Thankful Thursday | It's December!
This week, I am thankful:
that it's December!
I think my last final is on December 14th, soooo....in two weeks, my semester will be officially over. Woohoo!
I just gotta stay motivated for 14 more days.
for some leaves that are still hanging on
When I was walking in the woods this morning, I noticed that there are still a few red leaves out there.
for beautiful things to see as I walk
Things like running water.
Lichens/moss on trees.
Little mushrooms.
Raindrops on leaves.
for a good night's sleep last night
I finally managed to get into bed on the early side of things, and I feel better today!
a little drawing from my niece
She's on a draw-cute-animals kick and she made little drawings for my girls and me. I told her I'd put mine up on my bulletin board when I got home.
I messaged her this picture and she said, "Thank you." So cute.
for the benefits of being a homeschooling mom and then a college student
I really, really think my return to college has been a little easier due to my years of homeschooling. There was only a 7-year gap between my last day as a student and my first day as a homeschooling mom..so for most of my years on this planet, I've been either a student or a homeschooling mom.
I can see lots of ways that this has smoothed my path, most particularly when I need math skills for my classes.
(Heck, even my young classmates seem rustier than I am when it comes to basic math!)
for my piano
I had a lot of responsible things I could have done when I got home yesterday, but before I did those things, I sat down and played through a few pieces, just for fun.
I'm so glad I have it here with me!
that pianos are ready to play in an instant
One thing I like about being a pianist is that my instrument takes no prep. There are no reeds to install, no assembly is necessary, nothing needs to be taken out of a case, no tuning has to be done (by me at least!)...it's so easy to just sit down and play for a few minutes.
And when I'm done playing, I don't have to clean anything or put anything away.
Well done Kristen that you allowed yourself a moment of playing and enjoying the piano before attending to your chores!
I am thankful for the ease with which I received the Covid bivalent booster. I just walked into the local pharmacy. The vaccines are still something to celebrate and I am sure they have saved millions of lives.
I am thankful it is December. If it's going to be the holiday season it might as well be December. That's not bah humbuging, I'm just happy that the month matches all the pitching of the season.
I am thankful for modern weather forecasting. Whether we like it or not at least we usually know what's coming. I just finished The Long Winter (part of the Little House series) and the winter they endured was unfathomable. There was one blizzard after another, most lasting three days, starting in the fall and going into spring. People did not have provisions for such a long stretch with no trains being able to deliver supplies.
I am thankful for a lifetime of good health. It is not unusual to see obituaries for people younger than I am (64) and yet I have had no major health issues in my life.
I am thankful that there is an "Elf" version of Monopoly. Normally I am not taken in by such shenanigans but for some reason this tickled me. Elf was our daughter's favorite Christmas movie for many years and I impulse purchased the game yesterday. If she doesn't want it I can return it. I am also thankful for Danger in the Manger. It is a ridiculous Christmas movie that we watch every year. Sometimes we watch it simultaneously with my niece in New England.
@K D, My father is a little over ten years older than you are and when I talk to him sometimes there's a real since of macabre in him. He's lost a lot of classmates and this past year he lost his last living relative that's not a super distant 4th cousin or his offspring. He's had health issues and has been handicapped (more or less) my whole life.
So yes, definitely something to be thankful for!
@K D, I too am thankful for the bivalent booster, which I just got at Wegmans. Had to make an appointment for mine, though.
@K D, Did you know that there was another family living with the Ingalls that winter? A couple with a baby. They were so unpleasant and so unhelpful that Laura omitted them entirely from her narrative.
@WilliamB, that is fascinating! I loved that book as a kid and read it to my own kids during our early homeschooling years. Now I need to look that up and read more about it. Thanks.
@christie, If you really loved the books, you might not love learning about the reality of her life. I've read several books that explore what the Ingalls family actually did and went (and even were--there were children in both the Ingalls and Wilder families that were omitted from the books for various reasons), and it kind of ruined the innocent enjoyment of the books I felt as a kid.
@K D, I agree about the booster! My two sons just got theirs this morning. Even the one who hates shots understands how important it is for us to get as much protection as we can.
@K D, The Long Winter and the entire Little House series were such an important part of my reading life as a child, adolescent, and adult. I have researched Laura and her family extensively. I was hoping to find historical weather data for the time period for DeSmet, SD, but it was apparently before good records were kept.
@K D, We are grateful for our recent bivalent booster as well. We spent Thanksgiving with two people who had no symptoms but tested positive the next day. So far we are still well. I think between already having Covid in August, and getting the booster two months later, we were covered enough to avoid it.
@WilliamB,
I thought I was a "Little House" expert and I did not know about the extra family. I learned something new today!
@kristin @ going country, I agree with you. Reading the truth really ruined the innocence for me as well. I've told my children to read the books thinking not "true story" but "based on history"
Oh, what a sweet little Bianca that your niece drew!
Hooray for the end of the semester being in sight!
