Thankful Thursday | overnight rain is the best
This week, I am thankful:
for the overnight rain on Tuesday
Overnight rain is my favorite: all the benefits of rain, and it doesn't interfere with your day!
The rain made everything on the trail in the woods so green and lush.
Remember how I was taking pictures of the ferns just as they were uncurling?
Well, they're all spread out now and they make a wonderful green border for the trail.
for sunshine
The next two days promise rain, so I am paying special attention to the sunshine today.
that I got to have my brows done
I used some of my birthday money from my parents to get my brows waxed. I don't think I've ever done this except one time in 2018, so I am feeling pretty fancy right about now.
And now I have a good brow shape to work with when I tweeze my own brows (which is probably what I will do for about the next three years, until I get another waxing. Ha.)
for the way my kids made me see faces everywhere
This week, we had a worksheet for the hypothalamus, and these neurons just had dots inside the circles. But thanks to my kids' influence, I saw one-eyed faces, so I added some mouths and eyebrows. 😉
that the semester is almost over
After today, I only have two more classes and two more exams.
It has been quite a semester for me, and I'm feeling a little burnt out. I will be glad to have a summer break from classes!
that the arithmetic test is going to be easy for me
Before I apply to the nursing program, I have to take an arithmetic placement test, which is all manual calculations.
Some of my classmates, fresh out of high school, have struggled with this (they've been in calculator-world for years!), but since I have been a homeschooling mom for all these years, my manual calculation skills are nice and fresh.
So I am not remotely worried about this test.
that I don't have to take a math class
The advisor I spoke to last week confirmed that the statistics class I took in 1996 still counts toward the nursing school prerequisites, so, yay!
I'm glad to not have to spend time and money doing a class I already did.
that one of my classmates is letting me borrow her TEAS prep guide
The TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) is required before nursing school, and one of my classmates that already took it is letting me borrow her study guide and practice tests. Yay!
I hear that this test is not impossibly hard, but still, I'd rather get an idea of what to expect before I go take it, and the practice tests will be perfect for this.
I am not going to work on TEAS prep until the semester is over, though. First things first: gotta finish strong in A&P 2!
I'm thankful for the rain as well. Everything is green and fresh and the rain washes away pollen.
I'm thankful for books. I am partway through Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey by Florence Williams. It is not quite medical but does explore effects on the body through blood work and other medical tests.
I am thankful that both a friend and a sister had time for long phone conversations with me on the same day I met a friend for lunch. It seems long phone conversations are not a prevalent as they were before the days of texting.
I am thankful our A/C and oil burner were serviced and deemed in good condition yesterday. The service technician was a very polite young man and I hope this will be a good job for him. He seemed very competent.
I'm thankful I ordered a printer toner cartridge over the weekend. It arrived on Tuesday and yesterday the printer stopped printing because it considers the old cartridge to be used up. Good timing.
I'm thankful for the return of Pilates classes at my yoga studio. The new teacher is wonderful and I'm attending her classes even though the schedule for them is far from ideal.
Well, I am thankful for the rainy days and nights lately and the somewhat unseasonable cool temperatures. I bet we will be into terrible heat waves soon enough and I absolutely hate them.
The North of Germany as been experiencing a serious drought for the last two months. In Berlin and surrounding Brandenburg there is a real fear about water shortages soon.
I am very thankful and happy, that the new Ukrainian family really seems pleased and satisfied with the conditions I can offer. They seem to adapt quite well to their life in Germany. It seems they simply accepted the fact, that for the time being that's where their life takes place - and best to deal with and make the most of it rather than fighting their new reality.
I am thankful for my well stocked pantry - prices are going up and up.....
I am thankful for the actions my government is taking to ease the burden on low income families and for working so hard to get us enough fuel and gas so that we will make it somehow through winter
I am so, so thankful for my faith - I just can't imagine going through these difficult times without optimism and the belief that in the end the good will reign!
@Lea, Thank you for caring for the Ukrainian refugees!
@Ruth T, I agree! Thank you, Lea. You are making a huge difference in their lives.
I am thankful for my creativity and adaptability. These are skills I use daily and don't want to take for granted.
Today I'm feeling especially thankful for my health insurance. My freebie phone counseling sessions are all used up and now I will seek paid counseling that my insurance will cover a portion of. I'm sure the friends I vent to on a regular basis will appreciate that...
I am thankful for it raining today and possibly tonight and that my yard is so green for it!
