sticky and hot in Florida. The sun is intense. During this time, I feel grateful for much that I take for granted.
I’m thankful for the cooling ocean breeze. We have had a northeast breeze off the ocean this week and it has kept temperatures slightly lower along the coast.
I truly thankful for air conditioning. No explanation needed.
I’m also grateful for ice water, ice cream and sunscreen.
I’m blessed to be able to swim in the ocean on these sweltering, summer days playing in the waves like a child and letting the cool water restore me.
Wishing everyone a bounty of summer blessings. Happy 4th!
I'm thankful that on the sunnier day I went to Hershey the crowds were also not so horrible. I think a lot can be chalked up to kids not being 100% out of school yet.
For my wife, definitely. Life has been rough around here for the past couple weeks and I've been happy I can depend upon her.
For good medical reports.
Thankful that I got to go thrifting when on vacation. It meant I could get a new work shirt and my daughter could get some dresses that we didn't have to pay much for.
For some time to play a little bit of video games. I haven't played any in ages so I am happy that I've been able to play again.
That DVDs and sometimes blu-rays are so cheap used. I don't want to spend money with a lot of companies these days so it's nice finding some stuff used for cheap.
I'm also thankful that I'm not in an area where riots and mass temper tantrums are breaking out. I have work colleagues who live in an area where people "support all the causes" and often times it's a minefield getting to and from work.
That I can still work from home a little bit. Initially I was supposed to be in the office five days but now it's more flexible. I don't save a ton of gas but I do save on laundering my work clothes.
@Battra92, my husband still has his old Atari game system and it always makes him really happy to hook it back up - you remind me, he hasn't had time for it for a while; we should dig it out this long weekend...
I am thankful for:
1. Fireflies. I tell my kids every night I’m headed outside to get my dose of fireflies. The way they bring little bursts of light into the growing darkness of the evening is beautiful.
2. Being able to sit outside for 10 or 15 minutes every morning on our porch to enjoy the sound of the birds and the little creatures in my suburban neighborhood. Bonus this morning was being able to smell the lavender that is blooming!
3. That today is my last day of work for a bit. Even though it is part time, for the next six weeks I’ll be able to enjoy being home with my kids before I start up again.
4. Cherries- all summer fruit!
5. More time to read.
@Jen S., I was raised and live in So Cal, so there are many midwest and east coast things I have only heard about but never seen. Fireflies were one of them. I finally visited some friends in Illinois in my 40s and saw fireflies. Thirty years ago, that was, and I haven't seen them since.
@Anne, I've only lived in the Southwest (TX, NM, AZ, and SoCA) and I've never seen fireflies. It's on my list...
Oh, interesting! I did not realize they were locale-specific. We always have them here.
@CrunchyCake, I’m from Delaware and we have them every summer. But when I lived in central Virginia I didn’t really ever see them. Looking back I don’t think I noticed that they were missing until now.
@CrunchyCake, I grew up mostly in New Mexico but generally across the High Plains — all arid, higher elevations — and didn't believe fireflies were real until one summer the stars aligned and we were in Nebraska over the Fourth. I was probably 18, 19, something like that. It truly is just so crazy to see them.
@Kristen, They're locale-specific because they only live in places with high humidity. More humidity always equals more bugs. Fun ones and not so fun ones. 🙂
Oooh micro was fun- u grow all these bacteria & learn what they smell like. In Nursing there are smells u never forget & they start in micro!
First, I'm thankful that my 3.5 yr old granddaughter can FINALLY get the Covid vaccine. It's not 100%, but it's another layer of protection she has to keep her healthy (or at the very least, from becoming very sick, or worse, should she get Covid). We've all been taking precautions to keep her and ourselves healthy, but it's nice to have this for her and so many other young children.
Second, I'm thankful for my central HVAC that I had replaced in March 2020. The prior one was old and on the verge of being unsafe and although the expense was a tough nut to bite, having a new, higher efficiency HVAC has been so wonderful, especially as we're getting into the hotter days of summer.
Third, I'm thankful that I don't need a new roof. We had some severe weather move through last week and I found some questionable items by my gutter drain that I feared were pieces of my rubber roof. I had a roofing company come out to take a look and the roof looks to be in great condition. (What I was seeing was tree debris from stuff ON the roof.)
Fourth, I'm still very thankful that I'm able to work from home. My work-life balance has been significantly better since the start of the pandemic when my entire company shifted to a (then temporary, now permanent) work from home setting. We are now 100% working from home, without plans for returning to an office. Between the time, energy and money I'm not spending on commuting (it was 45 minutes one way), I'm have so much time, energy and money to do other things--even if that's just taking time to read a book. Yesterday during lunch, I hung clothing out on the line to dry and was thinking of the days when I'd try to stuff everything into the evenings after I got home from work.
I so grateful for winter. Heat and humidity are not my friends and our winters are mild.
My youngest granddaughter started childcare today. She did very well. Mummy found it a touch harder but her leave finishes in 12 days. I would still love to look after Elise but that won't happen.
My son had the NVDs today... He was cooking in a retirement community and they did not him there. All food he prepared for today had to be thrown out. My boy hates food waste. He had a two hour drive home and made it home safely. The joys of being a worker on contract.
We are expecting a week of rain. I will enjoy that. The garden will as well.
End of financial year sales have helped me save a bit on future gifts.
It sounds as if you only have one more semester of classes, or do you spread the classes out more so it's not so much at once? Can you even start nursing school mid-year?
Thankfuls:
--For a very competent eldest son. He can do many things I used to have to do, and many things I will never do (like shoot snakes). His skill set is definitely way ahead of where mine was at 12.
