Thankful Thursday | with sequins
This week, I'm thankful:
for the sequinned notebook that Lisey got me
She was ordering one for herself (to take to aviation mechanic classes. As one does.) and she added one to the cart for me.
So now I proudly take it to my A&P classes. 😉
that I can do anatomy and physiology in person
Every time we use the human body models, I am reminded how thankful I am to be in the lab!
It's so nice to be able to physically handle the models, to pick them up, turn them over, and put them together with other parts.
Some things are just not the same online.
that I got to have dinner with my sister-in-law
Her husband (my brother) was out of town, and I was free that night too, so we met up for dinner. You may remember that this is my newest sister-in-law (she married my brother in June) and gosh, I just love her so much.
My brother did a top-notch job of spouse-choosing and I am thankful. 🙂
for my blogging mastermind group
I was feeling a little discouraged this week and they all commiserated, reminded me that every content creator gets criticized, and really cheered me up.
It's so nice to have people who do the same type of job as I do because no one understands quite like other people in the same field (which I imagine is true in any job!) And since they actually know me (and most have met me in person), I really value their reassurance.
for a quiet spot for my desk
(In case you missed it, I moved my desk into Lisey's bedroom when she moved out this fall.)
Having my own room for my desk has made an enormous difference for me because ever since Mr. FG started working from home, I basically didn't have a spot to camp out, other than in the living room, with my laptop.
Needless to say, the living room is not the best spot for focused work.
So, it has been a huge mercy to have a room where there is just me. It's been helpful for my A&P studying, of course, but also for blogging.
(To wit, I don't think I've missed a day of blogging here in weeks, and maybe months!)
that I don't have food allergies
I am super grateful that I can eat pretty much anything I want. Poor Sonia has to deal with a lot of restrictions because of her allergies, and watching that has made me appreciate my non-allergic digestive system.
that there are so many allergy-friendly options available now
When I was a kid, you could not find nearly so many dairy alternatives, but there are tons now. And thankfully, there are some dairy alternatives that do not involve nuts (since Sonia can't have nuts OR dairy).
that Sonia can have butter
I am extremely grateful that butter doesn't bother her! And same goes for heavy cream. You can do a lot if butter and heavy cream are still on the table.
that Sonia can eat gluten
Same story as above...if we had to add gluten onto the list of food no-nos, that would add a whole 'nother layer of difficulty. She's done the lab tests and an elimination test, and happily, both showed that she is fine eating gluten.
Whew.
that I only have to go one place today
Yesterday, I was barely home. I went to (lemme pause and count)...seven different places yesterday.
But today, I just have to go get a background check for a community center tutoring volunteer opportunity with my church.
(Our church has a program where lawyers can volunteer to give free immigration help; I'm not qualified for that. Someone else gives free haircuts to people without homes...I'm also not qualified for that. But after-school tutoring? I'm pretty sure that after 17 years of homeschooling, I probably can be useful there!)
Luckily, as a writer/blogger I have a pretty thick skin. On my old blog, someone once commented, "Get rid of that picture of you. It's not Halloween yet." I still think that's hysterically funny.
Oh my word, that's so rude! Geez. I'm sorry someone said that to you!
But I get that sometimes comments are so bad, they're funny. One time someone on social media said, "Well, at least I'm not self-righteous like you." and I could NOT stop laughing. The lack of self-awareness it takes to say that and not realize the irony...oh, that was funny.
@Kristen, So glad you are able to laugh at the stupid, rude comments!
This summer, with my usual aplomb, I managed to get a huge gash in my knee that required stitches. The ER doc did say, "Well, you have nice thick skin to work with," so I have medical backup about being thick skinned.
Ok, I love that you use the word "aplomb". I really adore words like that!
I think the comments WOULD bother me. I’m really not too sensitive; but it would embarrass me and then make me mad.
My response is often to want to explain how someone is misunderstanding or misrepresenting me. Like...I want to fix it somehow!