1. I'm thankful for the safe trip to and from a relative's house after Thanksgiving, and the nice time I had there.
2. I'm thankful that my daughters stepped up to the plate quickly and efficiently when my husband had to be taken to the hospital from his nursing home due to very high blood sugar the very evening of the day I had traveled several hours away. I waited as one daughter reported the steady progress in reducing his blood sugar, until it became obvious I didn't need to turn around and drive back home. They checked on him frequently, cheered him up, and talked with medical staff, keeping me posted. And I'm thankful that he is now out of the hospital.
I might as well post that I'm thankful for my kids every week, frankly.
3. I'm thankful for the sudden inspiration for a Christmas gift for a relative for whom I was struggling to buy something, and that I then found it at half-price online.
4. I'm thankful that our bosses just decided to give us a second raise this year.
5. I'm thankful that one daughter's business flight was luckily timed so that it kept her just ahead of the storm that swept through the east.
Bonus, I'm thankful for the 17th birthday of a dear granddaughter tomorrow.
@JD, it sounds as if your daughters did an admirable job. I'm a little nervous about leaving town myself because of DH; although my neighbors are wonderful, and Ms. Bestest Neighbor is DH's backup health care proxy, I'd still be reluctant to saddle them with the responsibility of dealing with a crisis.
@A. Marie,
My kids have been wonderful and they are uncomplaining. Of course, they like to point out that it is in their own best interests to keep me healthy and sane by easing my stress, ha! I can trust them completely, and although I try not to lean on them too much - they have families, jobs and lives - the knowledge that I can lean on them when needed is priceless.
I'm so glad you have a backup!
I'm so glad your kids are able to help out with your husband's care. Wonderful!
@JD, so wonderful that your kids are willing and competent carers for your husband.
@JD, I’m glad you have the help of your children. Such a blessing. I am also thankful for my children. They feel my life with happiness and love.9
This week I’m thankful for…
My dad’s eagle eye. My parents stayed at our house while my husband and I were on vacation and dad noticed that our hot water heater was leaking. We ended up having the hot water heater replaced this week but it wasn’t an emergency situation!
Snow! We received six inches this week and it is stunning outside right now. The snow also gave us an evening off. This week’s calendar is busier than usual, but Tuesday’s snow cancelled all our evening plans. We were able to decorate the Christmas tree and just relax together.
Pilates. I completed my 100th class last night! I’m still having fun and I’m challenged in each class.
My formal dining room. We don’t use the room for our main meals so I’m able to take over the table for craft projects and puzzles.
Amazon’s gift bags! We have a stash of gift bags from gifts my son has received from gifts sent via Amazon. I’ve been using these gift bags on heavy repeat over the last few years. They hold up better than paper gift bags and don’t require tissue paper to look good.
so glad you are doing better now. the drawing is beautiful. my daughter zoe is in an art high school. she is doing very well there. she went from a middle school with no art classes to speak of to two art classes a day. she is looking forward to the day she can draw what she wants instead of what they tell her.
my toilet overflowed a month ago and ruined our carpet. i called my rental insurance and they paid to replace it. for my whole apt. am so grateful. from claim to money was only 3 days. I have had the same rental insurance for 37 years. USAA because my dad was in WW11. my apt complex took four visits until they totally fixed the toilet. but now it is fixed.
hubby is teaching my kids to play the piano. my daughter had two years at a music school. both kids sing at a music school and they both enjoy playing piano.
Oh, I am so glad your carpet situation is resolved. WHEW.
Love the Miss Bianca drawing on your bulletin board. She definitely has some talent there!
Also I really wish I had a pianist in my house. I love listening to solo piano and it'd be nice to hear it in person more than just once a week at church. I did listen to part of George Winston's December album this morning.
Things I'm thankful for today:
That I have some good books to read. I've been trying to keep up on reading and quiet time so it's good to have books around.
That Christmas shopping is more or less done with. I just have to see about one more thing for my wife is all.
And the big one ...
That my wife is healthy, happy and that come next year we are going to be having another child. It was not totally a surprise (for obvious reasons) but without getting too into medical details we never thought we'd have any more after our first. Now we don't know what will happen and it's still early but we're hopeful and praying and very thankful for this new addition we will soon have.
@Battra92,
Congratulations on your new addition! What a perfect Christmas present!
@Battra92,
Congratulations! Such wonderful news<3
@Battra92, What great news! Congratulations!
@Battra92,
Congratulations! That is beautiful news indeed.
@Battra92, many congratulations and blessings for good health.
@Battra92,
I'm so happy to hear of your "big news"....that's so exciting and I'm so happy for you and your family! Children are such a blessing!
@Battra92,
Congratulations!!! This is the best news ever! You’ve topped this Thankful Thursday post. I’m so happy for you, your wife and daughter. Praying everything continues to go smoothly.