--That the one son who tends to wake up early is also the quietest one. He has his cuddle and goes directly to his book. I won't hear him again until his siblings wake up. He's a good way to ease into all the children being awake. 🙂
--For the rain that made the pastures start to grow. We're still feeding some hay, but not as much, anyway.
--For all the produce coming out of my garden. I LOVE wandering around and pulling carrots, harvesting snow peas, or finding a single early tomato hidden way under a plant.
--For the Internet. It has been an immeasurable blessing in many ways for anyone who lives rurally. Our pony had terrible conjunctivitis the other day, and my son was panicked and sure we would have to get a vet (90 miles away). But a quick online search revealed the probable issue and that we could at least start by treating it at home. The Internet also offered a recipe for the saline solution we washed his eye with, and the opinion that most of the time, OTC antibiotic ointment would be enough to keep flies off and start the healing. He's fine now. (The Internet couldn't offer any assistance with keeping an unhappy, spooky pony from rearing and crashing around while we ministered to his eye, but I have a husband and sons for that. 🙂
You can start midyear, and I could spread the classes out...but I think I'm going to try to do all of them this fall so that I only have to pay one semester's worth of fees and such (the student fees add up!).
Such a good point about internet for rural living. I hadn't thought of that.
@kristin @ going country, not sure if horses/ponies can use it but we use Teramyicin ointment for our rabbits with eye infections. We get it from Tractor Supply. It’s what our vet had prescribed when we took a bunny in with an infected eye. Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian. Lol
I'm thankful for my garden because it gives me so much peace and joy.
I'm thankful for my house and my very manageable mortgage and I'm so sorry for everyone who is facing horrendous rises in their cost of living because of rent increases or difficulties getting a mortgage for a new house. I hope the cost of living stabilizes soon.
I'm thankful for summer break and the chance to be a little bit bored. What a blessing to have free time!
I'm thankful for my new oven. It's so much better than my old one! I'm almost the full cost of it happy! 😉
After yesterday's post, I'm thankful for spices! They make humble fare so much better, and I'm thankful that I have plenty of them already and now have some new ones to test out.
Glad to hear Zoe's recovering well. We just had our second kid get all four wisdom teeth out. Our kids really won the lottery; both my husband and I had all four, so I'm betting they will all have all four of them, poor guys. I will say I think the removal process has greatly changed since I had mine out decades ago; they use lasers and the procedure seems to cause a lot less trauma.
I'm grateful for finding a Little Free library in my new neighborhood! I had no idea there was one but I went for a walk in a different direction the other day and found one in somebody's front yard! So neat. I had only seen them in parks and near playgrounds up until now. My husband wants to see if we can put one up in our yard! Just in case anybody is interested, here's a link to an interactive map that will show you Little Free Libraries in your area: https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/
Thankful for kids who pitch in with chores cheerfully and happily. And who get along well while washing dishes. 😀
@Karen,
In our neighborhood, ours is the third Little Free Library. We have a 3-year-old granddaughter, our only so far, and we get at least several kids' books each month or so, along with grownup books. She loves seeing her new stack at each visit.
And, as she grows out of them, I put them into other LFLs around town. There are 24 in all, so far. Great way to pass along books, and such fun to see what turns up.
I'm thankful you had a great PA/Hershey experience. School trips are heavy there in May. Lots do a program called "Music in the Park" where they perform at a local school and then spend the day at the amusement park before an awards show. Since schools are getting out earlier, most by the middle of June, May has become field trip time.
I am thankful for this respite from national bickering that this blog provides they morning! What you wrote — and others have contributed — like a little sip of cool water.
Sharing simple pleasures is grand.
I am thankful as many have stated for the abundance of so much I have taken for granted too many times — specifically any times with family— grandkids and friends when we share a laugh and a meal. And I am thankful for how far the Lord has been leading you and yours.
Long time reader, first time commenter. Congratulations on your TEAS score and getting closer to your goal! I always enjoy these thankful posts and insights into your life. It's fantastic you're chasing your dream - it's always a good reminder you can do that at any age.
I'm thankful that after getting an awfully high quote from the dealership on a car repair, I called around and got a significantly better quote elsewhere. And I'm grateful for my partner for helping me through all of that stress.
I had my wisdom teeth out at 36. Totally do not recommend waiting that long: older people do not bounce back like kids half that age. It was easier overall to have a dental implant with several little procedures in my late 50s than having my wisdom teeth out.
@Ruby, I have an amusing wisdom teeth story. I had them out 45 years ago under full anesthetic. When I awoke, I was sobbing. I couldn't figure out why, as I was in no pain and I was very embarassed. The dental tech told me that many people wake up crying or laughing.
Anybody else have this experience?
Yes! This happened to Lisey...she burst into tears when she woke up.
@Anne, Yes, I also woke up crying, and my mom and I were both baffled!
@Anne, I was terrified of being knocked out and had all four of mine out (two were impacted and had to be sort of chiseled out) with just shots. I had my eyes closed the whole time and was so busy doing measured breathing and thinking calm thoughts that at one point the oral surgeon picked my head up by my lower jaw, sort of digging his fingers in underneath like he was hooking a fish. I said "OWWW!" and he said, "Oh, gosh, you were being so good I forgot you're awake!"
I'm thinking of having a big pin-on button made up that reads "Hey, I'm Awake!" just in case, since I still hate to be knoocked out.
I had only local anesthetic for mine because I was pregnant with Lisey. My main memory is how much those roof-of-the-mouth shots hurt. Oof.