@Rose, I once showed someone a new photo taken of me and she said, "Amazing how much better the camera makes some people look." She was immediately horrified but I laughed so hard I snorted. She was correct, actually, it was a very flattering picture that caught me in the two or three seconds a day when I am smiling.
I'm thankful that niece's daughter is finally feeling better. She had a high fever for many days. I'm also thankful for pediatric medicines that help bring fevers down.
I'm thankful for a few days of nice weather. It was wonderful to be outside yesterday and a nice evening for a walk.
I'm thankful for authors and the books they write. An interesting audio book kept me entertained while I made a double batch of cookies yesterday. It's The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles.
I'm thankful that my husband had another birthday and he seems healthy for his age.
I'm thankful for friends to talk to/with. A friend and I have children with similar struggles.
I'm thankful for the Covid-19 vaccines and therapies. We are in a much different place now than we were a year ago.
Oh, we are reading a Gentleman in Moscow for our next book club meeting, and I saw The Lincoln Highway while I was putting my book on hold. Do you recommend it?
And oh my word, yes about your last item. I was just saying to Zoe yesterday that the early sunsets don't seem to be nearly as depressing this year, since we are not so isolated.
@Kristen, I agree about the early sunsets. In Alaska, we spent a lot of time in neighbors' homes during winter. I think being with people is the best way to endure darkness.
Yes. The combo of isolation + darkness is just awful.
I'm grateful that you've been able to blog so consistently!
I love the idea of sequins at airplane mechanic school.
As for my list:
1. I'm grateful for the lovely homecooked meal my daughter and son-in-law provided me with yesterday evening, plus they gave me enough leftovers for lunch today. He cooked steak in the sous vide and it was delicious and tender.
2. I'm grateful for the chance to have a noisy, distraction-full visit with my four youngest grandkids as dinner was cooked. All four feel it is very important to talk to me at once, so that I don't miss a thing:). I love it.
3. I'm thankful that a gift I ordered with multiple items in it is being shipped, just two days after my order. I have been holding my breath when ordering things to be shipped.
4. I'm thankful for old movies. I watched the 1974 version of "Murder on the Orient Express" the other night, and enjoyed seeing it again so much. Not telling my age, here, but I watched it with friends when it came out in theaters in 1974 - and I drove us to the theater. Ahem.
5. I'm grateful for the kind nurse at my husband's assisted living facility who told me, unprompted by anything either of us had already said, that I am doing a wonderful job with my husband and doing the right thing, and that I shouldn't forget that. I needed that reinforcement, so I'm very grateful to her.
I really love that Lisey takes sequin notebooks to school, and that she continues to wear her Sesame Street socks as well. I have so much respect for the fact that she just shows up as herself, regardless of if she's the only one!
@JD, re: your #5, I'm similarly thankful that not one single person--either inside DH's nursing home or outside it--has criticized my decision to place him back in June. In fact, I've gotten nothing but support for the decision and for my care leading up to it. Thanks also to Kristen and everyone here at TFG for their support.
And that support is very well-deserved. I am quite unsurprised to hear that all the people who know you in real life would react this way!
@A. Marie,
Oh, my, you absolutely did the right thing! There are so many dangers in trying to keep an eye on someone at home 24/7, and so much wear and tear on the caregiver. You deserve every bit of support you get!
@JD, I would second this!! It was exhausting caring for my mom when she was home, and I only had afternoon/night duty. My wonderful dad had the brunt of it. And it could be more than we could handle to keep her safe. She was far better off in a care facility where she was safe and we could resume our normal roles. Only those who have never walked in your shoes would judge.
Just adding to the chorus of agreement with your #5. You hung in there for a long time, and exhausted all the options available to you before making this decision, and you deserve lots of credit!
