Thankful Thursday | Oh hey, open windows!
This week, I am thankful...
for some fall-like weather
Yesterday when I woke up, it was in the low 60s and I WAS SO HAPPY.
And when I walked to and from class, I felt so good outside.
Today promises to be even more lovely. Ohhhh yessss.
that my air conditioning is off for the moment
I think we are entering a string of days where I won't have to run my A/C at all. Yay for saving on electricity!
that my tire pressure has been fine since last week
My low-pressure light came on last week, and it turned out that one of my tires was five pounds low.
I checked them all, added air to the one that was low, and so far, all has been well.
It's a little weird that one of them lost more air than the others, so of course, I will keep an eye on my tire pressure.
But I'm glad that it appears nothing is wrong.
for the Kahoot games my professor has made for us
My microbiology professor has fun interactive quiz games for us each week, and I think these are super helpful. The gamification of the studying does make it more fun!
Plus, I hear that some of these Kahoot questions are going to be on the exams, so hopefully, my multiple practice attempts each week will pay off when the exams roll around.
that I've been doing math with my kids for years
My chemistry class is currently swimming in unit conversions, and I have been feeling thankful that I am not at all rusty on this concept.
These conversions are a little more complicated than what my kids have been doing, but at least I have the basic idea about unit conversions down pat.
I am also grateful that my professor gave us a printable list of conversions to use during homework and exams. This means that I do not have to memorize things like the fact that 1 pound = 453.6 grams or that 1 quart = 0.9464 liters.
that Thursday is my last day of class for the week
I have no classes on Friday, which is lovely! That way I have a day to focus just on homework.
Also, I'm really thankful I only have my three-hour microbiology lab once per week.
that college semesters aren't terribly long
I dislike my online chemistry class for a variety of reasons, but the good news is that I don't have to be in this class for super long! The semester will be entirely over in just three more months.
that Sonia likes all of her law classes
She's working on getting her paralegal right now, and so she's taking lots of law classes. This sounds so super boring to me, but she really loves what she's learning!
This reminds me of how wonderful it is that we are all designed to do different things in life. Lisey loves working on planes, but she'd be miserable trying to be a nurse.
And I love learning about the human body, but I'd hate learning about the law stuff that Sonia is doing.
I'm thankful for the weather we've had this week. It has been perfect. Low humidity, cool nights and a bit of warmth during the day. Like Kristen I have had windows open, it feels so good.
I'm thankful we have the money to pay for chimney repair work. I am not thrilled to need to be home for two days but there is plenty to do around the house.
I'm thankful a friend, that shares my birthday, took me to lunch yesterday to celebrate. I'm also thankful for another trip around the sun.
I'm thankful for siblings as well as friends.
I'm thankful I'm seemingly dreaming a lot less than I was the first weeks post-Covid and DH's super sniffing seems to have abated. We both had side effects we hadn't heard of but they were not too bothersome. We feel fully recovered. I'm also thankful for the new bivalent Covid booster for those that need it. I will ask my doctor about it at my annual physical later this month.
I often think that variety is proof of a fertile soil and that goes for human environments too.
You'll have a wide range of skills and profiencies in your family!
This week I am particularly thankful for electricity. Ours was down today due to maintenance in our neighborhood and it lasted a few hours longer than expected. We kept our fridge and freezer closed ofcourse so no damage. But our router went down and I could not log on to my work environment because the authenticator staggered.
So thank you electricity. I am catching up with my work now, with a freshly brewn coffee at hand.
Good for Sonia! So great that she’s enjoying paralegal classes!
At this moment I’m thankful because—
*I had the foresight over a month ago to schedule a haircut for this evening at 7:00.
*The cool weather is perfect here for my one mile bike ride to work.
*A person with a small orchard of apple trees posted an ad for Snow Sweet apples for $1/lb and I bought 5 lbs. to share with friends and make applesauce.
*A big change happening in my workplace is going smoothly at the moment.
