Thankful Thursday

Hello, friends! Welcome to 2020. I wrote a post about my highlights from the last decade and my hopes for the next (health and financial freedom). I hope your start to the year has gone well. Here in the Lower Mainland we are looking at a forecast full of snow which we have yet to see this winter so it is kind of exciting.

Here are some things I am thankful for over the past week (and going back into the holidays we had). My goal for the winter break was rest. I was quite sick going into it and it took the full two weeks to get my energy back. This week I am thankful for:

1. Being able to run 5 km! Being able to run this amount is always how I know I'm back on track with my health. It was a slow and steady run but grateful I could do it.

2. Having such a low key Christmas. My goal was to do as little as possible. Teaching takes a lot of energy and encouragement. Going out with our family also requires these things and I just got so tired of trying to pump up my own kids. So, when Nya asked to go skating, I only took her and it was so nice to not have to make it enjoyable for the family.  She is great at being terrible at something. That sounds strange but where three of us are not good at doing things we're bad at, it is a breath of fresh air.

My favourite part? Slow mornings!

3. My new Fitbit Versa 2. Gary and I had a $20 limit for each other for Christmas because we spent more on the kids. He did not follow that rule. I did. Anyway, LOVE my new Fitbit as I've used one for years. This one has heart rate and sleep cycles and I love that face. Such a fan of quantitative feedback so it's a hit for me!

4. Getting my highlights redone. I'm not big into how I look but I do love having blond hair. Glad to have time over the holidays to get it touched up...besides, I looooove having my hair washed and scalp massaged. PS I still dont' have grey hair which is suprising because my mom definitely did. Maybe because my hair is lighter it is harder to find? Gary definitely does!

5. Quality treats. I love Purdy's chocolates but won't buy it myself ($$) so Gary also bought my Georgia Browns for Christmas. Yes, way over our $20 limit.

                                                

6. Connect Four. We are not a big "game" family and I think I'm scarred for life with games like Snakes and Ladders and Candyland. However, I found this beautiful wood Connect Four at the thrift store and we just left it out ot play over the holidays. It is so well used! My plan is to use it in my classroom when semester two starts and I'm teaching Math 8. My hope is to have a variety of games for kids that are done early. If you've taught Math 8 before, I'd love all your tips and tricks!

7. Book club. I love that it gets me reading books (like this!) that I normally wouldn't. I am only three chapters in but this is written so differently (interview format). It makes me believe it is fully non-fiction even though it's fiction.

8. Health. I'm thankful that my abdominal pain has disappeared. They still do not know why my liver is enlarged but I will have follow up ultrasounds and blood panels in a few months to note any changes. I still have very low ferritin and therefore am focused on my iron levels right now. I'm also waiting to see a rheumotologist for likely having Sjogrens (another autoiummune disease). It affects all your lubricating glands (therefore, eyes, mouth, joints, organs etc) and I also have neuropathy which is a very unusual feeling. It goes between feeling like my hands or feet are "asleep" to shooting electrical pain in my limbs. That doesn't sound thankful but as long as it Sjogrens I won't die from it ;) 

9. Hockey game. For Koen's birthday and Kai's Christmas present they went to an awesome Canucks game where they won 7-5. 

10. Trips. I am really grateful that we went to Mexico and Europe last year. It was a big and expensive travel year but wonderful memories for all of us–the highlights of our 2019 were all travel related. I feel that if I am working hard (and can afford it) we might as well enjoy it! This year the trips will be very minimal with Ucluelet and Green Lake for Spring Break so far. Our goal is to use our travel budget to pay off our mortgage and then save up for Hawaii next year.

I hope you are having a good week and I would love to hear one thing YOU are thankful for today!

Love,
Louise