@JD, A. Marie and LJS: Chiming in with my support! Considering that my family lasted just 48 hours (with most of it spent crying) before seeking help to care for my mom with Alzheimer's when my dad was in the hospital, it just galls me to think of anyone criticizing someone else's decision. My parents have both been gone for many years but the overwhelm that enveloped my family remains fresh in my mind.
1. Thankful for Lisey's notebok making me laugh -- in a good way. And for her thoughtfulness in ordering one for you. <3 And very thankful you don't have to go places today. Amazing how much those not-go-places days are a blessing.
2. Thankful for all the kind responses to my Meet a Reader interview on Monday. You have some amazing readers, Kristen!
3. Thankful that my husband gets to use a cousin's retreat home for some personal retreat time this week. That definitely makes it affordable and the retreat time is a blessing.
4. Thankful for finding 3lbs of ground turkey on sale for $2! Once it's in taco soup, no one will even care that it's not ground beef. Thankful for sales that let me bless others.
5. Thankful I get to help out in my boy's public school by shelving books in the library one day a week. It's very relaxing and I don't have to find the energy to interact with lots of children. And it's not the end of the world if I can't make it in some week.
I’m thankful for easy access to pain killer. I woke up with a headache earlier this week, and took some pain killer and drank my coffee and it was gone after that. I just read The Body (I think I saw it recommended here) and he mentions at one point how there was no pain killer in the past and people were just in pain a lot of the time with no solution.
I’m thankful that I had the house to myself yesterday for the first time in almost 2 years! My husband had his first day back at the office and it was a work at home day for me. Even though we generally work in two separate rooms(and also get along well), as an introvert, it still just felt nice to be in an empty house, especially after such a long stretch.
This is me trying to turn something that is slightly exhausting at times into a positive but I am grateful my son is so curious right now and comes to me with his questions. He’s at the age where he’s asking nonstop questions though and it was starting to wear me down yesterday, but when I thought about it, Its wonderful to see him trying to figure stuff out. A sampling from a 10 minute car ride: how are roads made? Why do they make roads? Why do cars drive on roads? How are leaves made? Why is the moon following us?
I’m grateful that my sister is flying in tomorrow for thanksgiving. She did not come out for thanksgiving or Christmas last year so I’m extra glad she will be here this year.
@LB,
When my daughter was three, she asked me, "If trees didn't grow straight up, which way would they grow?"
I'd really like to know how you answered "Why is the moon following us?" I love his questions.
@LB, I love your son's curiosity! Reminds me of my friend's young son who also asked nonstop questions. My exhausted friend once replied "I don't know" to one of his questions and he blurted, "Then make something up!"
@MB in MN, haha that’s so great! When I reach the point of exhaustion I usually say “I don’t know, we’ll have to look it up later or “I don’t know, maybe your dad will know, go ask him”
@JD, Your daughters question is great, they think of things that would never cross my mind!
The moon question is actually what broke me haha Every explanation I gave just led to further questions. There were too many unfamiliar concepts to him in the explanation itself. What’s funny is I can remember having the exact same thought as a kid, thinking the moon was following us when we were in our car!
Thankful for the opportunity to spend a fun day with my daughter last Saturday at an arts and crafts fair.
Thankful that said daughter wants to spend time with me! At 16 years old, I could easily be on the bottom of her list of Fun People To Hang Out With.
Thankful that this year we were able to have an indoor birthday party for her with her friends!
Thankful for the young adults in my new YA ministry group who want to hang out with me having fun and growing in their faith.
Thankful for my patient husband who, once again, is being called on to take time out of his schedule to process a deer, even though he wasn't the one who went hunting. We will get venison out of it .... although I'm still using up the venison from last year's hunt.
1) Thankful for freezer meals (now organized, thanks to my freezer inventory last week) for quick lunches on work from home days.
2) Very thankful that I enjoy spending time with my husband. Sadly, I know too many couples who don't find that time together close to enjoyable. I planned an outing for us on Sunday (free wine tasting at our local winery), & am looking forward to it.