@Ruby, Aha, maybe you've solved the mystery - if they're hooking us like fish (yikes), no wonder we wake up crying! : )
Apparently I woke up crying too and it freaked out my mom - all I remember is that I myself felt groovy but I struggled to convey that to my upset mom, with my numbed/wadded mouth...
@Ruby, I have been told by my dentist that I should have my upper left wisdom tooth out, due to food getting stuck between the wisdom and the molar in front of it. It's painful when food gets stuck in there, to put it mildly I am quite terrified. (age of 61, so there's that).
@Linda in Canada, I'd invest in a Water Pik dental cleaner before I'd go through that surgery, especially in one's 60s.
@Anne, my son hasn't had his wisdom teeth out (yet) but he did have arthroscopic knee surgery when he was 8 and woke up crying from the anesthesia, too! I was told it was pretty common after coming out of general anesthesia.
Aww. I had arthroscopic knee surgery when I was 14 and I don't remember crying right away, but I was crying the next morning at the hospital because I did not understand how to operate the pain medicine pump!
@Anne,
I had a surgery a few years ago that required going under and woke up sobbing too. I think it was because I was so relieved that I did wake up-sort of hard to describe the emotion, but it was very involuntary. I didn't realize how anxious I had been about it until after it was over.
@Ruby, thank you for the suggestion, I have one. I'll give it a try.
@Linda in Canada, So I'm actually a dentist.... If it's an upper wisdom tooth, and it's not impacted, I absolutely say go get it out! Those are usually some of the easiest extractions possible. They just roll right out (haha), and you won't miss it once it's gone 🙂
I am getting over Covid this week, so mine are all related:
1. For a loving sister who has talked and encouraged me through the whole process
2. For a telehealth appointment where I could get much needed steroids for my throat
3. For my husband who may not be the best nurse but has dutifully gotten all my meds and supplies (and he forgives me when I get upset that he brought this home, he had it first but so much milder! I've learned a lot about viral loads)
4. For my parents who will drop anything to help me, and Mom is bringing homemade food today (that I can finally swallow)
5. For the best coworker in the entire world, who immediately stepped in so I won't sink when I return to work next week
@Sarah C., I too am recovering from Covid. 2x to the ER and hospitalisation. Very much affected my throat, too. I am grateful for :
- Having adéquate health insurance.
- A large apartment where I can quarantaine away from my husband.
- My husband's second negative PCR
- Internet access to watch the original Brideshead Revisited séries from my quarantaine room.
I am very blessed vs so many others.
Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry to hear you've been so sick. I hope that you are back to good health soon.
I'm thankful that my husband's primary care office advocated on his behalf to get an appointment ASAP at a specialist. He can currently only eat liquids and very soft foods, so the sooner the better. These days I am very thankful for the wisdom we have about medical matters.
I'm thankful for friends who have been steadfast. Over my life I've had so many friends come and go, but in the past 10 years I've had several that have stood with me through my darkest days. They have come up multiple times in my Thankful Thursdays, but I am so so so so thankful for them! 🙂
I'm thankful for modern technology and internet! When we move, I won't have to worry about setting up a landline phone, and we will forego home internet and use our cell data and a free mobile hotspot borrowed from our amazing library. This was not possible in the early years of our marriage, and it will make moving a little easier.
Congrats on your TEAS score! It must feel good to be getting so much knocked out.
Hopefully they'll accept your chemistry credits, but if not, another option could be to CLEP out of it - Modern States Education Alliance is a non-profit that offers free courses/online textbooks to prep you for some CLEP (and AP) classes, including chemistry. They have philanthropy funding and (at one point at least) gave anyone who completes the course a voucher to pay for the actual CLEP test, too. https://modernstates.org/course/chemistry/
And I am totally with you about the lovely June days - I enjoy them so much more than July/August!
Ooooh, thank you! If I get a no from them, then I will look into this option. It looks super promising!
@Kristen, I also would recommend CLEP. Some colleges make you pay for the class's credit hours even if you CLEP out of it, so be aware of that. Still better than the time suck, I always think.
Congratulations on passing the TEAS! It’s really great to see you knock through your pre-reqs, and the list get shorter and shorter.
Your TEAS success in math reminded me of taking a similar test to return to college in my 30's, as a wife and working mother of two. The writing portion gave us two options for topics, and one of them was to explain how grocery stores can reveal the changes happening in society. I leapt onto that topic, because if there is one thing I am familiar with, it's grocery stores. I got a good score; how could I not?
1. I'm thankful that I am actually cleaning out my pantry, getting rid of foods I no longer eat (goodbye, wheat for grinding, sniff) washing walls, floor and shelves, and putting in new shelf liner. I had been telling myself to do this, and finally, I am. It already looks so much better. Also, I'm thankful to have a pantry, even if it's small. For most of my life, I lived in houses that didn't have one.
2. I'm thankful that one of our local churches has a Little Free Pantry by their church, where I can, on my own schedule, drop off the unopened and still un-expired foods I had bought for my husband that I can't use now.
3. I'm thankful that while we are hot, muggy and icky outside, we aren't having temperatures in the 100's like we were having recently.
4. I'm thankful that the massive lightning storms we've been having lately have not started any forest fires in our area. I live in an area blanketed in forests, and my yard is surrounded by woods, so it can get scary, fast.
5. I'm thankful that my specialist's nurse responded very quickly to my message and changed my prescription renewal to my usual pharmacy instead of my prescription plan's specialty pharmacy which she had initially contacted (she's new). My usual pharmacy accepts my card from the patient assistance foundation that covers the cost of my $22,000 per dose medication. The other pharmacy does not accept that card. I have been told that once they ship the dose to me, it can't be returned, so I'm glad she forestalled that.