Thankful also that I am off tomorrow and will get a bunch of things done around my house, because I am on call all weekend and will likely have to work on Mother's Day. {and if I do, I'm sure to be thankful when that paycheck rolls around}
Lastly, thankful that I am still moving forward and getting things accomplished around the house after losing Mark. Many times I felt like quitting, but got up the next day and forged ahead. Next Wednesday the alarm system guy will come and get that up and running! Another thing checked off my list.
@gina, I am sorry for your loss.
@gina, I too have a sense of how hard it is to do things that our DHs used to do around the house, even though I'm not officially widowed. "This is not my department!" is a reaction I have to fight regularly in myself. Solidarity to you in your struggles, from me in mine.
And now one of my dearest friends has just joined the club none of us wants to join. See my comment below.
@gina, That's SO sad that your Mark is gone...I'll be praying for your heart. I'm impressed, though, that you've chosen---again and again now---to get up and tackle another day. And look at the progress you're making! (applause hands emoji)
@A. Marie, yes, yes, yes! Takes a while.
I'm thankful my daughter's kite was able to be retrieved from high up in a tree without loss of life or limb. It is a nice kite and a special present from her grandparents.
I'm thankful my son's poison ivy seems to be contained to only his arms and one small spot on his cheek. (I'm hopeful that the poison ivy just discovered on another son doesn't spread.)
I'm thankful that oldest son found another job (which he starts this week) that pays more than $3 an hour more. I hope he likes the job because he is saving up for college.
I'm thankful for the rain-- night or day. Kristen, your comment made me think of the Eddie Rabbitt song, "I Love a Rainy Night." I loved that song when I was maybe 5.
I'm thankful my father offered to pay for piano lessons for my two oldest daughters.
I'm thankful for my friend who brought me a cup up coffee yesterday evening. It was a good cup of coffee, and she is a very good friend.
I'm thankful for the relative good health of another friend who has cancer. She has a realistic outlook about her prognosis, but she is still living her life joyfully.
I am thankful for the tree and bush blossoms that perfume the air this time of year; the smell is intoxicating. The pollen may not be quite as delightful, but isn't it wonderful that the blanket of yellow/green stuff on the vehicles reminds us that nature is still working according to plan?
@Jody S.,
You might already know this, but if you put toothpaste (the white kind, not the gel kind) on poison ivy, it will dry out faster. Secret deodorant also works even better, but I can't use it because I'm sensitive to the aluminum in it.
@Becca, Thanks for the tip!
@Jody S., Poison ivy doesn't spread like a rash. It's an allergic reaction. If the oil from the plant has been washed off, the poison ivy will be contained. (I got it regularly as a kid, especially around my eyes because I'm a chronic eye-rubber. ew.)
@Jody S., I had always heard poison ivy described as three-leaved and red-veined, and only recently that the leaves are shaped like a mitten. I still can't identify it well, as it seems to take many different forms. But if each leaf is an oval with a point on top, one side has a slight indentation-like in it, where the mitten thumb would be.
Thankful for the sunshine. I live in a cloudy state, I need to move. Ha!
Going to hit my favorite nursery this weekend, smell the dirt, play in dirt. They have such a unique selection of plants and are only open till July.
Thankful my doc is relentless are reviewing previous test results that resulted in finding I need a goiter looked at. The other doc who did my scan (not thyroid related) did not mention the radiologist noted the growth to be looked at. There was a small hand written note of the side of the report.
Our compost bin had a huge pile of ready to use dirt. So we don't need to buy any this season.
The kids are coming here soon, can't wait to see the grands again.
It's almost Friday-Yay!!
I am thankful for good weather, friends and that my mother is coming to visit! I haven't seen her since Christmas!
I would love some rain about now. It's HOT in Florida now. Haha!
This week I'm thankful:
1. That my husband's company is allowing us to move to a different office location! This has been months coming, and although we aren't getting exactly what we wanted, this change will be a huge improvement for us. Today I will start contacting rentals to look for a new home.
2. That I had a good visit with my dad this week. He has bumps in the road with his health, but he's doing about 100 times better than he was a year ago.
3. That my dad is trying to lessen the burden. He knows that being his caregiver is a lot of exhausting work, and, bless his heart, he wants to make it easier for me.
4. For dad's nurse. I'm always thankful for her! She has been dad's advocate and has been relentless in seeking answers to our questions. Also, she's a great communicator, and working with her is easy and smooth.