3) So grateful that our kids are having a (mostly) normal high school experience this year. My older son started high school last year remotely, & it was really challenging for him. This year is much easier. My younger son started (in person) this year, and he loves all of the social aspects.
4) Thankful that I could get together (virtually) with friends for lunch this week. Our schedules don't typically match up, and it was so nice to catch up while eating my lunch.
5) We don't buy many soft drinks for our house, so it's always a fun treat when I can get my favorite sparkling water at the office for free.
1. Thankful that I get to care for my Aunt. This is a tough one for me y'all. Taking care of an older loved one is not all roses and sunshine...it is work. Medications and meal times and doctors appointments and the emotional stress of walking through that stage of life with someone that you love. This is on my list because it occurs to me that I have been in many therapy sessions and spent hours in prayer learning to create boundaries for myself and how to practice self care. And all of that preparation has given me the chance to see her through this season of life. I am close to her and I am so aware of the gift of time that we have been given.
2. Thankful for our full freezers and pantry. It is so much easier to feed a family, meal plan and not go crazy when you have a well stocked pantry. This results in fewer trips to the store and less stress when it comes to getting a meal on the table.
3. Thankful for talks with my son to and from school. This is such a sweet time and sometimes lots of good talks with him come when we are on the way somewhere & sometimes he says the best stuff! Yesterday he was telling me about a disagreement he had with a friend and I encouraged him to give the friend some grace. He replied 'Mama I tried to give him grace but he just wouldn't take it!' Gosh that is funny and unintentionally full of wisdom.
4. Thankful for quiet time and worship. A bit of time to myself this week to recharge my batteries. Laughter.
5. Thankful for the chance to volunteer with my church group to hand out turkeys to those in need. There is no better way to find perspective than by serving others.
@Angie, from the sound of it, it seems like there are a lot of people who are likely thankful for you!
Oh Angie, I can certainly understand that caregiving is exhausting. I know the other caregivers here in this community (JD and A. Marie come to mind) would concur. Big hugs to you!
@Kristen and Angie, I certainly do concur. And major kudos to Angie for stepping up to the plate for her aunt. There are a lot of folks out in the cold cruel world who wouldn't have done this.
@Angie,
Yes, it is work, and bless you for taking it on!
@JD, all caregivers deserve a standing ovation. It is so.much.work! I miss my mom (who died in March) dearly but man, I do NOT miss the unending stress that comes with caregiving. When I hear my friends talk about issues with their elderly parents, my stomach starts to tie up in knots. Angie, you are being a light to your aunt--thank you for what you are doing.
That volunteer opportunity sounds perfect for you!
I am...thankful I was able to get my COVID booster shot yesterday afternoon and (so far) the side effects haven't been too bad.
Thankful I work from home so that I can curl up on the couch with my heating pad and laptop today and rest and work at the same time.
So thankful for the 2 sweet kitties who will probably curl up with me.
Thankful the hubs is getting his booster today and that he most likely won't have ANY side effects...lucky.
Especially thankful for the gorgeous sunrise we had here this morning. A whole layer of just bright orange and purple sky!
Also thankful I stocked up on all the holiday food items I still needed after I got my shot at Walmart yesterday. Walmart is NOT my favorite place to shop, especially when they've just rearranged the entire store it seems, BUT I was there and it was convenient and I was able to get all the things. Thankful for that!
Where did you get discouraging feedback/comments? Everything I've read has seemed super positive...and even positive on your negatives...LOL.
Well, there are emails (which obviously no one but me sees). There are comments on older posts, which I see because they always come through on my dashboard, but for the average reader to see them, they'd have to comb through all my old posts every day! And same goes for comments on social media posts...to see everything that people say to me, you'd have to constantly check my Instagram, Facebook, and Facebook group comments.
Depending on the nature of the comment, sometimes I don't approve it, so then only I see it. I do that only super rarely, though...like if someone says something hurtful about one of my kids, or they're just being straight-up inflammatory and rude.
