thankful thursday

It's day nine or ten... I've lost track... of the creeping bronchial crud and I'm drained, discouraged, frustrated and just plain grumpy... a mood that is much better suited for a Whiny Wednesday post than a Thankful Thursday post. But... I'm a creature of habit and if it's Thursday (and Thank Sweet Baby Jesus, it's Thursday) then I'm gonna be thankful, if it kills me.

I am glad it's Thursday. This week loomed large and long on Monday morning... knowing that I would be less than 100% and knowing that we would be short staffed and facing some ambitious goals for our agency that require me being MORE THAN 100%. I've made it so far... working my normal schedule... and although there have been a few weak moments that I wanted to tuck tail and duck out... I stayed and have done my best.

When I'm not feeling 100%, I'm grateful for the things that go right for me... a car that starts and makes it safely to work... a semi-clean house... a good cup of coffee... easy to reheat meals in the fridge... my sweet kitty cats curling up next to me... heat... my laptop working... text messages from friends... emails from my sweet cousin... encouraging comments on my blog... I'm feeling the love right now and I need it.

I'm thankful today for tradition. My oldest, my Boo-Boo has made the decision that he can't afford to come home for Christmas this year. I understand and support his decision. We always want to be together... but he's built a life there in Pennsylvania and that's home for him now and I don't believe in going into debt or getting behind on bills all in the name of Christmas. I think when all my boys are grown I'm going to do a Christmas rotation with them... alternating spending Christmas with them once every three years... we'll see... but what's warmed my heart to the bursting point over the past week have been the requests from Boo for my recipes for our seasonal treats... sausage balls, russian tea mix... we never had big ticket Christmases and my kids rarely got the latest, greatest electronics or everything on their wish list but I'm so proud to have created holiday memories that they want to continue as adults.

I'm thankful for new traditions too... I love my tiny pink Christmas tree. I love that we didn't have logistical issues trying to get a real tree home... that we didn't have the expense and hassle of a real tree... I'm thankful that my son indulges me a little pink Christmas tree without complaint. Of course... that was partly because he wanted the tree money to spend on something else... but ... whatever. There are boxes of unused old ornaments in my laundry room and I'm really very quite ok with the fact that they aren't being used this year.

Being sick... pushing myself to go to work every day when I really barely have the energy to move... I'm thankful for Early Bedtimes. I'm thankful that I have so few obligations that I can turn out the lights and tuck myself into bed at 8pm and nobody minds. I'm glad that I'm able to get that extra rest I need and I'm convinced that it's the extra rest and extra down time and the fact that I haven't attempted anything above and beyond the minimal requirements that has allowed me to keep going.

Well... one argument with a grumpy teenager later... I'm out of blog time... I guess it's just as well. I succeeded in finding a few things to be thankful for this Thursday and I wish you the same success. Dig deep if you have to... you'll feel better for working towards a better, brighter, healthier perspective. Love and hugs!