@Battra92, the pregnancy news didn't come as a total surprise to me either (since you dropped a hint in an earlier comment), but I share in the general delight. Congratulations and good luck!
@Battra92, YAY BABIES!
@Battra92, Congratulations! By the way, dropping the hint earlier in no way diminished my joy in reading this.
@Battra92, What wonderful news! Congratulations!!!
@Battra92,
That's absolutely wonderful, and prayers go up that this goes easily with no issues and that you are all blessed with a safe and happy birth!
@Battra92, That's wonderful. I'm so happy for your family.
@Battra92, CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so happy you're getting what you'd hoped for.
@Battra92,
Congratulations! That’s a pretty much guaranteed BEST way to ring in the holiday season!
@Battra92, What a super announcement! Congrats.
@Battra92,
Congratulations!!! I'm so very happy for you, your wife, and your daughter. What a gift in this little, precious life!! I pray for protection for mom and baby and peace for all of you throughout the pregnancy.
BATTRA! I'm so excited for you guys. Yay!!! Please pass my congrats on to your wife as well.
Battra92, congrats! Your news made me smile. 🙂
@Battra92, congratulations!! What a joy this must be for your family! Praying for a smooth pregnancy and delivery!
@Battra92,
This is very exciting news! Congratulations to you, your wife, and daughter. Fingers crossed for an easy pregnancy for your wife.
@Battra92, congrats. that is such wonderful news. am very happy for the whole family.
@Battra92, congratulations to you and your wife. That is happy news. Wishing you the best on this journey.
@Battra92, so awesome!! Happy for you and your growing family!
@Battra92 and family,
Such fine news. Congrats to all on the precious addition. Sometimes we get what we were hoping for. . .
@Battra92,
Aw...I just knew it!!! Congratulations and add me to the list of folks praying all goes well!
@MaryAnne, Will be more of a summer present but I'll take it. 🙂 Thank you!
@Battra92, Congrats!!
@Battra92, congratulations on your new little one!
@Battra92, Yay, what happy news - congratulations!!
(The good news about sharing this with your FG friends is that we're all excited but aren't around to repeatedly offer unsolicited remedies/comments/advice : )
I am thankful for
This blog and the community we have created. It is a lil bit of kindness and clarity in my day.
I am thankful for medical professionals. My hubby and I are aging and it is no longer the once a year pop in visit. THATS OKAY!
I am thankful that I have the crazy ability to make dinner out of almost nothing. This skill was needed last night. EVERYONE WAS FED.
My two animals bring me great joy. So thankful for them. They are aging too!
Have a great day everyone!
The pictures are all really beautiful, I am particularly taken with the raindrops on leaf one. I think you did well grabbing just a bit of me and my piano time yesterday!
This week I am thankful for the beautiful morning skies and for getting a lot of work done. Also for plucking up courage to tell my manager that I feel a bit overloaded at the moment (and his response).
Thankful for having a really warm relationship with one of my siblings. And for having some moments of connection this week with the other sibling with whom I have a complex relationship.
For the pleasure that the fairylights bring, especially at dusk.
@J NL,
I was just saying yesterday how much I love the lights in the outdoor decorations at this dark time of year. And how sad I am to see them taken down so soon after Christmas because it feels even more gloomy with them gone.
Counting with you, Kristen! I worked thru chemistry too but the joy of it eluded me.
I am thankful for all the love of Thanksgiving gatherings. At rehearsal last night of college + community choir, the college students were so clearly energized by the feast and home experience, a tangible feeling of love and hope.
I am thankful that my neighbor’s messy, long divorce process is finally done. She is free of a very difficult partner, and her daughters have a better life already.
I am also thankful for my piano and amateur musicians everywhere. The love and joy of musical expression is important in my life.
I am thankful for the home my DH and I have shaped over the years. It is comfortable and suits us very well.
And for this season of anticipation of the holidays, and the good news that comes in spite of all the awful headlines. The work of sharing, and healing, rescuing, and listening keeps on going, quietly. I read recently of a Russian speaking British volunteer assisting Ukrainian refugees, an ongoing effort in all the areas bordering Ukraine. Doesn’t make major headlines but furthers goodness in the world.
I got sick with a migraine yesterday, but there were several things to be thankful for about that episode nonetheless:
--I could feel it starting in the afternoon at work, but it didn't progress to the nauseated stage until after I got home.
--No one had to go anywhere last night, so my husband was home to help.
--He fed the kids, helped with the homework, cleaned the kitchen, and got all the kids to bed.
--My oldest son took my daughter away and read to her when she came into the room where I was lying down. She was having a fit because she thought we were having "biscuits" for dinner instead of the "brisket" we were actually having, and her crying in my ear was not really helping my situation. Hooray for older brothers.
--I slept off and on between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., got up to brush my teeth and change into pajamas, went back to bed and slept until 5:30 this morning. All better now!
@kristin @ going country, I'm glad you got through this migraine OK. My brother and a good friend are both migraine-prone, and from what they tell me, it ain't no joke.
