A Season of Thankfulness

I love this time of year. From about September through the beginning of January (my 31st birthday is coming!), really is my favorite. First you have back-to-school, and even though I am no longer teaching, I love the excitement, the school supplies, and the fact that Matt is thrilled to go see what his year will hold! Then you have the leaves changing color, and warm days ending with brisk nights. I will admit that I am not a huge fan of Halloween, though we do let the kids dress up and trick-or-treat, and I do like the pumpkin carving, corn mazes and harvest type stuff, I just hate scary stuff and disgusting costumes. :) I keep vowing to Barrett that we WILL have a costume party some year for adults (on a different day obviously so as not to interfere with candy collecting by the kiddos) , and that it COULD be really fun :)! I love the weather turning colder, and the rain coming. I have been an Oregonian now for 10 years, and I still enjoy the rain, though I do get sick of it come springtime. Most of all, I love the stretch from about now (just a few days before Thanksgiving) until Christmas. It is such a fun and magical time with my kids, and now with my husband as well.

I know that this time of year we are all asked to recount our blessings, so I will encourage you if you have not done it yet to jot a quick list of yours. Hang it somewhere you can see it often, that way when you are having a bad day, you can remind yourself of all the things that are going right in your life. When I was a teenager, I had it pretty good. We had all we needed and most of what we wanted too. I never had to share my parents, I had friends, and I got excellent grades. But, being a teenager, I also had the angst and insecurities that all teens have at some point and would have some pretty rough days. My mom (see, I remember, Mom!) would tell me to count my blessings, to actually write them out, and to also list the things that were going wrong. She always reminded me that she was positive that if I truly thought about it, the blessings would never cease to outnumber the bad things. And you know what? She was right. Every time.

My Blessings

• I found love again, and have never been happier. My husband is a huge blessing.
• My sons. They bring me joy and let me see the world in a new way. Both are uniquely special.
• I am thankful for my mom and dad, for their help and friendship, but also that they are both in amazing health. 
• I am thankful to be part of Barrett's family, and am also thankful for the family that I have kept both through my former marriage, and for the introduction to my ex's new family (wife, daughters)
• My pets. Rya (our yellow lab) rarely strays and keeps the house guarded, and loves on the boys, and Max (our puppy) has wormed his way into my heart. Even Angelica (our kitty), is affectionate and warm.
• I am thankful for Matthew's transition at a new school that has been wonderful for him so far, the big yellow bus that gets him safely there and home again, and the teacher that communicates with me and welcomes me in.
• I am thankful for both Isaiah's time with me, as well as with my dad, knowing both are necessary and plentiful. 
• My relationship with Greg & Heidi, because co-parenting in a loving and cooperative manner is of utmost importance.
• My journeys. Somedays I miss teaching. I find myself in Matt's classroom, relating to the kids as though I am their teacher...but my studies are interesting to me. Anatomy was hard, but I loved it, and I am so excited to be a CNA, and hopefully one day an RN!
• I am thankful that I am getting to find my passions. Human rights, parenting, healthcare and women's issues have all ignited the fire inside me. 
• I am thankful for our home. It is a haven to me. I love the property, and being away from town. There's food in the fridge, warmth and relaxation.
• Good books. They are my escape, and take me to new worlds. 
• Friends. They are few, but special. 
• Health. My migraines and overactive bladder are both finally (mostly) under control!
• I am thankful for all that Barrett provides while I am in school, and thankful too for his company's health insurance and other benefits, and a job that he truly doesn't mind doing. :)

For all these things (and many more), I am thankful to a merciful God that doesn't care how many times I fall, just that I keep trying to get back up.