Ooh, I would love a test that gives you an essay option. Definitely in my wheelhouse. And grocery stores? Such a perfect topic!
@JD, I'm reeling at the idea of a medication that costs $22K per dose. I'm glad your patient assistance foundation covers it--but this shouldn't be happening to anybody. Three loud boos for Big Pharma.
And your thankful about the Little Free Pantry at your church reminds me that the church just down the hill from me has a food pantry on Saturdays. I should do a pantry cleanout (especially of things I'm not going to be able to eat for a while, such as nuts and crackers) and take it down there.
@A. Marie, I was just talking with the guy who does the exterminating services for our offices. His wife was prescribed a medication that, after insurance, is $600 a month. He called his friend who relocated to Mexico and asked him to check the cost in his local pharmacy. The same drug, name brand, is $30 there.
@JD,
It feels wonderful to clean and organize a pantry. It makes cooking so much easier.
I’m glad everything worked out with your prescription. My adult son took an expensive medication. It was not covered by his insurance and there wasn’t a generic. I helped him to contact the pharmaceutical company and they supplied his medication for 2 years free of charge. Most companies have programs like this. Prices can just be crazy!
@Bee,
I was in the manufacture’s program such as you hear advertised at the ends of commercials, but they are barred by law from assisting once one gets on Medicare, which makes NO sense to me. I had to jump through hoops and apply to a foundation for assistance after I started Medicare and at first they turned me down because I “made too much”. I’m an admin assistant and my husband has SS only. Made too much? I signed an affidavit that I really could not afford it, and they finally accepted me.
Congratulations on your awesome test score!!! And I totally get what you mean about the weather on your Hershey Park day... My favorite Cedar Point days were the ones where it rained first thing in the morning to scare off the crowds, then was nice for the rest of the day.
This week I'm thankful:
* That I have such a great mother-in-law. My in-laws have been staying with us since Friday and it's been fun and a blessing. Last night they even set up tents in the backyard to do a campout with my kids while my husband and I went on a date. Yesterday morning she helped me can strawberry jam. I am so thankful that I have a mother-in-law I enjoy so much.
* For the fun ages of my kids. My baby turned 4 today (oh crap, typing that made me cry!) but all of my kids are at such fun ages and I'm really enjoying it.
* That my kids love to read.
* That my library purchased a couple of books that I asked for. I'm really looking forward to reading them and it was kind of them to say yes to my request.
* That my daughter's first birthday party with friends is after her actual birthday. I'm making a Peppa Pig cake and today will be my practice for Saturday!
* For nice weather to go swimming today and a gift card to buy lunch.
Thankful that our granddaughter is here for a few days after her successful camping trip with her mom. She is wearing us out, but we are enjoying seeing her grow and have fun with us.
Thankful that she let Pop pull her front tooth so that the tooth fairy could come last night. Really thankful that when I went into her room to take the tooth and put the money down, she really wasn't awake even tho she sat up. This morning she proudly displayed her money from the tooth fairy.
Thankful that, even though my husband isn't working and is playing the retirement card for a few months, he is able to maintain the outside of the house for the summer. He was always working long hours and not really sharing the responsibility of the care of the outside, so its nice that it is looking decent.
Thankful for an upcoming family weekend with the in-laws. Everyone is so excited. Hopefully everyone will arrive safely and then arrive home safely.
Thankful for our health and the fact that we have food on the table every night.
Congratulations on an awesome test score! Well done.
Here's my list:
1) Our kids are with my parents, having an amazing time. My husband & I are enjoying our time together at home, and spending extra evening time together.
2) The kids are having a fabulous time at Disneyland, so special shout out to my parent for being amazing grandparents.
3) For freezer leftovers. These save my life so often.
4) Gorgeous weather, like yesterday. Not too hot, not too cold, just right!
5) Free gym classes, lunch at work, lovely (for the most part) coworkers, and food from the garden!
Hooray for you, Kristen! Well done! Also, whenever I hear about people getting their wisdom teeth out, it takes me back to when I was 17 and had it done. My good friend kindly brought me ice cream .... but she didn't realize there were peanuts in the ice cream. Ouch! But she meant well and no lasting harm was done.
Thankful for so many things! The kids and I had our annual Breakfast On The Beach the other day--we picked up breakfast from Tim Horton's, found our usual quiet hollow on the dunes of Lake Michigan, and enjoyed ourselves. Highly recommend this if you live near a beach.
For working yesterday. It's been a hot minute since I've been able to pick up work hours and I've missed the patient care and my work buddies.
For being able to host a bonfire/yard games night for the young adults from our church. We ended up with some high school kids, too. Super fun.
For both the dry weather (easier to get outside for activities, fewer bugs) and the rain (which we admittedly need).
That my BIL's surgery went well and his prognosis looks promising.
@Kris,
When I was a kid we would get up really early on a random summer day and load up our portable propane camp stove that my dad made, eggs, bread, and bacon, and would go cook and eat breakfast in the nearby state park on the river. The breeze off the river and the cooler morning air was delightful, and we kids played on the swings and slides in the playground area while the adults cooked bacon and eggs and made toast in the skillet. It was such fun. I can just imagine your breakfasts on the dunes - it sounds wonderful.
@JD, now you have me wanting to replicate your experience! It sounds similar to our breakfasts when we camp. I swear that food tastes better when eaten outside. My husband and son usually do the cooking for that--I will sometimes go for a walk before breakfast and follow my nose (and the smell of bacon) back to our campsite. 🙂
@Kris, Your breakfast on the dunes of Lake Michigan sounds majestic.