*My daughter was sick Sunday-Tuesday but seems to have recovered her energy. The rest of our family is well, too!
*[Late breaking] The glass my cat just tipped over at the dining table was empty.
@Robin, oops, I meant I bought 25 lbs! 5 lbs. wouldn’t go very far, would it 😉
@Robin, I read that and wondered how anyone could stretch apples that far; thought maybe they were magic apples! 😀
Thankfuls . . .
--Always and forever, that my husband has a flexible job and can take care of children when I can't. We've had a Round Robin of a cold this week, so one or more of the kids has been home from school every day. I didn't catch it (another thankful!) and had to work Monday and Wednesday, but Dad was home to take care of the sick ones. I will always take a much smaller income if it means there are two parents available almost all the time. (To answer your question from yesterday quite succinctly. 🙂
--That our vehicles haven't had any problems lately. With three old cars, I don't take that for granted. Particularly given the car market in the last couple of years.
--That our calabacitas bring so many older people so much joy. The general response to squash this time of year is not usually excitement, but this particular squash is local, rare, and was a staple of their childhoods, so they are so happy when we give them some.
--That whatever attacked one of the old ewes didn't do much more than pull some wool out (probably something small like a bobcat). And that we could open the gates to let the dogs patrol after that. They don't mind staying up all night and chasing animals in the dark. It's a little harder for my husband.
--That my daughter is such a natural at school things. All of my children are intelligent and gifted in their own ways, but those ways do not always translate well to the school environment. That means friction, and help on my part to make it a good experience for them. My daughter, however, just seems to naturally fit into the school environment without that friction, which I have to admit is a great relief to me. I'm sure there will be challenges for her, too, but at the moment I don't have to help her so much, which leaves me free to focus my energy on the ones who do need help.
@kristin @ going country, I love the way you say we each are unique and that doesn't always translate into ease in the school environment. I run into so many people that don't think they are smart/intelligent because they struggled in school. I'm glad you are helping them and letting them know it's ok to be smart in a different way. The research shows there are at least 9 different intelligences. Some less known ones are music and nature.
@kristin @ going country, You giving away calabacitas to elderly neighbors makes my heart sing.
The temps here in the deep South have dropped and the air in the morning is delightfully cool. We've had a couple of days of leaving the AC off and the kitchen door open, which the cats just love because they can stroll back and forth to the screened-in porch.
I am ever so thankful that my parents taught me how to sew (yes, parents: my dad knew how to sew and helped teach me) because it has saved us untold amounts of money over the years; that my husband is working on improving his diet; that our sweet son has taken on the chore of digging up our awful brick patio, saving us from having to hire someone; that all six of our rescued pets are doing well; and fall is coming!
I'm thankful for so many things this week, but the number one is my friends. They always come through for me and I am so lucky to have them.
I'm thankful for knowing how to play the game of life now. From my working class background, to the family ethos--wiseass, independent, not team players, knowitalls--I was singularly ill equipped to enter the professional world. My parents were no help and neither is my personality. But now I know how to network, how to pull strings and drop names, and write extremely convincingly. This is how I can help my kids.
Thankful for the sounds of nature each season and appreciating them. In early spring, the spring peepers. Now, crickets, kaydids and grasshoppers.
@Rose, I am glad to hear you are overcoming the negative aspects of your family of origin. Some never see it or they don't think anything is wrong. Way to break the generational habits.
@Rose, yes, our family of origin really does train us how to deal with the world, for better or worse. I'm retired now, but I sometimes look back and shudder at how I handled a situation badly, but I need to give myself credit, 95% of the time I took care of business gracefully and was always considered a valued employee. And I got through the working years into a comfortable retirement. Definitely eating three meals a day. 😀
Thanks, folks. I was always considered a valuable if not vital employee, but that was because of my brains rather than anything else. Fortunately working in the tech industry, that was all right. For my son's utterly cutthroat Wall Street career, he need to focus on his personal capital--being tall, well spoken, polite, stupendously intelligent and oh also utterly gorgeous--but also know how to network and how to drop names. Fortunately because of my own career I personally know many of the names to drop!