@A. Marie, I am not migraine prone, for which I am very grateful. Every few months, though, I'll get one, and no, it is no fun at all.
@kristin @ going country, If what I experienced when I had Lyme was a typical migraine, I pity you so much. It was so much worse than childbirth. I hope you have them rarely.
@kristin @ going country,
One thing I really love about this blog is how it has made it normal to look for the good in hard times. I'm glad you're better now!
Also - the brisket thing made me laugh! I made ribs a couple of nights ago and I guess that my kids forgot what ribs were and they were a little whiny about the dinner plan. The ribs pack was smaller than I thought so I made nuggets for the whiners and was giving ribs to those in the family who would appreciate them. Two of the kids ended up trying a little of the ribs and then went on and on about how good they were. So funny. Crying because you're having brisket is such a kid thing to do! Ha!
@Jody S., This was definitely not worse than childbirth, so it must have been a minor one. 🙂
@Ruth T, It so was. Even in the midst of my misery, I found the humor in that one. Not enough to actually laugh--that would have hurt my head--but there was an internal smile. And after her brother took her to his bed and read her books for awhile, she consented to eat. Even the disappointing brisket. 🙂
@kristin @ going country,
I was going to comment that "so much worse than childbirth" is a perfect way to describe a horrendous migraine. I'm so glad to hear that yours was smaller on the migraine Richter scale!
@kristin @ going country, glad that you got the rest you needed. As a migraine sufferer myself, that quiet, dark atmosphere is essential for recuperation. Kudos to your family for filling in for you.
I love that you are thankful for nature and take such nice pictures of what you see. Most people are just thinking about the future cold, and here you are still enjoying autumn. Thanks for sharing those!!!!
I am thankful that our Thanksgiving celebration was enjoyed by all and everyone arrived home safely after their travels. Being that we moved back North from FL to be closer to family since covid, has really made a difference in our happiness. We are very happy with our decision and thankful that things are going the way they are.
Thankful that my daughter's family is recovering from the flu. My 6 yr old granddaughter was very sick for almost 2 weeks. My daughter got the flu shot and was only sick for 4-5 days. Her husband has been very sick for almost 2 weeks now. Today I am getting my flu shot because there is proof that the vaccine reduces the illness. We all missed them at Thanksgiving, but glad they are on the mend.
Thankful that my next MD appt for my broken ankle is only 20 days away. I got a boot last week and it does feel like it is improving, so that is great. But my next appt is when I will hear the good news, I hope. My daughter said not to expect anything. But it will have been 7 weeks and most broken bones mend in 6 weeks. So, so thankful it was not a major break.
Thankful that my in-laws all pitched in and helped out on Thanksgiving so I could rest my leg. They cleaned up everything so well. And my 1 sis in law really helped with the cooking.
Thankful for 40 years with my rock, my husband. We celebrated with family over the weekend, so it was very nice to celebrate with some of our favorite people.
Yes! I will savor every last drop of fall beauty.
But the good news is that there is winter beauty too! There are always interesting things to see in the woods, all year round.
@Kristen, My grandmother always said that every season has its beauty!! Actually winter is one of my favorites when you can see the structure of the trees!! Keep enjoying those walks!
I love your ceramic Christmas tree. Wondering if it's new and where you bought it?
Thank you
@Lisa,
That tree has "treasure house find" written all over it!
Yes! I got it at Aldi a few weeks ago.
I am also so, so glad that it is December. This has been a tough year (though haven't they all?) but at least each year is getting a tiny bit easier than the last. In a decade or two, I might just breeze through life.
I am thankful for...
1. My window decals. My crew room has windows that open onto the street, so I have kept them closed so I don't put on on a show. However, I recently got refractory decals so now I get up to the natural sunlight and as a bonus I get glorious rainbows all over my room.
2. My husband. Again he makes the list. I recently had a nasty bout with the stomach flu and he could not have been more caring and helpful trying to get everything I could need and I am thankful to have such a good partner.
3. A working washer and dryer. Fresh sheets after a fever breaks AND it's cold outside? Chef's kiss
4. Holiday rom coms. I love a cozy rom com (either movie, TV or book form) with snow and Christmas trees.
5. Tea. I genuinely look forward to starting my morning with a cup of tea everyday
I'm thankful that--
*you're not too crispy to still be thankful. (That adjective stuck with me.)
*my friend needed us to dog-sit this week; her dog is so good, and the kids love taking care of her!
*another friend tipped me off about a free online homeschooling resource.
*I had a really good late night telephone conversation with my college boy this week.
*another son is showing so much compassion for his friend who is going through a tough spell.
*my husband made coffee for me today.
*I found a ton of Christmasy fabric is my stash (and the stash I inherited from my mother). I'm hoping to be able to sew a few baby quilts for a nearby NICU in time for Christmas pictures for the babies.
*we have plenty of leftovers for lunch.