@Ruth T, I suspect you live close enough to be able to do it, too! My son requested an additional beach breakfast before he left for college last August. It's been a fun way to make memories.
"Cooking? You have to do it until you die." Amen sister, amen.
@Anne, ha! I was concerned years ago when my oldest sister said she was done with cooking. Now I understand. You really don't have to cook, you only have to eat.
1) Thankful for access to contraception.
2) Thankful that where I live women can consult with medical professionals about personal healthcare decisions rather than the U.S. government.
3) Thankful to have been able to be home with my child for a couple of years and also to be going back to work soon.
4) Thankful for morning walks with my dog.
5) Thankful for frugal recipes on the internet.
@Maddie, YESSSSSSSSSSS on your no.2!
This week I’m thankful for …
Our CSA season starts today! We get an over abundance of veggies (we can’t eat 12 bell peppers in a week) so I make sure to prep and freeze a good portion of what we can’t eat which means we have amazing veggies all year long. We also share the veggies that aren’t loved by our household.
My raspberry patch looks like it is going to have a bumper crop this year. I was ruthless when cleaning the patch up this spring but it looks like the patch is happy and healthy.
Air Conditioning! It has been so hot and muggy this week!
Last minute plans – I’m taking the day off tomorrow to go golfing with three friends. Two of us aren’t golfers but spending time with friends trumps a bad golf game any day!
The company I work for – they really make an effort to make their employees feel appreciated. This week was Happiness Week at work. They brought in snacks for everyone on two of the heaviest in-office days and worked with a local animal rescue service to bring in puppies for everyone to snuggle with. I got to snuggle with three separate puppies yesterday!
@Geneva, what a cool thing for your company to do! The last 4 years of my nursing career, I worked in an inpatient hospice, and besides the therapy dog I got to see occasionally ( I worked nights), families were allowed to bring pets to visit, as long as they met the rules. It made such a difference for all of us--nurses, patients, families AND pets! Moods were always lighter when they came.
I am thankful this week that I only lost one squash plant in my garden. We have had a lot of rain here folks and my garden is soaked. One of the storms broke a squash plant but I am thankful it was only one and not several.
Thankful for the rain as the garden is quickly becoming lush and full and that means a bountiful harvest is coming. The rains have also been mostly during the night which makes for great sleeping weather.
Thankful for provision that allows us to be able to buy groceries at ever increasing prices.
Thankful for great medical insurance that provides for my family. Truly a blessing.
I know I say this weekly but I am thankful for coffee. I need it more and more these days and I enjoy it so yay!
I'm pretty happy I can say 'been there, done that" for so many parenting things including but not limited to wisdom teeth removal and driver's ed, though perhaps both shaved time off my life! Today I am thankful that I am almost to the light at the end of the grief tunnel, which is no small thing and that I have a good job and am able to meet my obligations. Also, I love that we got rain and my cleaned out gutters work so well! Plus, we got a brief break from 100 degree heat and the grass looks gooood.
Yep...currently in my last round of new-driver-training with Zoe too!
I'm glad your grief is lightening a bit.
I am thankful for the mute button on my TV remote to tune out the commercials, (drugs, charities, and political ads in particular).
I am thankful for my library.
I am thankful for the sound of my son laughing in the other room.
I am thankful my husband takes such careful care of his health.
If you ever need chemistry help it is my specialty. No joke!
I am very thankful that it is summer. I am thankful for fresh herbs and yummy in season fruit. I am thankful for my small front porch and little back patio!!
Congrats on your TEAS test! That’s an excellent mark. And I hope Zoe feels better soon. Having wisdom teeth out is a real ordeal.
I’m thankful, REALLY thankful, that My wife found a new job so quickly! And that it’s turning out to be a good one, and that she’s settling in well.
I’m thankful my year end recitals went well, and that I’m getting some summer students.
Im grateful for the invasive ivy growing all over the place in my city because I’m using the vines to make twinkle balls for my son’s wedding. Free is great!
Im grateful we finally found a male Guinea pig for my granddaughter (apparently they are rarer than female Guinea pigs - who knew?) and are taking a drive up-island tomorrow to get it. Her Guinea pig lost his companion and they are very social animals, so we’ve been looking for a long time.
Wow, I should have edited that before hitting “comment”.
@Jem, the Guinea pig market where I live is so saturated that they are selling for 10-25 cents at small animal auction. Both males and females. BTW we have 3 makes if our own. Super fun pets!
Re: your chemistry requirement. Fingers crossed that they'll accept your high school chemistry. If not, consider asking if you could test out of it. Maybe they would let you do a CLEP test.
From your recent bio course and homeschool mom teaching experience you probably already know a lot of the material. (Ironically, they probably don't make students who've had high school chem even ages ago take a test. It's likely that many of them forgot a lot.)
- a chemistry teacher & retired homeschool mom
And vacuuming. It is so tiresome, and never-ending, ("I just vacuumed a while ago. Whyyy do I need to do it again????).
I am thankful for the glimpses, both small and big, that God is in control, and that, in the end, He wins the victory.
I am thankful for so much and I love these posts because it reminds me that being thankful is a skill to work on.
1. My 13- almost 14-year-old niece is visiting me for 6 weeks from Dubai. She lands in an hour and I am excited. My mother just visited me and it's so many family visits. I have lived in this country for 12 years and these are the only visits I have had. I am eager to know my niece and see NYC through her eyes.
2. Super grateful for the public transport system. It is wonderful to be able to take the train, ferry, and bus anywhere I want and need to go. Makes me feel very independent and safe.