5. That my husband works so hard to provide for us. He's a good man. He's far from perfect, but so am I, and he never gives up on me.
I am thankful for my son. I told him I was feeling overwhelmed and mentally struggling so he did many of the things I was putting off because they bothered me.
I am thankful for my mother, who is helping me out when I need it.
I am thankful this cold spring looks to be warming up, finally. I need more sunshine.
I am thankful for books. At the end of a long day of working and everything else, opening a favorite book is like a friend and a warm, comforting blanket at once.
Most of all, I am thankful that I seem to have found good new renters who are going to take on renovating my rental cottage back to what it was. Life should be getting easier.
@Rose, Glad to hear about the new renters; you are definitely overdue for some really good ones!
@Rose, Those are great blessings! So happy for you!
Those ferns are beautiful!
This week I’m thankful that:
Our neighbors have decided not to move. We’ve become friends, and they’re just awesome people. The thought of someone else living in their house was very depressing. They’ve decided to stay put, and we’re thrilled, as are the neighbors across the street from them.
That the medical issues I was dealing with have turned out to be mostly all okay.
That some problems at work were suddenly resolved out of the blue. The issues had been going on for months, and I had pretty much given up hope of things getting better. This week they’ve been resolved in a much better way than I had hoped.
For a good relationship with my Mother-In-Law. A few of my friends are really struggling about having to see their M-I-L this weekend or being tasked with getting a gift for someone who is awful to them. I don’t have that problem, and I’m glad.
@Danielle Zecher, I had wonderful parents-in-law. My husband's brother got married the year before we did, though we were already engaged. My father-in-law to-be insisted I join in the family pictures with all the siblings and in-laws at the wedding. That was a great affirmation.
So I join you in your last note!
@Danielle Zecher, My mother-in-law is gone now but she was wonderful. I would hear stories about what other friends endured when dealing with a MIL and I never experienced any issues. She was very traditional and I am not, but she never criticized and would go out of her way to tell me how happy I made her son and that she was thankful for me. I miss her.
@Heidi Louise, You are blessed. My husbands family left me out of family pictures at MY wedding.
@Rebekah in SoCal, I am sorry they hurt you by being so short-sighted.
I am thankful for the rain we received as it was a welcome blessing for my seedlings that are waiting to be planted once the backyard clearing is completed.
I am thankful for a new way to roast Turkey! I followed another’s advice to roast upside down and it was fantastic! I know this seems silly but since we have turkeys in our freezer that we plan on eating an easy, delicious way to prepare the meat is wonderful!
I am thankful for the vacation we will be going on next week. After moving two complete households over Christmas, and all of the unpacking, full time work and life in general I am tired and very much looking forward to this break.
I am thankful for the gentleman that will be doing some grading work in our backyard for us at a reasonable cost. Many estimates were crazy high so we are grateful to be able to have him do the work.
I am thankful for the tech that will come
Out tomorrow to inspect our hvac unit. It seems we are having an issue with the one that we didn’t replace and I am grateful that he could come before we leave for vacation.
Happy Thursday everyone! Hang in there the weekend is almost here!!!
Kristen, your academic planning is great! Good luck on your A&P tests.
This week I am so thankful for my wonderful student workers, who do such a great job. This was move-out week on campus. Our university has tried in the past to get departing students to leave items that can be donated in a special area, but the effort failed badly for several reasons and is no longer being attempted. Everything is going into dumpsters. The student workers, despite being so busy yesterday, made an extra effort to bring me abandoned items they knew the building office could use or things I could take to Goodwill on the way home. It was a drop in a bucket, but they saved a carload of stuff from going to the landfill.
For next weeks forecast. April (and the first few days of May) have been heavy on the rain...and I'm just so excited to see sunshine (theoretically) EVERY SINGLE DAY next week.
I am thankful for the rain as well. It is instrumental in helping things to grow; after the storm comes sunshine. I am also thankful for life. It has been a rough year with losing my dad but I am thankful that he knew God. My faith in God never waivered in spite of the rain. I am thankful that my kids are happy, growing and prospering as we reclaim our joy in each day of life.
The faces were funny.
1. At the risk of sounding braggy and redundant, I'm thankful - again! - for my kids [no, they aren't perfect :).] They announced they were taking me out after church for Mother's Day and they would pick the restaurant, because "You have enough to do right now and too many decisions to make already." Since they are also both mothers, the day needs to be about them as well (and it will be), but they are making sure I'm being pampered a bit at this trying time in my life.
