Thankful Thursday

I love pictures with each post.  However, I'm on my way to a day full of adventure (will blog later) so this will be a pictureless `Thankful Thursday'.

In my life, I am thankful for:

1.  A mom who listened to me.  Deeply.

2.  A dad who demonstrated the balance between working hard and having fun.  Always, always take time for fun.

3.  Sisters that get how I feel.  We grew up in the same home and experienced many of the same things.  They are married with kids.  They all work.  When I share something, they get it.

4.  Sales.  A good deal makes me very happy.  If Gary buys me something and tells me it was on sale, I like it even more.

5.  So many supportive people.  This week we lost Nya's Dora doll.  Within one hour I had two people offering their Dora's.  When I let people know that I found a new one (in the Clearance section!), that comment got so many `likes'.  I'm not looking for `likes' but I love that people were happy for me.  Seriously, thank you to everyone that cares.

6.  My healthy thyroid.  While I say that Gary and I had a rough patch earlier this year, he would say that when I got diagnosed with Graves' Disease, that was the hardest time in our marriage.  I couldn't do anything, I had to wear sunglasses everywhere, I suffered each night with chest pains. So thankful for a thyroid that is working properly right now.

7. Developing my love and ability for photography.  I've always loved taking pictures but never realized the `art' behind it until 2005.  When I look at all of the pictures that we have of our family, it makes me so happy.

8. A husband with so much patience.  I'm very ridiculous to live with.  Here's an example:
Me: Gary, can we please try to use the air conditioning just between 12-5pm on hot days?
Gary: Uh, okay, why?
Me: Well, I looked up our consumption from last week and it costs us an extra $1.00-$1.50 to run the air conditioning.
Gary: Is our comfort not worth $1?
Me: Um, no?

9.  Good friends.  I have some great ones.  Solid people.  Great gift.

10.  Trust in God.  When my mom was sick, I tried to figure out why.  A verse that became so important to me was `Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding'  (Proverbs 3:5).  I'm not as smart as I thought I was.  I don't see the whole picture.  I trust Him.

I hope you can find many things to be thankful for today!

Love, Louise