When you're feeling crispy, that's EXACTLY the time to work at being thankful. 😉
I'm glad you took time for yourself and played the piano. Hopefully it made you feel less "crispy"
This week I'm thankful
* For my holiday work bonus. it's always nice to get a large (to us) chunk of money in December
* That my Christmas shopping is mostly done
* That our DD and I are going out for breakfast on Saturday. Her life is full and busy, so I cherish any time we get to spend together
* That our dog cuddled with me last night. She is very independent and is not usually a snuggly kind of pet, but I do so enjoy when she is!
* That I did a different workout last night and it was actually fun
Thankful for...
The positive responses to the teabag wreath post. Thanks to my goombah Lisa for making the wreath project at the JASNA meeting happen, and for taking the photos; to Kristen for putting up the post; and to all who responded.
Today's bivalent COVID booster, as noted above.
This week's high winds, which did no damage here and did me some good. There was another round of water bottles and beer cans blown out of recycling bins on trash day, and I've been playing "pick-up sticks" with branches that I can break down to the right size for kindling for my woodburner. (I must admit that I do miss the scrap lumber DH and his friends in the construction trades used to bring home for kindling.)
And the full stash of Christmas wrap and bags I still have, thanks to DH's tenants of Christmases past. In fact, I'll probably have to include these in a codicil to my will.
@A. Marie,
I love how you have utilized “windfall!”
I am thankful for a reduced schedule in 2023. In 2022 I've been too busy and I've been praying about what activities needed to stop. The decision was made for me and although it is not what I wanted at all, both my husband and I recognize that it is probably an answer to prayer.
I am thankful for my gas fireplace. It adds such cheer to the evening and I like that we can just have a fire for the time I need.
I am thankful that I can see the end of my crazy busy season and I think I will be able to finish my projects on time.
I am thankful for well timed encouraging words.
I am thankful new goals. This is silly, but goals give me a sense of purpose and accomplishment that is really important in my life. I feel quite adrift if I don't have a plan for what I am doing with free time. (I actually write lists of priorities and projects for vacation days.)
Things that made me smile this week:
- The large number of books in my library and that I have enough shelf space that they are all vertical, showing (no double stacking), and organized.
- All the use-it-up cooking and baking I did this week. The oreo cupcakes were a big hit at the Thank You party for the software developer whose been working with my team for several years.
- The surprisingly large number of trees with vivid red leaves that I passed on my recent walks.
- No cavities at my dental appt.
- Another dinner with my dad and family.
- We'd agreed that I'd help him fight the recent-widower blues by taking a trip with him about 6 months after my mother died. But he has so many family trips planned that it's not necessary.
@Battra92 - There is no greater blessing than a new baby. What a precious gift!
A good night's sleep makes for an "all things are possible" day!
So many great studies show a strong cognitive response to playing classical music. It decreases your cortisol levels, increases dopamine and greatly increases blood flow. The best part? It's free!!! In my house, it is also found to bring on laughter because when I play, the animals all gather around and sometimes 'join in'.
I am thankful for good dry wood to keep us warm.
-First snow last night.
-Sunrise walk with light snow falling. sigh.
-My silly dog. She is brightness and joy personified.
-My new to me quilted vest with faux fur collar. A great layer piece. So warm!
-Neighbors who offer me great advice and practical solutions.
-Cheery Holiday Decorations! Seeing them brings a smile to my face..
-Hearing the song of the garden flickers as they poke thru the apple pile looking for their breakfast.
I’ve always wanted to learn to play the piano, Kristen! I’m so glad you have that creative release literally, at your fingertips!
I’m thankful for:
- My friend’s pancreas biopsies coming back non-malignant. She will be able to continue her chemo & immunotherapy clinical trial participation, and we will all be able to enjoy her company this holiday season!
- 2 of my grandkids were able to come up for a visit without experiencing any separation anxiety. Their mom is a single parent who works in the service industry. This is definitely the busy season for her. Now we will be able to plan for the kids to come up during their school breaks, without worry.
- The nearby hiking trails have not been muddy!
- For my little shih tzu mix rescue pup. She wakes up happy to see me every single day, without fail!
Thankful for:
1. The medical staff who swooped in and did emergency surgery when I got so ill I was hallucinating, dropping other scheduled patients and duties.
2. Friends who called my husband to offer practical support, like food and errands and keeping pound hound.
3. The teen who helps with the garden came over and shovled the driveway and walk, even though it was 17 below and dark by the time he got out of school.
4. Mindless television. I was too ill to read, too drugged up to follow anything requiring intelligence, too depressed to do anything but wallow. Old movies that I could drift in and out of provided some comfort and blocked out hospital noises to some degree.
5. The husband, always the husband, who just kept saying I would get through this and not to give up. I think I sobbed for hours while he sat next to the hospital bed just holding my hand. The first times he did this for me he had dark hair and no wrinkles. Now, 40 years later, he is totally gray with a lined face, still a constant in my life.
@Lindsey, oh my goodness, how scary. I hope you are feeling better soon.
@Lindsey,
Oh my... I hope you're home and able to rest now. What a blessing to have that community support around you. Grace to you!
@Lindsey,
I just want to say that you are so blessed with such a kind husband, (you know that already, but I just HAD to say it). You deserve him, and my hope and prayer is that I, and all the other women here, including Kristen, will experience the love, care and compassion that he has expressed to you.
Get well soon!
@Lindsey, your #5 brought tears to my eyes. I'd tell you that you have a treasure, but you know that already.
@Lindsey,
Thinking of you and sending prayers for a full recovery.
A loving and caring husband/partner is indeed the greatest gift. I have one too and am thankful for him every day.
@Lindsey,
I'm so glad you're still around, Lindsey!
@Lindsey, your #5. That's says it all. Wishing a speedy recovery for you.
I'm thankful for great friends. There's been recent conversation around the topic of how hard it is to make friends as an adult (which is true!) but over the last 8 years that we've lived here I've made some really great friends. Friends that I can be honest with, who know me, who love me, who we can share life with... it's such a gift.
I'm thankful for food. My dad got us a deer (yay!!!) for the first time in at least 3 years and I'm looking forward to having venison in the freezer again.
I'm thankful for the chance to hold a lot of babies in the past week. It's soul-filling for me.
I'm thankful that it's sunny today! Michigan is amazing, but it can be cloudy for days on end in the winter. Since it's now December I'm taking note of every sunny day we have so I can appreciate them. 🙂
@Ruth T, amen to the sunny day in Michigan! I met up at a coffee shop yesterday with the women in my family and it was a great place to be when the weather was too awful to be outdoors.
Thankful for a new vacuum cleaner! I mentioned last week how frustrated I was with not being able to find a quality bagged vacuum. After much online searching, I FOUND ONE!! It's by a brand called Prolux. The one I have is the Prolux 9000. It's got the quality of the old-time Hoovers but in an updated style. I'm loving how well it works on carpet and on vinyl flooring, and I'm ecstatic to once again have on-board attachments. I'm much more likely to attack those dusty areas if I can clean them when I notice them. Hooray!
Thankful for the cat on my lap (his paw is over my left arm, which makes it challenging to type this, but it's so darn cute) right now. For sunshine. For walking with a friend earlier this week. For my family. For a coffee day with the women in my family yesterday.
Thankfuls for today:
My local newspaper mentioned some of the motions put forward by my newly elected city council at their first meeting. I am pleased to see some positive progress, I am very happy with this group of people. The former group of council members were "not good" to say the least.
Dental appointment yesterday, the hygienist said my teeth and gums are in good shape for which I am very happy.
For onions: I love onions on everything, especially on sandwiches. (PB sandwiches not included).
For our vehicle, it is 5 years old, and is not a lemon. It is the first vehicle we have ever bought new: as my HB is a mechanic (retired now) by trade, we always bought 2nd hand vehicles because he could fix/ maintain them.
For a very nice c/s rep. at my (cancelled) cell phone service provider, who apologized profusely for the hour and a half I was on hold waiting for someone to answer: and for helping to transfer my credit owing into a cheque that will be mailed to me. (though in all honesty, why this was not automatically done when I cancelled my service is beyond me).
My 2 cats, and their everyday antics.
Kristen,
Thank you for this Thankful posts. Whenever my kids complain about having to practice piano, I tell them one day they would cherish knowing how to play an instrument. And seriously, what is lovelier than piano?!
Mahshid
Kristen,
You write about your piano:
I’m so glad I have it here with me!
Have you a ‘pet’ name for your piano?
My car and bicycles have names , ha! ha!
Kristen, I love your photos from your walk. It was peaceful just to see them.
I am thankful for this blog, which I look forward to reading each weekday, and for all the comments. It's so nice to read about so many good things happening!
Grateful for my mom who turned 87 this week and I am thankful her skin cancer procedure went well, and the doctor was exactly on time. Amazing!
Grateful for the nurses who respond to emails quickly, and gave us feedback on my husband's heart meds. It's reassuring to know he's on the right track.
Thankful for the sunny cool weather - I am in Florida and winter is not running the a/c all day. 🙂
Grateful for this season of Advent, the quiet hope. It's my favorite (minus the Christmas prep stress).
Grateful for enough work to keep our business humming along, but not so much my husband has to work terribly late hours.
I am thankful for the very practical stuff Kristen has recommended here over the years, like the "under the car hood critter scaring" device. I just looked to ordering one after my son found a dead rat in the air system of his car. (Everyone can join in with the high-pitched screams now!) Husband and son had no idea such a thing existed, but I did, thanks to Kristen.
@Ruby, I'll oblige with the screams: EEEEEEE!