2. For the many memories of my own mother as we approach this Mother's Day. She wasn't perfect either, but then none of us are.
3. For getting my husband settled into a nursing home. It's sad he has to be there when still in his sixties, but he's got a nice room and I hope he will like the staff and feel at home there.
4. Another repeat, but I'm always thankful for this. For his niece and nephew and their spouses, who are already planning to visit DH this week in his new room. They all have to travel a distance to see him, so it's really good of them to come as often as they do.
5. For the tiny basil seed sprouts, the first time I've gotten basil to start from seed. Here's hoping they grow up into plants.
6. And extra, for finally seeing hummingbirds go to the several plants I've planted just to feed them. I had begun to think it wasn't going to happen.
I agree about rain overnight! I sleep so well when it rains at night and then by morning everything is fresh and vibrant.
I am thankful my new grandson (2 months) and his brother (1 year) are coming for a visit next week! ❤️
Kristen, thank you for your beautiful pictures of the ferns!
I am thankful for:
1. having a temporary job to go to on Monday
2. having gone thru my first job interview in 8 years and lived to tell the tale
3. going to a zoom meeting yesterday and seeing a friend there too.
4. having a plan for today.
5. having friends.
OK, this is another TT where I'm going to have to dig deep for some gratitude. My JASNA BFF in Manhattan lost her husband yesterday (complications after open-heart surgery). Our other JASNA friends describe BFF and me as "separated-at-birth twins," and she had the same sort of deep attachment to her DH as I have to mine, so this is a hard one.
But, as I've noted in describing earlier deaths among friends, I have one skill that I can use in these situations: writing obituaries. I've just sent BFF the draft of a death notice to be placed in the NY Times. So I'm thankful that I could help her in this way--and will be thankful for any other help I can give her in the next several weeks.
On a slightly lighter note, my Verizon home line was disconnected the day after they finally accepted my DPOA for DH. So as soon as I get the final bill, I'll be ready to hoist the Victory over Verizon flag.
And I'm thankful for May. Between gardening and birdwatching, this is the month where the outdoor action is for me.
@A. Marie, I am so sorry for your friend. But being able to write an excellent obituary quickly is an extremely valuable skill for the family. It's one of the hardest things for people to do when they are just wrecked with grief.
@A. Marie,
I know your friend appreciates the obituary.
I was reminded by your comment that I am the one who wrote the obituary for my parents when they died together, and I wrote the one for my husband's youngest sister. Her husband asked me to write it as he just didn't feel up to it, and my siblings asked me to write the one for our parents because I have done the most (strictly amateur) writing out of us all. Writing obits is something else you and I share, I guess, although I think you are doing better than me at it. I only have written as the designated family writer - you are reaching out to friends, which is such a gift to them, so much better than flowers and a card.
I'm still slightly piqued that my mother had her friend write my dad's obit. I'm a professional writer. She can barely string two words together. The thing the friend wrote was stupid and annoying and also mentioned her own dead husband, rather than someone like my aunt who my dad adored. Ugh. Plus my stillborn brother which I find tasteless.
@Ruby, what I sometimes tell people (but only if they're up to appreciating a mild joke at the time) is that they're a lot better off with my obituaries than my casseroles. More seriously, the first one I wrote was for one of DH's friends who lost his wife in a car accident and, as you say, simply couldn't string the words together. I sat down with the friend and the wife's brother, gently coaxed out the essential facts, and wrote it at the kitchen table.
@JD, that's another bond between us, then. And, although I wrote my mother's (in her living room with my siblings sitting all around and providing input), I can't imagine writing one for two parents who perished simultaneously. A bravery medal to you for that.
And I'm so glad that your DH seems to be settling in well at the nursing home, and that the family is rallying round.
@Rose, I was luckier, in that my sibs didn't demur when I volunteered to write my mother's. (We were all less close to my father, and his second wife wrote his--which was her prerogative, of course, and it was actually pretty good.)
@A. Marie, I have already written my own obituary. All my husband has to do is plug in the date of my departure. I don't want him to have to deal with it on top of everything else.
@Lindsey, it probably won't surprise you to learn that I've got draft obits on file for both DH and me. I do need to update those and put them on a thumb drive (in case I go first, for the convenience of my executor), though.
