Feelings of Gratitude

As Thanksgiving rapidly approaches, I am thinking about all of the things in my life that I am thankful for. This year I am giving thanks for a wide range of people, places, and things.

My family: I am so incredibly thankful for my amazing husband. He works so hard and sacrifices so much with his work. It's an entirely different list to name everything about him that I love and am grateful for, so I'll save that for later. But having him in my life makes every day brighter. And on that note, my children...both my biological children and my step-children light up my life and bring so much joy. They are such different people, each with his/her own personality quirks, strengths, and weaknesses. Seeing them interact with one another and watching them grow is such a blessing.

Friends: Both new friends and old friends that I've had for decades. My friendships nourish my soul and enrich my live. The love and support of my friends means the world to me and I thank God for them every single day.

Our home: By home I mean both the structure in which we live and also our nation. Our house is warm, and inviting. I have a whole room for a studio. My children have a yard to run and play in. As the economy struggles and our country feels the effects I am grateful to be an American because it is in these hard times that we reach out to one another and help each other through so that we can stand united and rise up again. The food drives, the Christmas giving trees. All reminders of things to be grateful for.

The Military: Being a military wife is both a blessing and a struggle. My husband has to be gone quite a bit for his job. Between trainings and deployments and multiple trips through out the rest of the year for days and/or weeks at a time, it adds up to a lot of time away from home. However, he is spending that time away doing a job that he loves and also protecting our country. The military provides a stable work environment and a lot of wonderful benefits that make life easier for us. Free healthcare, tax-free shopping, stability...

Starbucks: Nothing brightens a drab day than a caramel machiato with extra caramel and whipped cream and some good conversation with a friend. Time to unwind, revitalize, and be someone other than Mommy for even 20 minutes. A small blessing, but still a blessing.

My hobbies: They keep me sane. 'nuff said :-)

The fall foliage: HELLO Gorgeous! Walking outside and seeing all of the beautiful colors is an instant mood enhancer. I love it!

The drop in gas prices: My bank account is so thankful for the break :-)

Ok...I could literally go on all day here because my journal entry for this was pages and pages long. So just a sampling.

Happy Wednesday!