3. Always grateful for the Public Library and Overdrive/Libby because I wouldn't be able to read as much as I do without it.
4. The library here also offers passes to the museums and I am reserving some for my niece and our visits.
5. Grateful for the friendships I have cultivated that are lovely - where we can talk/text all day about deep and shallow things.
Yay for a visit!! I hope you have so much fun together.
Congrats, Kristen, for passing your TEAS! Crossing my fingers that they accept your Chemistry req's.
I am thankful for cooler weather this week. I am thankful for getting my farm's financial planning finished with my tax accountant for the next 2 years (yay!). I am thankful for my adopted kitty catching so many voles (his daily average is 6). He lays them at the door for me to inspect and praise him. His treat of choice is goat milk.
I am thankful for audio books to entertain me while pulling weeds, cleaning the barns and working in the garden.
I am thankful for my new-to-me telescope to enjoy the starry summer nights.
I am thankful for my quilt group gatherings, we have such good times!
1. I am thankful for the long weekend. I am on rotation, but my husband is coming up to stay with me and we are going to try and turn this into a mini- getaway (when I am not working).
2. Stone fruit season. Everywhere I look are gorgeous peaches, nectarines and plums. I have bought boxes of them to eat, make dried fruit snacks and can.
3. A super fast washer. I had mountains of laundry to finish before work and I was able to get 99% of it done and put away in time (the last load is going as we speak).
4. Cold brew concentrate. So amazing with a splash of oatmilk (which is next on my list to make).
5. A work that allows me to have pink hair. I have multi-colored hair for years but I toned it down when I started this job until I got the read and it looks like it won't be a problem!
@Heather, your post got me excited for stone fruit season too!
About the hair...that's how Lisey is too! She purposely chose a summer job where she could keep her blue hair.
I am thankful for small mercies every day, my Heavenly Father truly loves and cares for me.
I’m thankful that my awesome youngest sister came to visit me as I am overwhelmed unpacking 20 years of stored stuff. I moved in with her after getting an unwanted but mentally necessary divorce. I was finally able to afford a small home near my own kids and grandkids. I have almost no furniture and no idea how to set up a house to be comfortable and functional. She has the logistical gene that I lack. LOL and did an amazing job.
I am thankful for this blog and finally figuring out how to navigate Freecycle, Buy Nothing, and Nextdoor. I will be asking for some furniture and gifting some stuff. I already freecycled a ton of packing paper and new moving boxes, yay!
I’m thankful for a new neighbor who gives me as many fresh brown eggs as I want. He is also a wonderful handyman and does so many little jobs for me with little or no charge. I plan to bake some goodie’s for he and his wife. I’m thankful that my superpower is baking and intercessory prayer.
AND, as always, I am thankful I found Kristin and all her followers on this blog. I only follow this blog and I am always learning something, uplifted by someone, and providing prayers for you all who are facing challenges. I feel like I know you all and I am giving you each a high five and a hug.
Ohh, Vicky! We are living kind of twin lives right now (except I'm at almost 25 years of marriage). Big hugs to you as you navigate your way forward.
Kristen, that is great about your test! You rock!
Today I am thankful as always for my sweet family, for the continued joy of our adorable rescued cat, for a break in the weather after last week's broiling days, for my bum knee holding up yesterday when my job required hours of walking, and for our neighborhood church food pantry, which is tiny but last week fed 149 people and their pets.
1. For the husband, who uncomplaining took me to the ER in the middle of the night and sat in the room with me for five hours. He is such a blessing in my life, far above all others.
2. That the pain was due, of all things, to a gallbladder attack. How the heck can that hurt so much??? But I am glad it was not something more serious. I had stomach tumors years ago and I live in fear that they will come back.
3. That the pain finally ended. I don't know how others handle extreme pain but I vomit. The ER doc who had been saying people can get through these attacks with over the counter meds suddenly decided that some IV pain killers were in order. I swear, 90 seconds after it started to flow I felt some relief.
4. We are surrounded by wildfires so the air quality is horrendous; visibility is less than a mile. So thankful for the industrial air purifier we have. The filters are very expensive but we only have to use it during the summers when the fires are bad.
5. That my garden is starting, very slowly, to produce some food. Fresh vegetables minutes after harvest---the best.
Off topic, but what is it with people who walk up to gigantic animals, like the the people who keep getting too close to the Yellowstone bison? In Alaska we've had tourists walk up to bears and moose to "get a good shot." For heaven's sake, get a telephoto lens.
@Lindsey, so sorry to hear about the ER run and the gallbladder attack. I hope you're not only out of pain but on the road to recovery now.
And your story reminds me of how my DH took me to the ER in 1986 when I was having what turned out to be acute appendicitis. When he came into the bathroom at 4 am and found me bringing up bile, he said, "Anybody who's barfing electric green is going to the ER, *now*!"
Re: the idiots who don't know how to act around large wild animals, I suppose people are so used to seeing said animals only on TV wildlife shows that they have no idea they might attack. But these folks usually end up answering to nicknames like "Lefty"--if they live to answer at all, that is.
@Lindsey,
I was always told a gall bladder attack hurts as badly as a heart attack, and I've never heard of anyone getting through a gall bladder attack with just OTC meds. What was that doctor smoking? Four of my extended family members had gall bladder attacks, and they described them as horrendous. I hope all works out well for you! Thank heavens for your husband being there for you.
@Lindsey, I had a couple of gallbladder attacks and vomiting is a feature of them. I would agree that it probably is as painful as a heart attack.
It turned out I had a gallstone the size of a shooter marble and had to have my gallbladder removed. Have had no problems since then, although some people have to be careful about what they eat for the rest of their lives after that surgery.
