November 9: I AM GRATEFUL FOR RACHEL. Rachel was only six when our worlds met. She was a shy, pudgy, cute little blond thing. She would hardly talk and was attached to Louis' side, especially when the girls were around, but little by little she broke out of her shell and I couldn't be more grateful than to have her in our family. She is so smart and witty- always has a funny little remark, or play of words. She is so mellow, which in this house is a blessing, but is not afraid to stand up for herself and doesn't let anyone push her around. She is happy to just go with the flow- an ability I'm still trying to master, and seems completely oblivious to any teen drama going on around her at school, also a blessing on her part- that stuff can be BRUTAL. She pretty much always has a smile on her face and is just an all around pleasant person to be around. I'm grateful that I get to have her in my life.
November 10: I AM GRATEFUL FOR BELLA: Bella came into my life when I was only 21 years old. She came in like a lion and has never slowed down since. She has a power in her soul that can not be tamed and if she controls it, could rule the world one day with it. She is such a tiny little person with such a big personality. She has the ability to turn her convictions into foundations of unshakable faith and nothing, can move her. She is a rock. Not a day goes by that she doesn't bring me joy and put multiple smiles on my face. She is so generous and has such a big heart, that while she may put on a brave facade, inside she just wants to please. I am so grateful that I get to be her mom. And her friend. Bella and I have a very open communication with each other. She asks me ANYTHING, and I do mean anything, and I give her a 100% honest answer- even when I don't want to, would rather wait to talk about it, or am down right squirming uncomfortably inside....it doesn't matter. I give her the honest truth. I am grateful she has the trust and closeness with me that she is comfortable talking to me about whatever.
November 11: I AM GRATEFUL FOR ZOE: Zoe is the baby of the family, knows it, and plays it up to the max. She is sweet and cute. That's her domain and for that I'm grateful. We need sweet and cute in our family and while the other two were far more concerned with growing up, Zoe is not. She is concerned about having to grow up. She would stay about 4 years old forever probably if she could. She LOVES to be the baby and would still rather be with me than just about anywhere else. I know it will go away or at least greatly fade, but I'm grateful it hasn't yet. She is kind and gentle and sweet, but has a little rowdy mischievous side as well, but deep down, she's all sugar. She always knows when you need a little pick me up and can turn that frown upside down in no time, and it's to everyone, not just me or even just us. Even at school she writes notes of encouragement on her homework assignments...to her teacher, and she genuinely means them too. Her imagination is second to none and if she would write some of this stuff down one day- I'm sure it could be a blockbuster special....(do they even say things like that anymore?!?!)
November 12: I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY HOME. It's been basically a full year since I quit my job at Primary Health. It has been a blessing and a curse in all honesty. I am grateful to be able to have the freedom of going to the girls school and being available for their stuff. Especially since we all share custody, it's nice to be able to go see them on the days they're at their dads. I can go spend the day with them in their classroom and not really miss a whole lot of time with them. This is the biggest and absolute greatest blessing of the whole ordeal. I am so grateful for that, it truly makes it easier for all of us. The curse part is just in getting to know myself. It's really a blessing and something that I'm just beginning to figure out- but I am 100% the type of person that needs to be busy. I don't do well being alone and then if I'm bored and alone...it's never been good. Anyways, this last year has given me the chance to face that and really start learning about myself and how to just be. It's been a bumpy road, and I'm sure there are a few bumps ahead, but it's getting there.
November 13: I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF OUR TRAVELS. I feel like traveling makes us all better people. The more you travel the more you experience. The more you experience the more you understand. The more you understand the more you tolerate. The more you tolerate the less you hate. I just made that up.....I'm gonna put that on a poster and sell it. :) Really, though, I believe that, therefore I am grateful most for the amount the girls get to travel. The number of places they've been and seen for being only respectively 10 and 12 years old is awesome. All three of them have some amazing places under their belts with more to come. I know Bella and Zoe have at least 3-4 good trips this next 6 months alone: Tahoe this week, Austin in January, Mexico (again) in February, and now Bella is going to San Francisco for her birthday in March (this is awesome and there's a HUGE surprise for her there). These opportunities, while fun for the girls, are also teaching them about other people, places and cultures, and I'm super grateful for that. I'm also, of course, grateful for the amount I was able to travel both as a child and an adult. My travel map isn't too shabby and neither Louis nor I can wait to start doing a little more traveling once we get settled and such into our house.
