Thirty Days of Thankfulness

In case you are NOT on Facebook, the "thing" this month is 30 days of thankfulness. Many people are selecting one thing each day to post that they are appreciative for and while I respect that people are using social networking technologies to do something positive, the first ten days (Nov 1-10) have been a pretty boring read. Everyone seems to want to be Mr. Obvious and give a shout out to their husband, kids (individually!), and car before getting into the "goods". By that I mean I am just anxious to see what everyone is thankful for come around November 27th. I figure that as the month goes on, you will really be able to see what makes people tick.

Well, again, I welcome the concept and thought I would save ya'll the suspense. Here are my 30 days of thankfulness list. And I am not going to be Mr. Obvious and mention my men as number 1, 2, and 3. First of all, Josh would not want to see what number he ranks on that list (hee hee) and it is just silly. I am more grateful for them than anything else in this whole entire world. Duh.

Here we go. Crap, now I am nervous of what to make for number one. In no particular order.... :)

1. My milking stool. Made by my amazing father-in-law. I love this thing! You too, Dale. Happy Veteran's Day. Thank you for serving your country.

2. Freedom. Patriotism. The United States. I am so grateful to live in this nation and have men and women who are willing to serve to protect it. Words are really not enough.

3. McDonald's diet Coke. I don't know what they do to it, but it is just better than diet Cokes elsewhere.

4. My fabulous girlfriends. I am so grateful for everything you have done to help me survive motherhood. Amazing to me that the five women I lean on the most these days I did not know existed pre-Hudson. Love you all!

5. Our neighborhood. I love that I can walk Hudson home from school on day's like Monday when I took this picture. (See the hat, Jayne?)

6. Hudson's humming. I now refer to Hudson as our mobile white noise machine for Mister T. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

7. Our parents. (You guys are not really number seven!) How cool that the boys have six grandparents to love them to death?

8.  Our church family. We are so blessed! So many wonderful friends to enhance our lives.

9. NFL football and IndyCar Racing. Diversions from what could be a stressful existence and something I love to cuddle up and watch with the hubby.

10. Which brings me to number 10, although I am not totally supportive of our family bed per se, some nights it is just easier to bring em in! Plus waking up to these little dudes is a fantastic alarm clock.

Monday morning 6:48 a.m.

11. Pull-ups. You save me from mountains of emergency sheet washing.

12. My health. Oh how I abuse you. I promise to get better.

13. My Baby Bjorn carrier. I do not get much done around here, but without it, even less would be accomplished.

14. Sidewalk chalk. Cheap. And oh so fun. (I know you agree, CindyV!)

15. My husband's job. Keep it, Buddy. :)

16. Hot wheels in my bed. I have such a pet peeve about toys in our bedroom, but I love to crawl into bed and have this little scene to deal with:

17. Products for curly hair. Oh how I wish you existed circa my middle school years. Thank you, Janet, for educating me about Moroccan Oil. Wow.

18. Our neighbors. We have too much fun, too often, and too late at night.

19. Blog readers. Your emails, comments, and just concern are so appreciated! I really hope my boys like reading their childhood one day.

20. My DVR. You lovely piece of technology I never knew I needed.

21. Nature's beauty. I am so frequently breathless at the glance at the eye-candy God created for us.

Yellow roses. The best.

22. Hymns and campfire songs. I have never sang my boys a nursery rhyme, but spiritual songs and choruses from my childhood.

23. My brothers and sisters. (That includes you, Jess!) What an awesome family I have. Go Bears. :)

24. Doctors/Medicine. Yesterday was stressful, but I am so pleased with my pediatrician right now!

25. Paula. Yes, you get a special shout out because your texts make. my. day.

26. Being able to wear yoga pants most days. I have a good gig going on here.

27. Shallow, yes, but my new phone which allows me to keep in touch with my clients so much easier, overall work less, and allowed me to take these pictures (minus the rose) to cement in my memory bank.

28. Crossword puzzles. Hopefully, you will keep me a bit sharper to survive my senior moments.

29. Naptime. You rare event of my life. Being able to articulate those things beyond my family that I am grateful for energizes me!

Sweet napper still holding his golf club and hugging his giraffe.

30. This exercise. That is not a cheat! I encourage you to do this little exercise. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Name THIRTY things beyond your immediate family. Name them "one by one". I could go on!