And our third cat turned up as a kitten under the hood of DH's old Suburban, two weeks before Christmas 31 years ago. The first day, DH was sick with flu and thought he was hallucinating. The second day, he knew there was a cat. He popped the hood, scooped the poor little guy out, and brought him in to me. The kitten put his dirty, greasy little paws around my neck and started suckling my hair. I looked up at DH and said, "We're keeping him."
@A. Marie,
Aww, what did you name him? I'm imagining him in tiny greasy coveralls and I need to picture a name on the patch...
@A. Marie, awww, how sweet! Found cats make some of the best pets.
@Becca, hilarious, and adorable.
@Becca, we named him Disraeli Diehard Dreadnought: Disraeli because good friends up the street had a similar gray and white cat named Gladstone ("I'll take British Prime Ministers for $1000, Alex"); Diehard for the battery name brand, given his origins under the hood; and Dreadnought because he was afraid of nothing! His call name was Dizzy, so you can put that on his imaginary coverall patch.
@A. Marie, awwww, reminds me of Palmerston, the 11 Downing Street cat.
This week I'm thankful...
- for my friends. One lent me picture frames to use at my father's funeral, which was a big help. Another friend is moving to a different city (thankfully only 2 hours away) and we got together for lunch today before she leaves town.
- for space in our financial life to be able to take several trips up the East Coast in November to see my dad, attend his funeral, and start the process of dispersing his estate. There were many years that we wouldn't have been able to cover these travel expenses, but right now we have that breathing room.
- that I have already been working with the attorney and financial advisor who will walk me through my dad's estate. I've been coordinating with them for a year and a half, so thankfully they know me, and I know them.
- that my dad's estate won't be very complicated.
- for my husband and his family. They have been my family for 25 years, but now they are *really* my family. Like, my only family. And they support me and love me.
- for my husband's job. My husband has provided income during the last few tumultuous years, which allowed me to be a full-time caregiver.
- that my husband and I know how to live below our means. And for a husband who knows that dumpster diving and thrift store shopping are my love language. Haha.
I am thankful for:
1. A brother who saved and shared with me some of the good leftover Halloween candy. It was a nice treat.
2. Not catching Covid from the folks who had it at Thanksgiving but didn't know until the next morning. Boosters work!
3. A warm comforter. We have to keep our bedroom windows open a bit as it gets very stuffy in the apartment and our heat is not adjustable, it's either freeze or roast. It's been very chilly at night with the window open but warm under the covers.
4. My meditation app. I have been feeling extra stressed lately and it's helped me stay calm in the midst of chaos.
5. Our humidifiers are up and running again. Dry weather leaves me with the itchy-scratchies without them.
Ah math. I am sure constant review of it was a big help with your classes, Kristen! I am not naturally good at math and took it all four years of high school even though I did not need all the credits. I didn't apply to college until I was 20 so I had to review/learn it all again for the entrance exams. Then again when I switched colleges and had to take placement exams. Then again when I switched colleges again. I remember at some point I failed an placement exam but was not about to spend money on a non-credit math class so I studied up at home and took the placement exam again. Ugh. Eventually I got through the college math requirement but (obviously) did not pursue a math or science related major!
I am thankful for an uptick in my mood recently. Last year at this time, my mental health was in the gutter.
I am thankful for Christmas lights. On trees, or houses or in the windows. They are always so cheerful and make me feel happy.
I am thankful for holiday flavors like gingerbread and peppermint and eggnog, which I particularly enjoy this time of year. Even though there is nothing stopping me from enjoying them year round, I only like them at Christmas. 🙂
I am thankful for robust health savings account. I have needed it lately.
I am happy we are getting snow in the mountains this week and hopeful the snowpack will continue to build and ease the drought here next summer.
"Last year at this time, my mental health was in the gutter." Same, same! For obvious reasons. 😉
I'm glad you're feeling better this year! I am too.
Kristen,
Good luck on your finals!
I am thankful that the stomach bug that had been working its way through our family has had done.
That I have made real progress this week on my book.
That my editor is also a friend and is holding my hand through this manuscript process.
For my friendship with my colleague. We are the only two postdoctoral fellows on campus, so it is a real blessing that we get along like old friends.
For my students who have made me look forward to going to class all semester.
That our business is in a much better place than it was this time last year.
That our daughter is doing so well in school.
That our oldest son is weathering middle school even though a lot of the other kids sound like every stereotype of terrible middle schoolers.
That we are back into our home and it is fully repaired after living with it in a torn-up state for so long.
That we have never had to stress about how to afford Christmas gifts.
So, so many blessings.
@kristen—I like the ceramic Christmas tree. I hope you are able to get some of your Christmas decorations!
I am late to the game but thankful nonetheless. 😉
-We were healthy in time to take a little mini vacation to Dollywood. It’s been a rough two months with kids being sick. RSV and Adenovirus are no joke.
-We had a smooth trip with a lot of family memories made. And the very old dog was okay with his new dog sitter.