November 14:I AM GRATEFUL FOR MY PARENTS. I never wanted to live in Boise growing up, and as soon as I was able, I was outta there. But then I had my babies and all I wanted to do was move back to Boise to be near my parents. They are such strong influences in the girls' lives and I'm so grateful that they're so close and we all have such a great relationship. They mean the world to the girls and I'm blessed they get to spend so much time with them.
November 15: I AM GRATEFUL TO LIVE IN THE US of A: I may not always agree with the politics in this country or many other things, but one thing I am grateful for is that America is still America. If we are unhappy we can do something about it- vote, protest, whatever, and not only NOT have the fear of retribution for it, but maybe even see some change and good come out of it. America is still great for this reason and I'm still proud to be an American today, despite the fool we have leading us currently.
November 16: I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE INTERNET. Yes, I know that seems ridiculous, but it is so nice to be able to have any question answered almost immediately. It's nice to be able to learn things and the wealth of knowledge, most of it free is amazing. You can learn to do almost anything, for free, and order supplies or whatever. It really has been a blessing to many and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and try things I haven't before.
November 17: I AM GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE OUT THERE WORKING A JOB I DON'T WANT TO. So before you all grab your pitchforks and come to hang me for my comment, let me clarify.....I am grateful to those people who are out there working, in any capacity, performing a job or doing a duty that either I have no desire to do, no ability to do, or down right am just not cut out for. This ranges all the way from surgeons and dentists to police officers and teachers as well as your friendly drive-thru worker. So many people do so many different things and it all works together as one big oiled machine. Without these people, my life would be far different and not nearly as awesome!
November 18: I AM GRATEFUL I LOVE TO COOK. Here's the deal- none of us really gets to choose what we're in to. Sure, we can decide what hobby to try, decide whether we like it and that kind of thing, but I don't feel we really get to choose it. I did not wake up one day, go down the list of all interest and hobbies, land on cooking and given an automatic love for it. I just have it. I've always loved it, even when I was little I would just sit in the kitchen and watch my mom cook, when I'd go to a friends house and their mom was cooking, I'd just want to watch....way before I ever picked up my fist spatula. Of course, I loved it even more once I started to cook on my own, but the reason I am grateful for it, is because my hobby is a necessary evil. We all HAVE TO COOK. For some of us, its a nuisance, a chore, something to get done as quickly as possible and move on to better things. I however enjoy it, and am grateful that since it's something that we all have to do so often, at least I get to be happy in what it is I'm doing.
November 19: I AM GRATEFUL THAT I LIVE IN A MORE TOLERANT, ACCEPTING TIME. I feel like we still have a ways to go, but just the little I've seen in my life time is progress. Gradually, as we mature here in America, we are becoming more tolerant and accepting of others who are 'different.' Race and gender were the first on the radar, both prior to me even being a thought in any ones head. Now, the focus has seemed to shift to sexuality. I'm not going to pretend to understand it all, it has gotten far more complicated and complex that I ever remember it being growing up. When I was growing up there were basically two "options" (at least that anyone ever talked about): are you straight or gay? And even that was really rarely talked about. Now, however, it's becoming more accepted, more openly talked about, people hopefully feeling less ostracized, therefore, feeling more open to be themselves. Everyone deserves to be who they are.
November 20: I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE HUMANE SOCIETY. I am grateful the Humane Society does all it does for animals. It's unfortunate some of the circumstances that land the animals in there, but it's wonderful a facility exists to help these otherwise helpless little guys.
November 21: I AM GRATEFUL FOR MUSIC. I prefer music to TV any day of the week. Specifically, I'm grateful for Spotify. I love Spotify. They have the best family plan. check them out if you haven't.
November 22: I AM GRATEFUL FOR IMMIGRATION. I love the fact that almost anywhere in America, you can find a plethora of people from various places on earth, living, sharing their cultures with those around them. This plays hosts to multiple ethnic shops popping up all over the place- making curry, curd, bean paste, rice wines, etc available. This makes it easy for us to do our themed date nights and we love them and for this I am grateful.