@Anne, I am with you at thinking back to how badly I handled some situations. I wonder at all the people with odd or horrible backgrounds and how much more they would have gotten out of life/careers/relationships if they were not hampered by their upbringings.
Today I am thankful because
* The covid test I took this morning came back negative
* DH rescued the instant pot we gave my MIL a couple of years ago that had never been used. We're passing it on to our son since the cord to his was lost somehow in the move
* The weather has be wonderfully cool in the mornings. DH does not do well with the heat (it makes his MS symptoms much worse) so we're still using the air conditioning but it's running a lot less
* My nephew and his wife are moving from Dallas back to Alabama so we should get to see them lots more often
* I got to go to lunch yesterday with coworkers that were in town from our Dayton office and as a bonus, our VP paid for our lunches
Today I’m grateful to be home alone again. The in-laws have been here for nearly a week and my partner took out vacation time. Nice to have them visiting, but a week without my regular routines have been rough in regards to my fatigue.
So grateful for the help from my MIL picking berries, making stock and that she have been making dinner all week.
Thankful for the days outside. Friday my MIL and I ragged along up in the mountains. We made camp and picked berries while the men hunted grouse. Tuesday I had a quiet day on the beach reading while they hunted. 44F and heavy wind, but I had a tent and sleepingbag so it was real nice.
Grateful that we got a whole lot done in the house before we had company. Nothing like expecting long-distance travelers for getting things done at home 🙂
Thankful for getting a few sales through Facebook marketplace and reselling apps.
Grateful for my neighbors daughter that shared a kilo of chanterelles that she had picked, but tired of cleaning.
Thankful for the richness of fall. Feel wealthy when I think of all the food we have foraged.
@Gunn from northern Norway, I'm very impressed with your foraging habits.
@Anne, thank you. We have really easy access here, it feels at times like we’re living in a cornucopia 🙂
I'm also thankful for more moderate temps and lower humidity. For my kind and generous boss at work--truly a blessing! For a good relationship with my 16 year old daughter--she shares her struggles with me openly. I know this isn't necessarily typical for a mom/daughter relationship and I cherish it. Thankful for my sweet cat, and for tea.
I'm thankful for a part time job that offers incredible flexibility.
I will always be thankful for autumn and changing leaves, apple orchards, pumpkins, cooler weather....ALL of it!
I'm thankful that my daughter's twin pregnancy is still going well...she is almost 15 weeks.
I'm thankful for money to pay the bills and some leftover. I don't take it for granted.
I get to spend time with both of my sisters and good friend this weekend. I don't see them that often, so any time spent is a blessing.
1. Also thankful for the cooler, less humid weather.
2. The occasional freebie that pops up in our grocery delivery, this week it was boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
3. The chocolate dipped donut my husband brought back from the place near his barber. I don't care for most commercial made donuts, but this place makes the best and it was such a treat.
4. A good cup of tea in the evenings, so relaxing.
5. A flexible work schedule. I am most productive in the morning and appreciate being able to start and end my workday an hour earlier than usual.
1. Cooler days and high blue skies - a sure sign that fall is on its way and I could not be happier! We are still using AC although much less and I am hopeful that I can get some fall garden seeds planted this weekend so that they can benefit from the temps in the high 80's that are coming next week.
2. For the owl that seems to have taken residence in some trees on the side of our home. I love to hear his 'whoing' when I take my dog out in the evenings.
3. For sweet time with some dear girlfriends to laugh and talk and eat tiramisu.
4. For our garden which continues to produce - I harvested 15 green peppers, 25 jalapenos, 6 cubanelles, 8 banana peppers, 8 large cubanelles, and more field peas on Monday.
5. Coffee. Full stop.
Enjoy your weather, Kristen!
1. We still aren't out of hot weather here yet, but at least the last couple of nights and possibly a few more nights to come have seen lows in the upper 60's, instead of the mid-70's that we've seen every night for what feels like forever.
2. I'm thankful that since the power decided to go out yesterday, it did it at 4:30 p.m., when most of our work was done anyway. And at that point, it was too late to wait for it to be repaired (we heard the transformer blow up, so not a quick fix), so we got to leave work at 4:30 instead of 5.
3. I'm thankful that our local shark attack survivor is returning to in-person school, on two legs no less. Only one of those legs is original equipment, true, but this is great to see. And she can drive herself there!
4. I'm thankful for the safe journey of two older relatives who drove over 800 miles in one long day to attend their combined class reunions. I'm very relieved.
5. I'm thankful for microwaves. They aren't everyone's choice, but I use mine daily. I remember those days of reheating my husband's dinners when he got in from work late, which was often; putting them in a slow oven, in a metal pie plate covered in foil, trying to keep it from drying out while making sure his meal was hot enough. I don't miss that at all.
I'm thankful I had help with a horrible project at work. I'm also thankful for the beautiful summer weather, hunting at fall but not quite yet.
I am thankful for:
* dinner out with a friend last night. It had been too long.
* daughters’s car back from the bodyshop so we can get it to her this week. It is hard where she is to not have her car.
* plans to see my son this weekend.
* my youngest settling in at college well so far.
1) I'm also thankful for glorious fall like weather here. We had a huge heat wave last week, and it made this week feel even better. No AC! Being able to use the screen. Wearing a thin hoodie in the morning...all of the fall things.
2) We still have a few things growing in the garden, although most of our garden didn't make it through the extreme heat last week. I'm still enjoying a few garden tomatoes & peppers.
3) We were able to have a smaller than usual grocery spend, due to planning, creativity & just being a big flexible this week.
4) That my son loves being active. I have two teens close in age (16 & 15). Both are very sporty & active, but the younger one, in particular, is always on the move. He is very social & also just craves physical exercise. For example, yesterday needed a ride on his only non-soccer day. He'd arranged to join a pickle ball club, with mostly retirees. They love him & the energy he brings to their game. 😉
5) For indoor exercise equipment. We bought a few things during COVID, and while I prefer a gym class, I love having easy options at home. Particularly when the weather is not great, and/or we have smoke. Fire season is, unfortunately, real, and I love the flexibility of having an option at home.
@Hawaii Planner, that’s awesome that your son joined the pickle ball club!
I'm new to commenting on a blog, but this week's Thankful Thursday sparked something in me and I felt 'called' to comment. So here goes. 🙂
1. I'm thankful for Kristen's Thankful Thursday posts. It is a good reminder to me to think of some of the bigger things I'm thankful for - I do a mini thankful journal each night but those are usually just things from that particular day. These posts tend to make me take a small step back and see the weekly things that span a few days. I also see a lot of your thankful items and realize I'm thankful for the same things (we have a lot of similar life things.
2. I'm thankful my college term is only 7.5 weeks. It's stressful/hard to get all the work for calculus done that needs done each week, but knowing that I'm already more than 1/2 way through the term and I've survived thus far reminds me that I can make it a few more weeks. (I am going back to school to get an Electrical engineering degree. I can only manage 1 class at a time with everything else going on. Arizona State Online does 2 "half semesters" that are each 7.5 weeks long rather than one long 15 week term).
3. I'm thankful my daughter's college is only about 75 minutes from me. Which means I can drive over to her dorm after work on Friday (I'm done at noon) and take her out to lunch. She's been feeling kind of blah lately with the change to her diet and being away from home. And I'm really missing her. Asking her today if she is free for lunch tomorrow sparked some joy for me, and I think for her as well.
4. Cool nights, fall is in the air, the sun is no longer right in my eyes as I drive to work. The beauty of living in the Midwest!
