Thankful Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving!

There's no better time for a Thankful Thursday than on Thanksgiving. Here's what I'm thankful for this week:

1. I'm thankful that Katie made dinner twice this week. One of those times she had to make up a food lab from her Foods and Nutrition class, but she enjoyed making dinner for the family so much that she offered to make dinner the next night as well. It was fun to watch her in the kitchen. And it was fun not to have to make dinner. Thanks, Katie.

2. I'm ever so thankful that the final episode of Jon and Kate Plus 8 has been shown. Thank Goodness! Madeleine loved that show and I had to listen to that annoying family for weeks. And my annoyance with them only got worse after the separation and Jon's subsequent bad behaviour and Kate's transformation from shrew to saint. Yuck! I've heard that Kate has some show in the works, but I'm hoping Madeleine won't hear about it or won't be interested in it. I don't think I can take one more second of any of the Gosselin's. Good riddance!

3. I'm thankful that Madeleine asked me to participate in her new Language and Literature project. She has asked me to read a novel with her and then journal about it as a way to record our thoughts about the book. How great is that?! It's right up my alley. The book she's chosen is Lord of the Flies, which is so ironic because that title came up in the comments of my Musing Monday post and Sandy from It's a Jungle Out There and I were discussing possibly doing this book in our monthly book club. *cue Twilight Zone music*

4. I'm thankful that Katie has sent in her college application. I know I've already blogged about this, but I'm so grateful for it that I feel it's worth repeating.

I know that the focus of my Thankful Thursday posts is on the small things that go well each week. But, that doesn't mean I'm not aware of the really important things in my life. Since it's Thanksgiving I feel I should acknowledge all those "big" things for which I am grateful. I'm sure you can guess what they are, but I think it's important to acknowledge them today of all days.

1. I'm thankful for my health and well-being. It's very easy to take feeling good (physically and emotionally) for granted. I'm reminded of this every time I get a bad cold or a stomach bug. Fortunately, I have no serious health issues. And for that I am very grateful.

2. I'm thankful that I have a loving and supportive family. I can honestly say that my family is filled with people I can count on and who have supported me my entire life. I grew up surrounded by people we believed in me and made me believe in myself. That is a powerful message to hear and it's never left me. I am a confident and self-assured person who believes I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. Maybe that's not always realistic, but it's a great way to go through life.

3. I'm thankful that I have a wonderful husband and two amazing daughters. I've written before about how terrific Geoff is. He is kind, loyal, hardworking and completely devoted to me and our girls. Without him my life would not be what it is today. It is because of his hard work and business sense that we are able to live the life that we do. And he doesn't ask much for himself. He's a terrific guy. And my girls are truly my joy. I know that I complain about how hard it is to be a parent and I sometimes complain about the aggravation of raising kids. But truthfully, I wanted to me a mom as long as I can remember. And there was a long period of time where I didn't think it would happen for me. I went through hell and back to have these two girls and even if it doesn't seem like it, I know how lucky I am to have the opportunity to be a mom. As much as I moan and complain, deep down I am grateful to be a mom to these two fabulous and fascinating girls. And for having that opportunity, I will be eternally grateful.

I hope that all of you have an opportunity to count your blessings, large and small, today. There's no better day for taking stock of all that you have to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving!