Gratitude List

I am so blessed.  Examining any aspect of my life brings forth laundry lists of blessings.  For example, the laundry on the couch reminds me that everyone in my family is blessed with nice clothes that fit and look good.  The couch is from IKEA and makes me thankful for both sturdy furniture we can afford and a husband with skills to put said furniture together.

Here's my official list, in no particular order:

Today I am thankful for:

1.  Kashi cereal
It's healthy, and it doesn't get soggy when I have to stop eating to go turn on a light for Paul or to let a dog out.

2.  Wake-up Dog
I was considering sleeping in a little and enjoying the rain, but Sugar Dot heard my alarm and knew it was time to get up.  I was forced to sit upright to avoid more licks on the face.

3.  My new workout partner
Last week Paul rode his scooter while I biked around the neighborhood.  I had to keep my legs moving to keep pace with that boy.  It was such a great workout that this week we hit the Trinity Trails.  I walked/jogged and he scooted.  I think we covered a mile each way.  I had to work hard to keep pace with that scooter, which was good for me.  He got to keep picking up sticks and bugs, which was good for him. 

4.  Main Street Arts Festival
The kids and I went with our neighbors yesterday.  I was disappointed that there were less free activities for the kids, but I enjoyed pulling the wagon around and showing the kids different types of artwork.  Paul's favorite part was standing and watching a man play the guitar.  He also loved climbing the 28 ft. tall rock wall.  Claire loved getting a free rubber duck and seeing paintings of horses.

5.  Lunch with Claire
On Wednesday, we took Claire lunch.  It's so fun sitting amongst kindergartners and listening to each child's excitement at the day.  Claire's teacher always tells me Paul and I don't have to sit in the middle of the class table, but that's what we love to do.  I get to hear the high points of the day from Claire and all her friends.  Plus, if she has any tater tots or apples left over, we just pass them down the table.  I am blessed that my schedule permits me to do such fun activities.

6.  Gardening success (knock on wood)
A few weeks ago, we planted a pallet garden for my birthday.  It is thriving.  We haven't gotten any vegetables or fruit yet, but the leaves look great and we know it's just a matter of time.  We've got rosemary, oregano, strawberries, bell pepper, squash, and watermelon plants growing in a discarded wooden pallet.  I love it!

7.  Cardboard box giveaway
Last week I was having a day where I wasn't feeling like a very good mother.  We'd had some discipline issues that day and I was frustrated.  The doorbell ringing changed all that.  Our next door neighbor had just bought a new dryer and he offered the empty box to the kids.  Claire and Paul were elated.  Our neighbor went on to tell me for several minutes what good parents Adam and I are.  It changed my entire outlook on the day.

8.  Coupon sharing
My mother-in-law is a couponer like myself.  For years now, we've cut out the coupons we wanted and then shared the leftovers.  We don't buy the same things, so I get excited about double coupons.

9.  Surprise visit from a friend
My friend Melody has been visiting occasionally to pray and talk.  We'd missed a few weeks due to hectic schedules, and Monday morning when I had a moment of calm, I regretted not calling and inviting her to come over.  Just about that time the doorbell rang and she came over.  I was so happy.

10. Healthy home
The kids have been fighting illnesses on a rotating basis the last month, but we are currently all healthy and happy.

11.  School carnival
The kids got to live out a dream of having rainbow hair at the Bruce Shulkey carnival.  Though Claire's only in kindergarten, we've been going to it for several years.  The PTA does a great job of putting together a smoothly organized event with tons of people and fun. 

12.  Birthday love
My birthday fell on Good Friday this year.  Claire had a school holiday, so Adam took the day off as well.  We planted a garden, hung around the house, went for hamburgers, and then trekked to the Half Price Books headquarters in Dallas.  It was a birthday that I savored every minute.  The next day we went for an Easter gathering for my side of the family, which turned into a surprise birthday party for my uncle and I.  I felt so loved.

13.  Organization hope and help
I am constantly striving to keep the house cleaner and more organized.  I am so grateful that there are email lists that I can subscribe to that offer tips and tricks on this.  Seeing it in my inbox keeps it on the forefront of my mind and has ended up with greater success.  I won't say we're organized yet, but we're on the road to it.  (Here's the two list that I subscribe to FREE:  http://www.simplify101.com/
and http://simplemom.net/)

14.  Crochet for Jesus
My friend Lana is teaching me how to crochet as a spiritual discipline.  She says the names of the Trinity when she crochets, but I'm a beginner, so I've stuck with "Grace and peace, grace and peace, grace and peace."  I only know chain-stitching right now and not very well apparently.  After four days of practice, she told me to make it tighter and start over.  It's okay.  That's just more grace and peace for me.  She tells me I will appreciate this when I'm awesome at crocheting.  I'll let you know.

15.  Sprinklertime
It's already summer weather here, so the kids are loving jumping on the trampoline with the sprinkler on top.  I'm sure neighbors a block away can hear the giggles; the kids are ecstatic.  Even when Paul is home with just me and does it, I have to just sit and observe the sheer happiness that comes from the sprinkler on the trampoline.

16.  Apology letters
The other day Claire misbehaved and wrote me a lovely apology note.  I made her do that for her teacher once when she was on red, but for her to do it on her own to me was remarkable.

17.  Power Rangers fights
I don't know if my readers have ever watched Super Samurai Power Rangers, but I wouldn't recommend it.  I feel my brain cells dying when I pass by the TV and it's on.  In my defense, I've only let the kids watch it when they are sick, mostly.  Despite the dumbness of watching models jump around and fight Moogers (yep, sounds like boogers), I am thankful that it inspires my children to play.  Our kitchen has become a battlefield for Moogers and Power Rangers.  Claire is one of the girl Power Rangers; she rotates depending on mood.  Paul is always the Gold Ranger, Antonio.  My legs were sore this week from all the high kicks I had to do as the bad guys.

18.  Competitive gratitude from the children
I bought each child a $1 clearance Easter stuffed animal from Wal-Mart last week.  They were competing to see who was more thankful.  "Mama, thank you so much," one would say.  "No, Mama, thank you so so much," the other one would say.  By the time I had to stop it, they were saying, "Mama, thank you so so so so so so so so so so much!"

19.  Indifference about material items
Time and time again, this has happened.  I have finally learned my lesson and stopped interfering.  Paul will come up to me and tell me how much he likes a particular small ball or other toy.  Then Claire will come in pouting, saying, "I wish I had that same exact item."  Then Paul turns to her and gives it to her with a "You can have this, Claire."  It breaks my heart to see him giving away items he just professed love to, but isn't that how we're supposed to be with material things?  It's just stuff and we've got a lot of it.  I've talked to Claire a few times about asking for what's not hers, but sometimes she's not even asking for it, just observing that she would like a toy like that.  Those kids teach me life lessons every day.

20.  A parenting plan
Adam and I attended a Love and Logic class when Claire was a baby.  It was awesome because it gave us a parenting plan.  We are nearly always on the same page as far as discipline.  We have the same goals and a plan of how to get to them.  We never have to argue about disciplining the children because we have a parenting plan.  (Note that I didn't say we never argue.  We just never argue about discipline.  Rather, we consult each other.  I wanted to put that in for those who might mistakenly think we are actually perfect.  Not so.)

Woohoo!  That's a lot of gratitude!  Now off to wake the kids!