@Jen, I'm glad you wrote! Also, how wonderful that your daughter in college is nearby. My girl is in college too but very far away. Enjoy your meal together tomorrow!
Thankful for cooler mornings though we are having a stretch of days where it hits 90-92 around 4pm but considering it was 2nd hottest summer ever I’m not complaining about some low 90s!
Thankful my last water bill was a lot less than I expected.
Thankful that a good friend had some relief from life-altering back pain with an ablation of 6 nerves.
Thankful that another friend is finally getting over RSV(for some reason I just thought this was a little kid illness)
Thankful that my Covid antibodies from vaccine begun Jan 2021 ( no Covid illness antibodies) are still high-greater than the measurable amount.
My son’s soccer team won their first two games! Last year was a “transitional” team and the wins were few but this year’s team works well together and the boys are excited to be playing.
My husband and I were invited to our NFL team’s home opener by friends who have a suite. The game was fun, the food and drinks were provided, and since I work close to the stadium we were able to use my parking pass for “free” parking. Sunday Funday at it’s fall finest!
One of my coworkers brought in brownies for my birthday this week. They were the perfect balance of fudgy and cakey – exactly what I had been craving!
It’s still sunny and warm (but thankfully not hot) so I’ve been able to enjoy time outside. Winter can be unbearably cold so I’m soaking in the patio/outside lunches/ long walks while I can.
This week’s CSA will have apples – another sure sign of fall! I love the transition from summer produce to fall produce!
@Geneva, I like your phrase "sunny and warm but not hot." I agree. So many of the posts are happy about cooler weather but that just makes me think about winter cold, which I hate. I love the slight difference. I know it means practically the same thing, but...
@Ginger Bruce, What a great phrase! When I went out on my screened porch this afternoon I realized that it was 80 but didn't feel like the 80 degrees of July!! The change is most welcomed here in Georgia
My high school son loves Kahoot!
How awesome for Sonia! A long time ago she was interested in medicine, I think. I’m sure she will thrive in whatever field she chooses!
I am thankful that we were able to get our tire patched for free and with minimal convenience. I had a busy day of work planned and was very upset to find a flat tire. My husband put the spare tire on and I was able to drop the tire off at the shop and pick it up at the end of the day.
I am thankful for fall weather. I know we will have one more heatwave coming but I really enjoyed putting on a sweater this morning.
I am thankful that we now have a garage to store the weights and our home gym. I did not enjoy having weights and a workout room in the living room of our one bedroom apartment. Since we only have one car, there is plenty of room in the garage for a gym.
I am thankful for the beautiful red-tailed hawk that visits my backyard some mornings. I hope the hawk catches one of my many ground squirrels.
Unit conversion tip. Whenever possible, figure out what unit is the 1 first. That is half the battle. Usually the larger unit is the 1! You are doing great!!!
I am also thankful for the open window weather we are having in the Midwest.
This past weekend was our family get-together for a rodeo in IA. We have been going to this for years and I am thankful we were able to enjoy it once again. Thankful for time with my lil Bro to and from.
Thankful my new/different car made the trip smooth and easy by performing well. There had been several hitches in getting it home, but the dealer was more than fair.
I am thankful for my dear friends who took care of my sweet dog while I was gone for the weekend. They love her as much as I do.
And I am thankful for chai latte.
Can you give a little bit more info on the Sonia’s paralegal courses?
Where is she taking the classes/or thru (if online). I’ve always wanted to go back and get a paralegal certificate but unsure of where to start.
Thanks! I’m enjoying this great fall weather too!
The weather again. It has been so nice out it hurts to go inside. Sunny, just a little warm, no humidity. Delightful.
Thankful for the age my kids are at. They are a little older and we can play board games together, go on longer walks, ride bikes, etc. Little kids are fun too but I really appreciate the way you can do fun things with them at this age.