@A. Marie, It occurs to me I have not written mine. I do have a long list of things to do at any memorial service, though I prefer none as I dislike them, but as I'll be dead I can be overruled, such as my friend who's an Episcopal priest has to intone, "Ashes to ashes, funk to funky" and which songs have to be played. Also my ashes should be mixed with my dogs' (I have all of them) and scattered on my beach. Hmm....well, I'll write it and put it in the instructions. It had better be pretty funny and snarky or no one will think it's like me.
@A. Marie, I think your friend is lucky to have you!
I find it amusing that you love night rain. I live where the rainfall is about 7 inches a year and I beg for it to come during the day so I can stare at it. I get so upset when what little we get just sneaks by in the night.
I'm thankful for my car. It's a 2012 but it runs like a charm and gets me to work every day.
I'm thankful for my friends and extended family.
I'm thankful for my kids and grandkids. They are all unique and special.
I'm thankful for my Mother. She is a wonderful lady who I admire.
I'm thankful for my husband who is truly my best friend.
This week I am thankful:
- That the sun finally peeked out from behind the clouds. it has been grey and gloomy for whet feels like 100 years.
- That I did a big grocery run over the weekend. My son tested positive for Covid yesterday so we won't be leaving the house for a while.
- That my son is old enough to isolate in his room without issue. He's getting unlimited iPad time so he feels like he's on vacation.
- Spring has finally arrived - buds are showing on the trees and the day lilies are starting to poke up. There's a lovely green haze on all the trees.
- Work has slowed down so if I do end up with Covid it's not during the busy season!
I'm so thankful we had rain yesterday... I live in Colorado, on the Eastern Slope and we have not had much moisture since July and in a huge drought.
I'm thankful my kids are doing well in high school and they are thriving.
I'm thankful for a well stocked pantry and will be using additional ingredients up and maybe just go down to basics because of prices.
I am grateful for:
1. My new sponsee. May I teach her as much as she is teaching me.
2. My lettuce and arugula seeds have sprouted and are now two inches tall.
3. For making it an extra two laps around the track yesterday at pulmonary rehab.
4. My sweet furball and her head butt kisses for Mama.
5. Spring!
Today I think I'm thankful for that little glimmer of hope I'm feeling about getting out of this feeling of being stuck. In my team of 7 co-workers, 3 have put in their notice and I've been wanting to leave for months. I'm still stuck but I feel like I made some movement this week. We'll see if anything actually comes of it but it feels good to have a glimmer of hope. Feeling stuck at work has crept into feeling stuck in life and that's not good.
Ah, good that you had rain! It has been very dry here this spring and I am concerned for the trees. They have had several dry years in succession and suffer more than the plants underneath in the long term.
This week I am grateful that I got to meet with my colleagues in real life and that we got to have dinner and lots of laughs together. Also that it was so pleasant to be home again after (I had to sleep over, due to the distance). It felt like a short break!
I am also grateful that our eldest, who has been in 2 minds over his job for some time, has taken steps to take to an agency and see if they would be willing to take him on. I applaud him for taking this step, he is someone who is much in need of structure and security. I also love that he is taking into account, that he would like to work for a firm that is more environmentally conscious and where the physical work is more healthy (more regular hours, less microplastics in the products he works with). Whatever the outcome, this is a good step.
I'm thankful I ate a Dairy Queen strawberry sundae yesterday and it didn't kill me. Yay
I'm thankful I'm not in school and taking tests. So very much.
I'm thankful that it's been a horrible spring cold, and rainy and from 50 to 90 temps this weekend. The trees may finally stop pollinating.
I'm thankful that even though I'm not a cheerful person I can laugh albeit
Hysterically at times at the absurdity of life.
I'm thankful that I really don't care about Grammer and punctuation anymore.
In preparing for your TEAS exam here is a wonderful website that I have my students use for both of the Anatomy and Physiology courses that I teach. https://www.sciencewithsusanna.com
She has wonderful videos and drawings etc. Good luck with your last few tasks of the semester. You got this.
* Got the final grading for one of my class, and I`m happy with it
* Starting one summer class today, intensive (7 weeks), and it looks pretty interesting and not too demanding, so this is great
* Hubby working from home, so we can have lunch together
* A group of collegues/friends with whom I can spend time outside of work from time to time
* Having a car that is safe and fully functional, and paid for
I'm a long time reader, but first time poster. After reading Thankful Thursday for years I'm finally joinin in. Today I'm thankful for:
1) A great chat with my kiddo last night. It was well past her bedtime, but nice to connect and laugh together
2)Having healthy food to nourish my body
3) The sunflower seeds that are sprouting in my porch. I'm amazed that the seeds I saved from last year's flowers are producing such a great "crop" of new flowers and I'm excited for a cheery garden of sunflowers.
