Thankful Tuesday

It's officially fall weather around here, and I'm savoring it for the brief moment it's around.  Spring never sneaks up on me; I am always anticipating it beginning in February.  Fall, however, always arrives when I'm not looking.  One weekend we'll be splashing in the pool and the next weekend without warning, the pool will be closed until next summer.  Without fail, I'm surprised every year.  Our pool floats still wait hopefully around the pool, but they are about to start collecting fall leaves.
Today I am thankful for:
1. Fancy hot tea that makes me feel warm inside and luxurious.
Last summer on an impulse, we accepted some samples from a Teavana store.  We walked out $50 poorer, but rich in tea and accessories. Now the whole family is hooked on delicious fresh tea. I start brewing it every afternoon in our special tea brewer and the kids and I get started sipping.  Adam comes home to a fresh, hot cup most days.  It's a luxury we all share and relish.
2.  A handy husband.
Last week we received much rain and the roof started leaking.  I put a bucket under the leak and called it a day.  Adam, however, knew that wasn't good enough and crawled through the attic and on the roof multiple times to stop the leak until a professional can come fix it.  He also left work to rescue me when my battery died.
3.  Happy kids
Nothing warms my heart more than to be in the kitchen cooking and listening to the kids jump on the trampoline laughing so hard they lose their breath.
4. A plan in place
Now that I know I'm going back to school, I can start preparing for my next great adventure.  I'm doing a little bit on my application every day.
5.  Friends that I really love
I am so blessed to have several people in my life that I truly love.  Thank you for being my friend.
6. Laughter
It seems that the last week has been extra giggly around here. Adam has the power to crack me up just by saying one word or looking at me strangely.  Paul is working on his funny faces, too, and on the way to church, Sunday, we were all rolling at his sense of humor.  Claire has the ability to make hilarious connections between seemingly dissimilar people and events and she stops me in my tracks laughing.  I am thankful for joy that interrupts my routines.
7.  Halloween costumes
We've all got our costumes around here and we've been wearing them already.  A friend stopped by the house two days ago and I answered the door in my fox ears and tail.  He didn't even blink.  I love that no one thinks twice when I'm wearing something ridiculous.  Want to know why I'm a fox this year?  Click here.
8. Trick and treat
We've been "booing" the neighbors on our street.  Claire and I made a giant double batch of chocolate chip cookies on Saturday.  Claire and Paul have been secretly delivering them plate by plate to neighbors with a sign that says "You've been booed!"  It is so cute to see them sneaking up to the doors to deliver the treats.  Walking down the block and noticing all the posted signs from recipients of our treats makes me happy.
9.  Casa Manana
We had the opportunity to go see Dora Live! on Saturday at Casa Manana. The kids loved it and have been running around the house singing songs from the stage production.  Of course they don't sing the songs normal; there's always a goofy twist, but that's what makes it hilarious.
10. Grace for missing shoes
This morning Paul's world was coming to a crashing halt as leaving time approached and he couldn't find a matching pair of shoes.  We all looked in earnest but no pair was to be found.  His room is a disaster area and he was suffering the consequences.  Claire looked in her room and found three shoes, all different pairs.  Paul found several single shoes in various parts of the  house.  I started picking up and sorting toys, finding a few flip flops, but no matching pairs.  Just when he was lacing up one yellow and one black shoe, I went to the car and found a pair for him.  This afternoon he'll be cleaning his room, but at least his tears were down to a sniffle by the time he walked into the school building.