Thankful for a couple hours each week while both kiddos are at school. I have been able to go hiking by myself or get a lot of housework done alone and it is very helpful.
Thankful for the ability to get recipes and cooking ideas or tutorials online. I have been doing more baking with yeast lately and trying to learn it would be so much harder without all the amazing learning resources online.
Thankful for my car still working. It is 19 years old and so every month she still drives is another month we don’t have the hassle and expense of getting a new car.
I’m thankful for:
1. Our weather has cooled down to the 70s and 80s during the day (we had far too many 100+ days this summer).
2. Working on some things for my elderly mom to get her more involved in the world and found out that there are some free transportation options that might make this easier. She drives a little bit but adding new places that she has to figure out how to get to is not an option. She will likely be volunteering at an elementary school with kindergarten/1st grade students and since she taught for 40+ years this might be awesome (I’d appreciate all the good thoughts and prayers we can get that this works out)
3. I got accepted into Rancho Gordo’s Bean Club after only a year of waiting and received my first quarterly box-I got some fun things to try and it will make my goal of eating less meat more fun.
4. A local street fair festival that has been cancelled the last 2 years due to the pandemic is going to happen this weekend and our weather will be perfect to attend.
5. I had a really fun evening out with a dear friend last weekend attending a couple of local outdoor art festivals. It’s amazing to get to do social things again after the past couple of years.
Thankful that my boss was able to step in when someone was actively trying to toss me under the bus for something I had no hand in. Work has been stressful this week but I am happy people are helping me out.
I'm thankful that it's cool weather and we've had some rain. It's potato harvesting time and my cucumbers are all dead but at least I can some more radishes this year hopefully.
My wife is having friends over this weekend. I could be grumpy because I'm not having any friends over (everyone I invited declined) but I'm going to look at it somewhat positive in that my wife and daughter will have people over and that will make them happy.
@Battra92,
Three cheers for your boss!! I can't stand it when people try to throw blame on their co-workers!
@Battra92, by far, the hardest part of a job is the human relations. By comparison, the actual work part is easy. I still occasionally remember situations that happened decades ago.
I'm thankful (to God) for liking what I do and what I have.
I'm so glad to hear about how well the semester is going for you and your girls, Kristen! You are such an inspiration <3
I am thankful for:
1) access to good healthcare. I had surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in May, and then it developed into frozen shoulder by June. I still have a ways to go with my recovery. It's been painful, tiring, and a long haul, but I keep reminding myself that this is only temporary, and I will get better as long as I keep up with my physical therapy. I have a good doctor whom I trust, and a physical therapist to keep me moving.
2) that I have been able to use my accumulated sick time to be out of work while recovering. I have still been receiving a salary and can go back to work without any hang ups once the doctor and I think I'm ready.
3) a morning visit with a friend yesterday. We hadn't seen each other since last year and it was so great to catch up.
4) phone calls with my two older children earlier this week. They do not live nearby and we hadn't been able to connect much in the last week or so. I was missing them very much.
5) Fall is my favorite time of year! Bring it on!!
I'm thankful for:
* the freedom (and encouragement from a friend) to say no to a commitment. While I would have enjoyed the work (a volunteer gig) and am familiar with it all, I need the margin in life more right now and saying no was the right thing. I'm also thankful that someone yesterday said, "If Ruth doesn't want to do it, I would like to." Zero guilt about declining!
* coffee
* my planner. Oh my goodness, I love my planner so much.
* the joy of little kids. We started Awana last night and I help with 1st grade but also had that same group of kids last year as kindergarteners. It was such a joy to see them again! And their little laughs were such a delight.
* for the weird but awesome things that the internet provides. Like this community here. Or funny podcasts. Or yesterday I watched a half hour video of Laurie from Passionate Penny Pincher cleaning her house and I cleaned along with her and it was a great encouragement and motivation. What a weird thing. But I love it.
* that this year of only having one little at home during the day is going so well. She's handling the transition much better than anticipated and I'm enjoying the time as well.