4)Today's sunny spring weather.
5) This community that inspired my interverted self to go out side my comfort zone and post my first ever comment on a blog:)
@LAF, Glad you picked Kristen's blog for your first post ever; how fun! : )
@LAF, Great first post - wonderful things to be thankful for! Hope you feel comfortable sharing in the future.
Ohh, so exciting to have you peek around the corner and post here. Yay! I hope you will not be a stranger in the comments.
I hear you on #1; kids sometimes pick very exhausting times to talk, but I always figure that it is worth staying up for.
I'm over here chuckling over everyone being thankful for the rain. Here in the Pacific Northwest we get LOTS of rain. I think something like 36 inches annually. We can go literal months without seeing the sky. BUT, I am thankful for the rain as well. My garden is starting to come up and the rain is appreciated.
This week I am thankful for:
-My mom. We are very much the same person in many ways. I am so grateful to have a relationship with her that is so warm and loving.
-My warm and safe home. It is just dumping rain outside and I am in here cozy and dry.
-Tea. Let me start by saying I am coffee's number one fan. In the world. All I want is coffee all day every day. But my insides do not appreciate it so I have been drinking extra tea lately. It is definitely not the same, but I'm glad I can still sip on something tasty all day long.
-Green beans. Hear me out. I LOVE green beans. I make a big batch of beans every few days and literally just carry around a bowl of cold green beans to munch on.
-Fresh flowers. Springtime is finally here and the beautiful, wonderful smelling blooms make all the rain worth it.
I am grateful that I am autonomous at work and feel valued for who I am.
I am grateful for the season changing to Spring.
I am grateful to be a part of this community that stays positive and mindful, thank you Kristen!
Coffee
As I was scrolling down I saw three-eyed aliens in that picture. Ha!
The rain made my list this week, too. We planted some berry bushes, a tree, and a hydrangea last weekend, so I have appreciated God taking care of the watering. I haven't had to water my garden either!
A gas station is being built in the corner of my road and I've never been so thankful for a new gas station before!! For such a long time it seemed that the only new businesses we got in town were marijuana-related and I'm so so thankful we are getting a gas station instead.
I'm thankful that one of my favorite friends is attending the same exercise class I am on Thursdays now. The pandemic threw our usual 2-3x/week routine off and I'm glad to have one consistent day a week together again.
I'm thankful for the adults in our community that care for my kids. Things like knowing their names and interests, sending pictures from a special field trip I wasn't able to chaperone, and listening to their stories. They feel loved and it's a gift.
Happy moving weekend, Kristen!!!!
And by happy moving weekend, I mean that I hope the transition goes smoothly and that you are able to feel some hope in the midst of change. 🙂
Thankful for:
1. my sister, who is an old woman now but will always be my little sister to me, got very ill and scared the bejeebers out of us. It turned out to be an infection that some IV antibiotics have already helped. This is the same sister who years ago overheard a doctor telling my husband that my kidneys were failing and immediately offered to give me one of her kidneys. One of mine survived enough that I didn't need any dialysis or a transplant, but I have never forgotten how quickly she offered up one of her kidneys.
2. the dahlias and tuberous begonia tubers I dug up and saved all winter survived and are now growing in large containers under lights (still too cold to put them outside, we have snow all over the place). Their survival saved me over $200 because that is about what it would have cost me to buy new tubers this year. There have been many years when tubers and bulbs have not survived the winter in our cool storage area.
3. my husband's brother who, in his 60s, has finally found the love of his life and got married. He is such a great guy but not good at meeting people, so we worried he would always be lonely. It is charming to see two people in their 60s deliriously in love.
4. my teeth. I know so many people who have suffered from tooth problems while I have had very few. I never even had wisdom teeth, so no painful removals. I have no idea why I lucked out.
5. a love of reading.
So many things this week:
I'm currently sitting in my oldest son's hospital room where he is awaiting treatment for a spontaneous pneumothorax. It's been a long 3 days of getting to this point but we are here!
I'm hugely grateful for an amazing group of volunteers that I work with and manage, who were able to cover my shifts so I can be with my son.