Thankful for quiet time on my back porch listening to bird song and the breeze in the trees.
Thankful for a stocked pantry and the fun of using what I have, only supplementing with eggs, bananas, coffee but I’m well stocked and only grocery shop once a month (approx)
Thankful for the space and time to just relax, unwind and feel better rested. I so needed this summer break and I’ve no fantasy of travel or big projects, just downtime.
Thankful for wonderful neighbors, looking out for each other and being social a bit.
Coffee!
Karen
I have Covid for a 2nd time this year. It is much less severe and only 5 days off work. I do not get paid, but thankful I have savings to cover list wages.
I have made a few new friends this week. I will be an empty nester in 4 years. So I am looking ahead to start my new life as a single mom. It is daunting.
My oldest daughter leaves for college August 1st. I will miss her, but she is ready and I am happy for her.
Gas prices are coming down and I only spent $50 at Aldi’s this week.
@Laurie, aw, I know the feeling of sending a child off to college. Hugs. My oldest left last August for college, which was just a few months after my mom died, so I had quite an adjustment to go through. The pain is real, but it's also been a joy to watch my son mature, and I've been able to try some new life challenges now that my schedule has opened up. All to say ... it will be bumpy but you'll ultimately be fine.
I was very thankful that I knew after the first kid that wisdom teeth removal is inevitable. I never had mine out (turns out I only had one) but my husband had to have his out in his 40's and it was harrowing--very expensive, a difficult recovery, and he needed bone grafting afterward. I wasn't anticipating wisdom teeth for my first child (stuff someone should tell parents as their kids approach adolescence), but realized afterward that it would be inevitable for the 2nd, so we were saving up (with 8 years between we had time). When my youngest had to have oral surgery for other reasons, I had the oral surgeon take the wisdom teeth out at the same time, even though it was super early (and they were really deep at that point). This way she only had one oral surgery--so "one and done" as you say. We spent a fortune on orthodontia for our youngest, so not having to do an additional oral surgery was helpful.
Kristen, when you meet all of the requirements for nursing school in Pennsylvania, is it assumed you will get admitted to a nursing program? Nursing is highly "impacted" in California, so when you meet all of the requirements and get admitted to a college or university, then you have to be in a lottery to get a place in a nursing program. This can be more years of waiting. It's similarly impacted for master's programs in nursing. I have a friend who concluded it would be easier to get into medical school than a masters in nursing. So he applied to medical school and got in. He's a doctor now.
At my school, it is a competitive selection process, so the better your GPA and the better your TEAS score, the more likely it is that you will be accepted. I like that better than a lottery because then I have a little more control over how likely it is I'll get in!
@Kristen, It makes so much more sense than a lottery--it makes sense that you want nurses who do better academically, not just lucky nurses. When I worked in healthcare, I divided nurses I met into highly competent and not very competent at all. I remember a CPR drill where they put Rescue-Annie in a lawn chair outside with a sign around her neck that said "Code Blue". There were nurses(!) trying to resuscitate her IN the lawn chair--good grief! I think that was a product of the lottery system.
It makes sense to me too; people's lives are at stake here. You want people who are smart, driven, and organized, and some of my school's competitive areas do probably help to ensure that they are picking people who will be most likely to be good nurses.
Thankful that my niece had a healthy baby boy 2 days ago. The baby was breech and the cord was wrapped around his neck. They did a c-section a day earlier than planned.
Thankful that my house faces east west, with windows on the east and west side only. I keep the blinds turned up on the west windows to keep the sun/heat out (it was super hot out), my house keeps cool without having the AC on. (a very small house). The AC only kicks in when it gets to 79F indoors. (if ever).
Thankful for being able to walk around my neighbourhood. There are a few ravine systems around me and it is lovely to walk in nature.
Thankful that the bite from some mysterious bug on my garden radish leaves turned out to not be major, even though my finger turned bright purple for 2 weeks (I was worried). One walk-in clinic visit and then one via telephone with my family GP covered by my provinces health care plan.
Thankful for a husband who can fix anything. I am very lucky.
Congratulations on a great score! I also agree with loving tasks that you only have to do once and then never again!
Thankful for a little bit of rain in Houston on Monday, and overcast skies the past few days that made my boys' outdoor camps a bit cooler (but not disrupted by actual rain).
My husband had a kidney stone on Tuesday, and we were able to get a last-minute doctor's appointment on Wednesday. They also wanted him to get a CT scan and thankfully were able to work him in tomorrow morning. It was a hassle because it needed to be cleared by insurance even though it was ordered stat, but we were glad it got scheduled before the long weekend (and because we're going on vacation on Sunday)! So thankful it happened earlier this week instead of next week on a cruise ship, and that he's feeling much better.
My older son's cell phone screen got broken by a kid throwing his tennis racket in anger at tennis camp, and thankfully the mom was willing to pay for the repairs without question or hassle.
Thankful for my younger son's school friend's mom who reached out to schedule a playdate, because my son's neighborhood friends have all recently moved away, leaving no one for him to hang out with all summer.
Thankful to finally find some chewable Dramamine for my travel-sick prone son in preparation for our cruise next week. I went to 3 different stores before I could find the chewable kind, and at CVS I even got 4 CVS extra care bucks back, which I then used to buy more Tylenol to replenish our supply (since my husband has consumed quite a bit this week).
So sorry to hear of the kidney stone! The men in my family tend to get those and oof, they are awful.
