Thankful Thursday #6

Food. I really like food. And I'm grateful there's plenty of it in my life. Maybe a little too grateful...

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Thankful Thursday #5

Man, I'm so happy for low maintenance friends.  You know the type.  Ones you call on occassion yet it seems like you just talked yesterday.  Friends that don't care that you haven't showered for three days and don't care that you don't want to play today.  They'll catch you tomorrow. 

I have a nice crop of low maintenance friends at the current time and I'm loving it.  I may never go back to the high maintenance route.

Today, I'm definitely thankful for those friends that make my life easier, more fun, and happier.

Thankful Thursday #4

Man, there's so much to be thankful for today.  What do I choose? 

I'm going to go with the ability to run.  I thought I'd be ready to talk about the half marathon I ran on Saturday, but it turns out I'm not.  So, it won't be about that.

But, today, I'm grateful for the ability to get up, get dressed, and to go outside and crank out 3, 5, 8, 13 miles.  On my own two feet.  Before half the world is even awake.
     
And, there have been times that I have seriously regretted not getting out.  But I can't think of a single time where I regretted going out.  Even in the pouring rain, or the snow, or the temperatures hovering at zero.  Not every run is fun.  And not every run is a good effort.  But when I get home, I'm always glad I did it.

So to all those who keep telling me "I could never run in winter", well, you can.  And you might even thank yourself for it.

Thankful Thursday #3

Man, this girl makes me laugh.  She's such a...girl.  And her personality cup runneth over.  Almost every night I lay down and shake my head and say to Wade, "That girl..."  I don't know that there's been a day in the last year where she hasn't made me laugh at something she's done or said.

A. is a full blown two year old, that's for sure.  But, where J. was difficult and adament about not doing what I wanted him to do, A. is just curious.  And she knows what she wants for sure.  If you're not fast enough, she'll do it herself.  Or at least try.  With varying success.  It's funny how two kids from the same family can be so different.

And look at that red hair.  Every time we're out in public someone makes a comment.  It's gorgeous, but it comes with a price.  Namely the "red-head" temper price.  Though she hasn't thrown a lot of tantrums in public, she does have a fierce temper.  And she does not like it when you mock her. She's a stubborn little girl who isn't afraid to let you know if you're doing something wrong.  It will be really nice when she has the words to adequately explain exactly WHAT I'm doing wrong.

J. was never really free with his kisses and hugs, but A. sure is.  She loves to give hugs and kisses and she's a definite daddy's girl.  It makes me a little sad that she wails when he leaves, but only says "bye-bye" when I leave.  :(  I know that every girl loves their daddy the best, so it should be no shocker, but still...

She's sneaky and she's cunning, but man, I love her to pieces.  Today I'm thankful for my little monkey and the joy she brings into my life. 

Thankful Thursday #2

This picture embodies J. to a tee.  When he came home from school the day that pictures were taken and modeled his look for the photographer, I thought we would have to do retakes.  When they showed up in his backpack a few weeks later, I laughed.  He had done the exact same look for me in the living room yet, no other picture has ever fully captured the J. that I know and love nearly as much as this one did.

J. is...unique.  And I love that about him.  He's full of energy and creativity and ideas that blow me away.  His brain goes 100 miles an hour and  the questions he fires at me are sometimes a little above me on most days, but he's patient with me and my dumb answers. He'll carry on full conversations between his lego guys and makes the most amazing spaceships out of the blocks.

Stubbornness would be an understatement for this kid and I'm positive that in a few years, when he's not being forced to do things he thinks he doesn't want to do and has some more flight in his wings, that trait will pay off. 

J. makes me laugh daily and I need to be better about focusing on those moments and not on the moments that frustrate me.

Today, I'm thankful for my Bug and I couldn't imagine my life without him in it.

Thankful Thursday #1

Bare with me, the first few entries on Thankful Thursday are going to be no-brainers. 

Up today is Wade.  Obviously.

Wade is strange.  He's odd.  But he's mine.  For.all.eternity.  Some days I'm not sure how to feel about this.  But today is one of those days where I'm glad for it. 

I don't think there's another 32 year old on the planet that knows as much about random things as Wade.  He's incredible.  He will research and debate and comb through brain numbing statistics to make sure that anything he purchases, anyone he votes for, anything that might happen within the community, etc. meets his criteria of excellence.  Rarely does he get it wrong.

It's hard to believe that this year, we're celebrating 10 years of marriage.  There are times when Wade will do something and I'll wonder if I even know him at all.  Even after ten years, he can still surprise me.  Sometimes, I wonder if we'll ever run out of things to talk about, but so far we're going strong.  We have our debates and our discussions and I really couldn't ask for a better soul mate.  I'd go crazy if he was one of those boring blokes who doesn't have anything worthwhile to add to the conversation.  I've listened in on conversations between wives and husbands that have almost brought me to tears because of how bland and boring they were.  Wade and I like to discuss current events and politics at the dinner table.  We discuss religion and work and hopes and dreams.  I don't know if there's been a day where he hasn't blown my mind with some insight.  He's amazing.

I can be pretty selfish with my time.  I realize this and after much thought and consideration and discussion with others, I've come to see this as not a fault.  Some people are happy devoting every last ounce of energy to their kids, but I never was.  It drained me mentally and creatively and made me unbearable to be around.  I need time for just myself.  To engage in passions I have outside of my kids.  Like writing and reading and socializing.  Wade's very understanding about this.  It's why I can be a member of two book clubs, a writing group, a bowling league (though that's when he's at work), Toastmasters and get togethers with friends here and there.  Though the two book clubs and Toastmasters all meet on the same night, so I have to choose, it helps that he mostly encourages me to do these things so that I can release the stress of staying at home with kids all day.

Wade encourages me to be a better person.  He is always willing to help out anyone who calls with a question about computers or cameras or electronics in general.  He'll spend Saturdays working on other people's basements and showing them what to do--even if he did his own almost completely on his own using YouTube and some unfortunate soul at Home Depot, who had to answer questions fired at rapid-fire succession.  He encourages me to look for the best in other people and to look for the best in me.

I'm definitely one lucky gal that he called me that fateful day in July.  I'm even luckier that he didn't run screaming the other way in the 11 months we dated, because I certainly provided the incentive to do so.

Today, I'm thankful for my best friend and soul mate.