For friends who are helping with childcare for my youngest and bringing in dinner to help my family.
For my husband and other kids who have picked up the slack and kept things working at home while I've been away.
For everyones kindness and compassion at the hospitals for my son as we've been getting the help he needs.
For my previous career as a pediatric Respiratory Therapist so this world is very familiar to me and I'm not overwhelmed with the medical terms or options that they are presenting. Sometimes knowledge is a really good thing.
For the arrival of warm weather, would love some rain but definitely enjoying the sunshine! Just really wanting things to green up.
@Natasha,
I hope your son's procedure goes well and he recovers quickly!
Today I am celebrating "Mycobacterium Vaccae Bacteria", a substance in soil that provides good feelings and healing properties. I am not putting all my health care needs into it, just feeling good because I was able to work in my garden yesterday and figuratively inhale dirt. This is quite a change from the last several years, before my knee replacements.
I am thankful that I do not have to grow the food for our family, because we would not survive, and can instead grow flowers.
I am thankful my WalMart Granny Smith Apple Tree finally, after six or so years, has a lot of blossoms.
I love the sound of rain on the roof at night.
I am thankful for
* finding comfortable summer flat shoes on sale -- The computer gave me 20% off but a very nice cashier gave me %30.
* end of the school year -- I have a wonderful post-retirement part-time job tutoring home schoolers. I love it! But like my excellent fourth graders, I am ready for summer break with no homework.
* the opportunity to babysit my 9 month old grandson next weekend
* no more travel restrictions -- I am visiting a beloved relative in West VA tomorrow and am remembering with no fondness the issues with interstate travel in the last two years.
* music -- I listen to favorites on YouTube, my phone, CDs (gasp!) and files saved on my computer. Although the technology changes, the joy music brings does not change.
Thankful for sunshine yesterday which allowed me to go for a hike. Thankful for all the well-wishes I have gotten for my birthday today, including my niece's 2 year old son bringing me a bouquet of flowers--so darn cute! For feeling better after a month of not feeling so great. For my son coming home from college for the summer today. For the upcoming predicted warmer weather.
I'm thankful that our daughter finally got home from her European vacation with her husband's family. Two days before she was supposed to fly home she tested positive for Covid so she had to stay in quarantine for five days until she tested positive before she could enter the US.
I'm thankful that our daughter only had cold symptoms from Covid while she was stuck in Switzerland.
I'm thankful that my tooth extraction went as well as it could and I did not need a bone graft.
I'm thankful for my DH who has taken such good care of me after the tooth extraction.
I'm thankful for sunny days and warm temperatures.
My third grandchild arrived safely today! Magnolia Ruth, 8lb 6oz; Mom, Dad and baby girl are well. Born on Cinco de Mayo and the National Day of Prayer...taco parties for life! I am so thankful.
Loving all the foraging that comes with spring: dandelions, fiddleheads, ramps...fresh, free food.
SUNSHINE!
@Tricia, congratulations on the new little one!
I'm forcing myself write my list because this week has been an emotional rollercoaster and to remind myself that not everything in my life is a mess right now.
I am thankful for:
The school bus driver that picks up my son in the mornings in front of our house so I don't have to worry about driving the morning rush to school.
The rising sun that fills the house with a dim, soft light when I roll up the shades in the morning.
A fridge full of leftovers after a long day at work and no energy left to make dinner.
Having dental insurance so I can take care of my teeth and not worry about things like keeping up with fillings.
For my sister for taking my son on a playdate so I could have a Saturday afternoon for myself.
For recovering from COVID quickly and my kids not getting sick.
I am so thankful the High School program at our school that I'm in charge of went well tonight and that is OFF the list. And now to focus on Graduation. I'm thankful for helpful co-workers and family big enough to help out and not mind "easy button" suppers on busy nights. And I'm thankful for Costco chickens for "easy button" suppers! 🙂
So nice to have a big program behind you!
I am thankful for the country I live in. It might be hot and humid most of the time but I feel lucky to live here.
My granddaughters fill me with joy.
We went to see Frozen, the musical version last night. It is the first time I have been to live theatre in three years and it was pretty special to view it through the eyes of a four year old.
For modern technology. My son works as a contract chef. At present he is on an island in the Great Barrier Reef and has caught covid. He can call home so easily and cheaply. He has been on this island for two weeks so he can only have caught it there.