Congratulations on your most excellent test score! (Someone mentioned “Bill and Ted” recently and it’s stuck in my head). I did my undergrad in developmental psych, so let me know if you need any help. Having also taken anatomy and physiology, dev psy will be a cakewalk for you.
I’m super thankful for our local Facebook puzzle swap group. It is the perfect post-beach activity to chip away at a big 1000 pc jigsaw.
I’m also thankful that my family and friends know me as the no-food-waste person. I get the wildest gifts. Apparently we are going to get a very large amount of Oreo cookie crumbs - which will be a treat on top of banana “nice cream” made with the steady stream of bananas people seem to give me.
I’m thankful for neighbors who notice when I leave my coffee cup on top of the car and return it to me.
Yes, I figure developmental psych will be a walk in the park compared to A&P!
We love Hershey Park!!
I’d take a cool day over a super hot one, any time!
Congrats on your great score, Kristen! One more hurdle you have jumped!
I have time for only one thankful right now — all my kids and grandkids arrived safely for a 4th of July long weekend gathering. Everyone is bathed and in bed except my husband and me. It is joyous having everyone home and safe and happy.
I am thankful for the visit of our son, daughter-in-law and grandson from Prague. We see them not often enough. And I am thankful that little Adam recognized and accepted me instantly even though he had seen me only on facetime for six month.
I am thankful that between very hot days, we always had at least one cooler day so that the house did not heat up too much.
I am thankful for the sunshine which made it easy to dry all laundry outside. I haven´t used my dryer since February, but sometimes I had to dry the laundry in the basement where it takes at least a day and doesn´t smell so good.
I am thankul for the rain we had. Our garden looks much better than this time last year.
I am thankful that for my birthday, I only got books, vouchers for restaurants, and lots of treats to eat and drink. No knick-knacks or other things I only had to find a place to display and the time to dust it.
Hilde in Germany
I am thankful for a bevy of really good doctors/healthcare providers:
1. Hubby's primary doctor ran labs during routine annual in April and discovered Jack's PSA ( prostate cancer test) was 10x higher than it was a year ago. Sent hubby to the urologist who cared for him during his bout with Prostate CA.
2. Urologist checked tumor marker in labwork, which was normal, but sent hubby for a prostate cancer specific PET scan in May to determine if the cancer had returned and/or metastasized.
3. PET scan showed prostate cancer returned, but confined to prostate only--no metastasis. However, the radiologist noticed a spot on hubby's liver, unrelated to the prostate cancer.
4. Urologist then sent hubby for an MRI of the abdomen in June to better diagnose the spot. MRI showed 2 cm (<1 inch) tumor on liver, so he referred Jack to oncologist. Treatment for the prostate CA will be on hold until the liver situation is taken care of.
5. Oncologist has determined Jack does not need chemo, nor any medications, but is referring him to surgeon for possible excision or ablation, and a follow-up appt at the end of August. As the tumor marker was normal, and the size is so small, she seemed to indicate this could be all the treatment Jack will need.
That was yesterday, and now we are waiting for the surgeon's office to schedule our appointment. Although it seemed to move slowly at the time, especially the wait between the PET scan and the MRI, this has all happened in just a few days over 2 months.
6. My PCP saw me for a blood pressure follow up last week, and even though my numbers are borderline, decided to wait before adding another medication. Her reasoning was that as I am still losing weight, and that stress might be a factor in my BP, adding another med might drop my BP too low. This is right in line with my goals of continuing to work on my health and reduce or erase the need for medications.
Most of all, I am grateful for prayers and my God who heard them. Only 2 people other than my hubby and myself know about his diagnoses (other than the health care providers, of course), and both of them have been praying for us. We haven't even told our daughter yet, waiting til we had some answers and some hope to give her, because she will worry so much. But we have felt God's peace and strength, and my husband has had NO symptoms whatsoever. He feels fine, and we are both thankful for that.
Kristen, I'm puzzled at all these courses you're having to do before going to nursing school. In my state in Australia you just go straight to university after school and begin your degree.
I'm thankful for my two cats who only like me because I provide food and warmth. I love them though.
Thankful for family.
Thankful for Australia's amazing wildlife.
Thankful for good coffee found everywhere, in part because of past Italian immigrants.
Thankful for a kinder government.
I'm not sure how it works in every state in the U.S., but at my school, there are certain classes you have to take before you start the two-year R.N. program. For instance, you have to take Intro to Biology and Anatomy and Physiology 1 before you can even apply to the program, and you have to have some general ed. classes done, such as English, math, and so on.
Then once you get into the nursing program, the classes are 100% nursing-related.
I could put off developmental psych and microbiology and do them concurrently with the nursing program, but I figured I'd rather knock out everything I can beforehand. That way, my workload will be as manageable as possible when I'm in the nursing program.
Thankful for:
* Having gotten approved for WLS after being on the waiting list for more than 7 years now. And it being paid through our universal health care system (Canada) instead of having to pay 15 000$ out of pocket to have it done in a private setting like I first intended to do years ago and backed out of. I should get my surgery by the end of august.
* Having access to a multitude of Youtube video, Instagram profiles and online forums about WLS so I can be as prepared as can be
* That my husband is very supportive of me getting healthier, even if he`s scared of the surgery (I am too)
* Having my in-laws visiting this week-end to help with renovations (we are treating them to an all-you-can-eat-sushi as a thank you, yum!)
* That despite struggles with my DD, we still have (most of the time) an ok/good relationship.
Thankful for great playgrounds in our city, our apartment being cool even when it gets hot outside, our wonderful local grocer around the corner. There was something else I meant to add to the list that both fit "frugal 5" and "thankful Thursday" and now it slipped my mind...!