We are currently watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo on Netflix. It is Korean with subtitles. I think Sonia might like it. It's a fun way to learn about laws and how people apply them.
I just asked her about this and she said she's been wanting to watch it!
1) I was able to pay off my house 5 years early, on my birthday this week.
2) Fall. I love all things Fall... colorful leaves, apples, pumpkins, crisp mornings, sunny afternoons, Halloween, harvests, apple crisp, pumpkin struesel donuts, wood smoke in the air...
3) Football! And a home team win on Monday night football!
4) A trip to the State fair with my adult daughters (and kid free which my older daughter needed!).
5) For said daughter and her husband adopting a VERY active now 3 year old, and hoping to adopt 1 14 month old they've had since birth too. Both kids have challenges, being born to either drug addicted parents or a mentally ill mom, but are thriving with loving parents and 4 older siblings now.
6) Returned home from a nursing conference in Palm Springs and it seems my coworkers and I stayed healthy and avoided Covid despite lots of people and flights.
7) For learning new things at the conference
8) For talented and smart grandkids who even as teens (and a tween) are in training to be awesome parents themselves. Nothing sweeter than seeing your 14 year old grandson feeding the baby her bottle while on a Zoom class at school, or helping the 3 year old get cleaned up after dinner (without being asked!).
9) For having my daughter say my age doesn't fit me (59 now) and that she thinks of me as 48 (even more awesome because she will be 41 next month!)
10) For coworkers that are friends outside of work too.
Your comment made me remember how grateful I am for coming from an "ordinary" household with just ordinary parents and siblings, and a fairly uneventful childhood. There are plenty of people who would dream of just that. We should not take that for granted.
@Dawn, Your number 9. I remember when I turned 29, my mother wished me a happy birthday, and I said, "Now can you explain to me why if you're still 29, I, your daughter, is 29?" Mom said, "God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform." Me: "Ooooohkay."
@Rose, Nice grammar, dingaling. "Now can you explain to me how if you’re still 29, I, your daughter, am 29?” Sorry.
@J NL, I agree! I have a sister who dwells on all the "bad" in her childhood (sometimes I wonder if we grew up in the same house!). In the grand scheme, we had parents and extended family who loved us, never went hungry, had no major illnesses or abuse. Every time she complains, I can think of hundreds of families we both see as nurses, and know our minor childhood issues were nothing compared to the utter chaos some families live with. I am grateful indeed.
@Rose, we have those same conversations!
I'm thankful for a Sunday with 72° temps where we could glean 40lbs of apples off a neighbor's tree. And thankful for gracious neighbors.
I'm thankful for finding sheet sets and backpacks on clearance at our grocery store. I picked up items for a local non-profit that helps struggling families get back on their feet and for a friend who bundles school supplies into backpacks for a church outreach her brother runs in central Mexico.
I'm thankful for a husband who is handy with vehicles. He just did a break job and is ready to leave for his next work trip this weekend.
I'm thankful that God has provided a wonderful school for my kids and that my house is quiet for a few hours...
Shh... No noise... I'm going to go eat pumpkin spice cookies and enjoy it.
I'm also thankful for the better weather, and I'm thankful that my tree can finally come down tomorrow even though I am so sad that it has to go. I am thankful that it has not fallen on our house.
2nd round of Croup and NICU stay but the grand bounced back rapidly. Thank goodness.
That work has been semi quiet and I can get caught up on my work.
Dad got settled into an assisted living facility ok. He has maintained his sense of humor.
For a flexible work schedule which meant I could meet dad at the facility.
That the last steroid shot helped immensely with the pain. Yay for drugs!
Thankful for:
1. Our local non-profit hospital which has a cardiac unit. When I go for an appointment it usually takes along time because I have a perculiar genetic disorder and every drug has the possibility of destabilizing the beating. The doctor always spends a very long time and when I asked, he said he is not paid by how many people he sees, so he has the freedom to take as long as he needs. I know this is not the case everywhere.