-My daughter’s middle school teachers are allowing her the rest of the quarter to catch up on her assignments since she was out a week. And she was able to quickly catch onto the new math concepts.
-My husband is officially done with captain upgrade at his airline and passed all the steps with flying colors.
Two more weeks! You can do it!!
My thankful list:
-The medical care for our son in our new town. The 7 specialists we’ve met so far have been thorough, caring, and collaborative. I thought I knew a lot, but each visit since arriving, I’ve learned more.
-A day in the 20s, without wind. So grateful that waiting with my daughter at the bus stop was pleasant.
-advent and the reflection associated with it. This rhythm of the church calendar is deeply beneficial to me.
I am thankful to be suddenly going full-time after being part-time for the last eleven and a half years!
I am thankful for your beautiful photos, your example in showing us how to find good things when life feels dark, the way you keep your commenters from going negative, the excellent ideas for saving money, and your perseverance during hard times.
Thankful to be home. I was nervous about going to BFF's on my own since my health is so terrible (plus worried sbout things here) but it all worked out, even if it took me 24 hours, several canceled planes, a night in too much pain to sleep and an airport hotel to get home. Next time (planned for February) I will know a lot more about this trip and will be able to plan better.
Thankful that my BFF is still herself. She's tired and weak and painfully thin, but still her old self. I heard her tell someone on the phone that having me there was as if 40 years had never happened. We just fit. Always have, always will.
Thankful for good news in the commenters here. New babies! Yes! Is there anything happier than new baby news at the holidays? Hoping for good health and happiness for everyone here. Also thankful to see my own pets happy to see me home, especially my prancy dog.
@Rose, glad you had a safe trip and spent some quality time with your dear friend. Wishing you a restful night of sleep.
@Rose, I was waiting for your comment yesterday and wondering if everything was okay. I'm glad you're home, but I'm glad you were able to be with your friend.
December 14 is apparently a popular test day. A coworker is taking his citizenship test that day as well. He's worried but I think he'll pass with flying colors. I'll be thankful when he can celebrate instead of worrying about it
The amaryliss bulb that is growing.
My Christmas cactus is blooming.
My cheerful little dog who companions me when I walk.
My semester is also over on December 14.
For friends who share their skills and abilities with me when I need them.
Love how you took the time to play on your piano. Celebrating your creative self is like a soul balm.
This week I'm thankful for.
1. My crockpot ( I haven't graduated to a instapot yet) at the end of a long day it's nice to come home to a hot dinner with little else to do but take of your coat and grab a plate or bowl.
2. That I know how to and am not intimidated to drive in snow or icy conditions. I know A LOT of people who panic at the thought of having to drive in snowy weather.
3. Our daughter. She's currently stationed in South Korea (army) and though this will be the first year she won't be here for Christmas (she's 19) she's got close friends there to celebrate the holiday with. Sent off a box o of presents and goodies and she's excited to share fudge and cookies from home (a shout out to the wonderful people who cheerfully walked me through the process of shipping international at our local post office...may you both never run out of coffee or glittery fingernail polish!) To my fellow military parents, spouses and other loved ones who read this, peaceful thoughts and prayers to you all...our support to them is the most important gift of all.
4. To my husband who shares with me all the ups and downs that's our life, when times are tough his hand is always there for me to hold. And that's all I can ask for.
5. To our two goats and zany cats. Who give me the simple goofy joy and love only a animal can give.
Best to all.
As a teacher, the academic year always feels so “crunchy” this time of year with testing and holiday cheer and distractions. I’m stepping back as my mom would say to just “look at it all” “just take it all in” and not rush to get it over with. So thankful for the wisdom my mom shared with me and that I turn to so often.
Thankful for aging—shocking recognition—I don’t want to be younger—I’m glad I am where I am in life.
Thankful for music in my life, that I spent time honing the craft
And art of playing and listening to music. What a refuge.
Thankful for coffee, as always!
Karen
Thankful for-
A relatively quiet week both at home and work.
I have 90% of my Christmas shopping done.
That my wonderful vet was able to see my oldest pup the same day. My pup had a skin infection.
That my boss is super good about working from home or changing my schedule for vet appointment.
That my youngest dog was not severely injured do to a weird stars aligning kind of event. My son's golden went after my youngest pup when our neighbors dog came running by our fence. My neighbors apologized several times but I think they now understand why they need to keep him in their yard.
Yes to playing the piano! It is soothing & calming; so wonderful to lose oneself in the flow of the music.
I think another thing of beauty on your hike is that cool hanging bridge in your photo! How interesting!
* I'm thankful that both my kids are very driven in school and always getting grades accordingly
* That it's friday! It was a long week, very ready for the weekend.
* That my sick daughter hasn't tested positive (...yet?) for Covid. She has a heart condition so this worries me.
* YouTube. How lucky are we to have access to thousands free videos every day!
* For comedians. *yes, I'm watching a comedy show on Youtube right now, aha