I have a whole page (that I will go update as soon as I finish this post) on gratitude.
With Thanksgiving (the name gives it away), and then Christmas (such good news in the birth of a baby, a Savior!), and the New Year (fresh beginnings) all coming together, I always start thinking about all the blessings in my life, the things I am grateful for.
I must put my wonderful husband at the top. He is funny, and a bit strange, and doesn’t understand how to play charades. He is patient and a great encourager for me. He is a good guy and my best friend.
I am grateful for a safe and easy drive to Raleigh. I know there is plenty to not like about I-85 and I-40, but those roads were good to me in Nov and Dec on many trips. Also grateful for less-expensive gas around Burlington!
I am very thankful that Connor and Duncan and Jacob are growing up into fine young men. They carry on conversations now, initiate games (instead of being dragged into playing with me), and they see ways to be helpful. They are also very funny and fun to be around.
I am grateful for all the time I have been able to spend with my nephews in Raleigh. A few years ago I was there once a month, but the visits recently have been much less frequent. Seeing them for a whole week at a time for a few weeks in a row was so much fun. I enjoy knowing what their schedule is like, what they play with during the days, and they know who I am. I love being someone they want to share things with.
I love how well Alison and I get along. We always have so it isn’t a new surprise. It’s just an ongoing blessing. She is smart and very funny and perceptive. Even with all that is going on right now, and the struggles she has every day, she is still a wonderful person that I love spending time with.
I am grateful for time spent with Christine. We’ve gotten together a few times over the past year and every time I just am so thankful for having her as a sister(-in-law). I love her new yoga studio and really enjoyed the time we spent together the day we drove to Hickory. (And she has a very nice new car now!)
I am always grateful for the house and job that I have. Even when the job isn’t fun, it is still a blessing. I can work from Raleigh if I need to. I get to work from home so I don’t fight the commute every day. And many days I am productive and challenged in a good way.
I am grateful for Pastor David and Mary Margaret. Pastor David is such an encourager for me, and he is a good preacher every Sunday, and he likes working with my husband (at least that’s what Anthony says). Mary is fun and smart and challenges me to see people and circumstances in new ways.
I could go on, in fact the list on the Gratitude page is something I can easily repeat every day. So many good friends and family that I love spending time with, who encourage me and teach me.