2. My China asters, who look their best in late summer, make great bouquets, and survived a frost with just a sheeet placed over them for the night. It was like tucking kids in for the night.
3. The husband, always the husband. I was resisting going in for a medical test; I just get so very tired of being touched by people in medical settings. I asked him to give me one good reason why I should do it and he said, "Because 40 years with you is not enough for me." With that sort of clever nagging, how could I resist? I went and did the stupid test. When we married I told him it was for two years and then there would be no hard feelings when he left. I did not believe anyone could live with me longer than that. It boggles the mind that it is now 40 years later and he is still here.
4. My teen garden helper. I don't use him a lot but when I need him he comes and does everything with a smile and never complains no matter hose gruesome the task (like power washing the inside of the hen house!) He turns 17 this year, so I am afraid he will soon be off to a real job. He also shovels our snow in the winter...
5. For mitten droppers. Apparently young children are starting to wear mittens on our cold mornings again. About every other week all winter I find a random mitten near our yard and this week we found our first one. I put them on our fence but if they are still there a week later, I bring them in and wash them and unravel the yarn. When I get enough, I make a pair of mittens and wait for one of our local and sock and glove drives for the homeless.
@Lindsey, What a great and varied list, but your #3 is especially awesome (and I empathize with your being tired of the medical appointments - I have no particular reason/excuse but I dread them anyway).
1. I'm so thankful for fall weather & fall blooms this past week.
2. I'm thankful for pumpkin & all the delicious pumpkin things I'm enjoying this month.
3. I'm thankful to see my son doing his best for himself & his son.
4. I'm thankful for my little dog who is always super happy to see me.
5. I'm thankful for fun times with friends.
This week I'm thankful for:
1. The school year starting out well and my class settling in well.
2. The beautiful weather we have been having.
3. Little smoke from forest fires, even though some parts of the province are having a difficult time. I'm so thankful for the clear air we have had this summer compared to about three years ago.
4. I got to attend on outdoor concert of the local symphony orchestra in a park in a nearby city. This event hadn't happened for a few years, and I was so pleased when my parents let me know it was happening again and invited me to join them. We had a nice visit on our drive, listened to some great movie music played by the orchestra, and enjoyed a delicious Vietnamese meal before heading back home. Usually, starting school has me so busy I wouldn't have felt able to say yes to this opportunity. I am thankful for a calm start to the school year.
5. Finding a cheap brand of stir-fry noodles at my local grocery store that actually taste delicious. Sometimes cheap noodles = eating "cardboard".
The mornings here are very cool this week, too. I've been leaving my backdoor open in the early hour to try and hear the neighborhood screech owls. So, I am thankful that the last two winter storms we had didn't kill them!! Also:
*that's its Friyay! After tonight I will not be on call again for several weeks.
*There is a pick up party at one of my wineries tomorrow and I get to relax and listen to live music while enjoying a complimentary glass of wine and a kebab plate.
*That I am physically strong enough to keep up with my job lately - NO SMALL FEAT
*For my quiet house with its pot of coffee this morning...I know I'm one day late on this Thursday post, but I would have listed similar things!
Happy Weekend!
https://cannaryfamily.blogspot.com/
I’m so thankful that my body works. I went to Colorado to visit my daughter and hiked every day. So wonderful to have legs and lungs that can hike. I take care of older people for a living, and have been increasingly grateful about my working body as I age.
I’m thankful that my bathroom remodels are almost done. We have put off needed work in both bathrooms for years (to save money). I am within a week of having these very expensive and very needed remodels done!!! And I have 2 beautiful bathrooms now, which is completely amazing.
I’m thankful for my family. My husband is my rock. My kids both live out of state and like spending time with me. My sister has been a amazing as we navigate getting my mom and step dad moved across the country and into memory care. I am so lucky to have so much support.