And this past week, I got an automatic notification that another site had a not-positive post about me. And I made the mistake of clicking on it and reading the comments.
Anyway. Most content creators get the most grief from people who just sort of happen across them, not from people who are regular followers. Regular followers know and understand the person they're following, so they're much less likely to misinterpret and misunderstand, and they're much more likely to give grace.
@Kristen,
Ah that sounds awful! If you read such comments at times when you feel vulnerable, they can really get to you.
But I'm pretty sure your regular readers feel otherwise and would actually welcome an opportunity to meet with you in person!
Isn't that the truth? When we humans are rested and feeling confident, it's easier to let those things slide off our backs. But if we are tired or sick or stressed or feeling vulnerable in some way or another, then it's a lot harder to let them roll off.
And yes, 99.9% of people who leave comments or write emails to me are kind, understanding people, who give me the benefit of the doubt. I am so blessed!
@Kristen, I'm sad and sorry that you have to deal with haters. I can't imagine how hard that must sting. All I can think of is that saying "hurt people hurt people." Please know what a gift you are to us and carry on with your incredible positivity, generosity and decency.
I love that you do immigration law help at your church. We run esl classes at our church and looked into starting legal help too, but it was a lot of money and training up front! It is in my ten year goal plan. 🙂 But for now we just tutor kids and teach adults English. And I am so glad there are other ministries out there at help people new to our country. They need so much help and often just someone that speaks English to step in and know what paper to ask for or office to go to.
It really sounds like the world is getting back to normal, seeing a mention of having to go so many places as a negative. Last year we would have wished we could have such a busy schedule instead of being confined at home.
I’m thankful for your abundant links — when I first looked at your post very early this morning, my blurry eyes thought that was you in the wedding dress and I couldn’t figure out why. Duh. Is there still a way to find earlier posts in categories or recipes? I miss the ability to “roam” among your wonderful and often inspiring posts.
Oh yes, those should still be there in the sidebar if you are on a desktop.
And oh my, I did not realize that those had disappeared from the mobile version of my site. I will look into that; it must have happened when my blog's theme updated. They used to be at the bottom of the page!
@Kristen, Wow! Thank you, thank you! That was quick! I had to stop and read a couple. One was Christmas to start getting in the mood, and it was that warmest Christmas in 2015. (I do only use an iPad or phone since I stopped working.)
I'm so glad your blogging group was there for you. The internet can be both the worst and best of places, especially for content creators.
1. I'm grateful I have health insurance that covers the cost of therapy. The last two years have been rough, and getting a regular therapist has been extremely helpful.
2. I'm grateful that I have three siblings that are among my best friends. I know not all adults are close to their siblings, but the four of us are ride-or-die for each other, and I don't take that for granted.
3. I'm grateful that that we put a TV in our bedroom a few weeks ago. I know there are the no-screens-in-sleep-spaces folks, but it makes my bedroom feel like a hotel and I unapologetically LOVE IT. I cuddled my kids watching a show last night and it was a cozy dream.
4. I'm grateful for cheesecloth! I started making my own yogurt this past year, and I much prefer a thicker greek-style yogurt. Straining through cheesecloth makes that possible.
5. I'm grateful we invested in a dog last year. I watched my four year old give him a rather assertive "vet exam" this morning, and he so gently accepted her "care." I can't imagine how magical it feels to her to have this 80lb creature around her 35lb frame. I think it must be like living with a giant stuffy with a heartbeat. Our golden retriever is the gift that keeps on giving to my kids. And to me! I love him so much, too.
This week, I’m thankful:
1. That today we close on the sale of the house we bought our son when he was in college. Turns out the house has some issues with the foundation so it took longer to sell and for less than we had hoped.
2. That our son found a better job
3. That the building maintenance fixed the HVAC unit so my office is no longer 64 degrees
4. For the beautiful fall foliage
5. That our rescue dog keeps us busy and makes us laugh every day
TT, My Neighborhood Edition:
Since I was really too late to the party yesterday to comment on Kristen's thought-provoking post re: the pros and cons of where we live, I'm here to say that the pros in my case far outweigh the cons:
As I've said often enough (but never often enough), my neighbors are AMAZING. Dr. and Ms. Bestest Neighbor of course lead the list, but almost everyone else here (except for one or two oddballs and a few newbies I haven't had time to reach out to yet) has been wonderfully supportive, especially in the course of DH's illness. I don't want to move until circumstances force me to, for this reason alone.
And our cul-de-sac is both architecturally and ethnically diverse. The original 1920s houses (including my own) mingle cheerfully with somewhat later colonials, ranch houses, etc. And my neighbors include folks of African American, Jewish, Japanese, Iraqi, British, German, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, and Swedish ancestry.
We also live next to a large wooded area, so we see a remarkable array of wildlife here. Of course, this is both a pro and a con, since I've complained previously about the constraints that the Eastern white-tailed deer population explosion has put on our gardening. But hey, when the going gets tough, the tough get innovative.
Now, of course, there are a few cons: The apartment complex directly in back of me could be cleaner and quieter than it is; one or two of the folks on the street could do likewise; and of course we have our infamous Upstate NY winter weather to deal with. But, on the whole, I wouldn't live anywhere else.
Wow, that's such an impressive level of diversity in your neighborhood. I love that!
And I am so glad for you that you have such a wonderful support system of neighbors. That's nice anytime, but especially lovely during your DH's illness.
I have to say, I am thankful that my food allergies are mostly manageable. I feel for Sonia.
I'm thankful this week that my daughter's Covid shot went super easy. She barely even cried or reacted. Today she was feeling fine and went off to school.
I'm thankful that at least there's a plan for Thanksgiving. The last few years have been one big mess with regards to all this so I'm happy that we at least know what we're doing.
I'm thankful that I don't need anything at the moment. It's odd being content but the only thing I want is time and company right about now.
I’m thankful for the beautiful weather we are having on New England today. 67 degrees today after waking up to a frosty 25 degrees yesterday. I am thankful for our health - we have a friend who just started his first round of chemo and I’ve realized how blessed we are. I am thankful my oldest comes home today from college for Thanksgiving break! Nothing like having all your people under the same roof! I am thankful I am able to bake dessert for my son’s high school football team’s team dinner before they head off to play in the division championship tomorrow!! And I am thankful for the small daily reminders that while my mom has passed away she is still here with me. 😉
Free immigration help - that’s absolutely wonderful!!! My daughters fiancé (now husband ❤️❤️) arrived in the US from Haiti in June. It took over a year and a half to get him here. It was a nightmare. She ended up joining a lawsuit out of Florida which helped to get his interview at the Embassy in Haiti. But overall she did it all herself. So stressful. It’s wonderful your church provides help for free. Please thank them for me. We are ever so grateful God opened all the doors needed for my son-in-law to get here!!!
Grateful my puppy's soft tissue injury is finally showing improvement after many months of activity restrictions and diligent PT appointments. The hard work and stress is paying off!
Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. Yay puppy!
I'm thankful that today is my Friday. Not working Fridays has been a huge blessing in my life.
I'm thankful that winter is almost here. While so many people do not like the changing of seasons, I seem to really enjoy it. Especially winter! I do not require sunlight to make me happy, and I love wrapping up. Remind me of this in February, please. 🙂
I'm thankful that I am getting a new office at work, and it is freshly painted. I've been staring at dingy walls for 21 years now, with boxes piled everywhere (large file boxes, I can count 35 in my office right now). So a change of space/color/something fresh will be so wonderful! I'm going to treat myself to a piece of art that makes me happy to hang on the wall.
I'm thankful to have so much in common with my husband. We work together, and we went to thrift stores at lunch today. Such a treat! We both really enjoyed our outing.
I'm thankful to have a family that loves me unconditionally. My mom and dad did the nicest thing for me this week, and it touched my heart so much. My mom has been through a lot physically and mentally lately, so the fact that she did this for me means even more. The fact that she was ABLE to do it, priceless. 🙂
I am thankful that my phone trouble was quickly resolved when I went to the store to see why my cell phone wasn't charging well. Given my aversion to anything with a cord, I don't even attempt to figure this out on my own. Turned out it was the charger and not the phone so I bought a new charger. Then on my way home, a (cordless) lightbulb went on when I remembered my stash of items that seem too important to get rid of, even though I don't recall where they came from or what they're for. Sure enough, I had a charger in there and was able to return the new one. (My ditziness with cords goes way back. As a pre-teen, I saved money to buy a radio and felt so adult-like when my mom took me to the store. As the clerk was showing us where the cord went in the back of the radio, I asked where the other end went. Dead silence before the clerk said "Uh, into the wall.")
1. I am so glad that you blog consistently. You always have such a cheerful outlook that is so refreshing!
2. I am so glad that I got to have coffee with some gals from my Bible study today.
3. Speaking of which, I am also thankful for our group which brings women together from all over the community.
4. We were finally able to rehome the elderly donkey that the former owner so kindly left for us to enjoy.
5. Our home building is moving along. On Monday the slab was poured and tomorrow a pole will be installed for electricity!
@Lauren L., rehome a donkey that someone left? Now I'm curious!
Ok, I was just coming here to ask about that too. It's not often someone casually mentions that the previous owners left a donkey!
Thankful for…
1. First granddaughter
2. Gluten free pumpkin pancakes
3. Clean sheets on a king size bed
4. Thursday lunch with my daughter and daughter-in-law.
5. Leftovers
Congrats on your grandbaby. Yay!
And yes, I love clean sheets. They are so fresh-feeling, and they fit so tightly on the mattress. Mine kinda stretch out over time and that's not as nice as the fresh, smooth feeling.
1. A full freezer and fridge, so we don't have to go out to the store when it is well below zero, as it has been this week.
2. Persimmons. They are my favorite fruit and some appeared in the stores recently so I have been indulging myself, despite the very high price. Every November I think, "Oh, great the persdiimmons will be coming soon!"
3. That my husband and I have very similar tastes in movies and books, so we can have lots of good discussions about what we just saw or read. Thirty eight years and we still like talking to each other and have never run out of things to say.
4. I think I said this last week, but I remain thankful for a new medication that has really changed my life in terms of keeping side effects of my cardiac birth defect under control. My brother died of the same genetic disorder at a very young age, so I never forget how lucky I am to have staggered along until this drug was discovered. It is hard to have such a love/hate relationship with pharma.
5. I got the booster shot and my old people extra strong flu shot yesterday and was not feeling so great this morning; I am not sure having them both on the same day was such a hot idea. I laid in bed and the pound hound came in and laid next to me for a couple of hours, until I felt well enough to get up. My husband came in at one point and the dog refused to move so my husband could lie down next to me, giving me my first laugh for the day.
I am thankful that travelling is done for the year. We have had two funerals, three weddings, a baseball game trip, an early family thanksgiving, and a trip to California (we drove) in the last ten months. I am exhausted.
1. That I was able to find what I needed at the grocery store for Thanksgiving without too much hassle yesterday. I would have simply made substitutions if it was just our family eating together, but there are a few beloved recipes that others would be sad to miss.
2. That we get to host Thanksgiving this year (my SIL and I swap and it's our turn). We love being able to make it cozy, welcoming and thankfulness-focused, and add some extra places for folks that don't have family nearby. Plus it's a great motivator for getting my house put back to rights.
3. Some unexpected FB Marketplace sales. The $ is nice, but seeing things go is even more lovely! Plus, the extra money is a fabulous incentive for certain reluctant declutterers. Ahem!
4. Venison from a kind friend that we will butcher tomorrow. It's a lot of work, but it is nice knowing that everything is handled in a sanitary and humane way, and the meat is good quality. Our area has an overpopulation of deer currently and it is actually helpful to the health of the herd to not have so many struggling for the same resources.
5. Cheerful children! 3/4 of my kids are naturally sunny and it is wonderful to hear them tootling around singing off key and humming. They also all love traditions, especially the teenagers, and are excited about even small things like watching the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving movie today.
6. That there are more options for holiday activities this year. Last year it almost felt like I was single-handedly responsible for thinking of ways to cultivate joy in our home when everything was so isolated and curtailed. I know it's not true, but it FELT that way, and I'm glad things are somewhat better this year.
7. The lovely tree colors and weather this fall in our area - it's beautiful!
8. Christmas is coming! I love, love the holiday and the Reason we celebrate.
9. Your blog, Kristen! It's a daily dose of joy and much-needed grounding in what matters.
First time commenting on TT, even though I have enjoyed following the serie from the start.
This week I’m grateful for that I didn’t cancel dinner with my eldest brother and his friend. Felt very poor at work but I simplified the menu and it was a nice evening.
Grateful for said brother that drive me to the hospital for an appointment when I missed my bus - and waiting 45 minutes when the appointment was delayed.
Especially grateful this week for my new job and wonderful colleagues since I’ve been feeling poorly and it’s such a change from the experience of beeing sick on my last job.
Lastly I’m grateful for beeing home alone again after having my mother visiting for four days. While it’s nice it’s not without stress, so really looking forward to this last week home alone before my partner returns from a worktrip.
I love that Lisey is taking the sequined notebook to aviation mechanic class. I work in a very male dominated field, too, and I painted my office pink. We're allowed to paint them any color we choose if we buy the paint, so I opted for pink.
This week I am most thankful that it looks like we're going to have good weather for Thanksgiving. We've decided to host semi-outdoors this year at a picnic shelter (roof, but no walls). We've had everything from temps in the 70s to snow on Thanksgiving, so it was a little bit of a gamble. Right now, it looks like Thanksgiving is the warmest/driest day next week, so I'm very happy about that. It's my favorite holiday and I'm really looking forward to it since we didn't host last year. I'm also very thankful for the great sale on turkey at Publix and the great sale on butter at Harris Teeter.
I realized this week that my feet don't hurt. It's been many, many years since I could say that. Silver lining to the pandemic: I haven't worn anything but sneakers since late March 2020.
And I have continued to, as always, be barefoot most of the time. Ha.
I realize I am going to have to actually wear shoes once I am a nurse; that might be something of an adjustment for me!
I am thankful that I have been cleared for a mitral heart valve clip at my pioneering hospital in this barely invasive process--no more going in through the chest as was done up until maybe two years' ago. Don't know the date yet, maybe before Christmas.
I am so thankful for friends who have been reporting those they now who have hadt his done.
I am thankful for my husband, daughter and sister who supported me through my recent heart failure episode at the end of October.
And of course I am thankful for being alive and seeing another Fall and Winter, swirling through Delaware, with leaves everywhere.
Oh, I am so glad that you are ok and that you can get the heart care you need. Whew!
I am grateful for so many things! Many of them would seem ordinary to most people. But, I would like to say that those of us who have been reading your posts for quite awhile are grateful for YOU! I always look forward to reading your posts!
Aww, thank you! I'm so glad you enjoy reading what I write.
And I think ordinary things are wonderful things to be thankful for! Most of life is ordinary, so if we can be thankful for ordinary stuff, that really expands the number of things we can appreciate.
I am always glad that I don't have food allergies! One child has severe food allergies to eggs and gluten. She's having a party at school this week and I had to make special treats that were safe for her AND completely peanut and tree nut free. I think I deserve an award. Haha!