I am thankful for.........

Thanksgiving seems to be a holiday that gets forgotten, probably because people have just put  away their Halloween costumes and already pulled out their Christmas lights and tacky sweaters.

Considering that I have more stuff than 75% of the rest of the world's population,

it's important to remember Thanksgiving rather than skip over it....

...in honor of this almost-forgotten holiday...

{which is only 10 days away}

30 Things I Am Thankful For:

-in no particular order-

[01] A husband who loves me. Who has never hit me or beat me. Who knows that 'no' really does mean no. Who tells me daily that he loves me.  Who stands up for me, supports me, and is willing to fight for our happiness. Who has talents and accomplishments and goals and plans. Who wants the same things as I do, and also some things that I have no desire for. Who is going to be one hell of a dad one day. Who makes me feel safe, secure and complete. Who has been there through all of my biggest life events and challenges. Who will still be by my side when I am 80.

[02] Family. Who have loved me through the good and the bad. Who want to be around me. Who plan dinners and beg me to join them and let them cook all of my favorites for me. Who, even though I deny deny deny, I wouldn't trade for anyone else in the entire world. Who I strive to become, and strive to not become. Who keep me grounded. Who remind me of my roots. Who can make me laugh on even the hardest days. Who I am forever connected to, no matter how far away we travel. 

[03] My dogs, who on a daily basis teach me to be patient and loving. Even when they poop and pee all over my floors that I have literally just scrubbed and bleached. Who teach me to close my eyes, take a deep breath, and count to ten. Who are my forever cuddlers. Who cry when I leave, and jump with pure and total excitement once I return. Who get my lazy ass off the couch. Who steal the covers and keep me up with their snoring. Who keep my feet warm at night. Who love playing in the snow. Who I love to dress up, and allow me to do so. Who make me smile and feel loved, even when I'm at my worst. Who don't hold grudges or bring up the past. Who remind me that life isn't as serious and I try to make it.

[04] For a loft in the City that is in walking distance to my office. That keeps me warm and dry and cool and sheltered. That teaches me responsibility and reminds me that taking out the trash is an important step in eliminating flies.

[05] For a job that is rewarding and although it doesn't pay enough, provides money to pay my endless bills and keeps me from falling deeper into debt. That allows me to meet different people every day. That allows me to do something positive for the community. That is in my feild of study. That has a gym right down the hall from my office. That my job gives me my own office. That values personal health and provides awesome health benefits.  

[06] For the clothes on my back.

[07] Food in my belly.

[08] Shoes on my feet, even if they are wearing out.

[09] My college degree. Even though I will be paying off student loans for the rest of my life, my job would not be nearly as rewarding without it.

[10] My ability to further my education and become anything that I want in this life. The ability to choose what I want to do, develop a plan, and then accomplish it.

[11] My car, even if it is a peice of shit. It still manages to get me from A to B.

[12] Friends who support me and challenge me to think deeper about my beliefs and convictions. Who look out for me when I've had too much to drink. Who stick up for me. Who include me in their plans. Who let me yell at them and then forgive me when I tell them I'm sorry. Who gossip with me. Who encourage me to work towards my goals. Who don't allow me to give up on myself. Who are the voice of reason when I need them to be, and the voice of possibility when I'm feeling hopeless.

[13] That this is the first Thanksgiving in seven years that I get to eat an actual turkey. That in the past, other options have been available for me to eat. That I always leave the table feeling a little too stuffed. That the leftovers get to sit in my refrigerator and be re-heated for the next week. That I have people to spend the holiday's with.

[14] Shamelessly, I am thankful for my iphone and the ability to connect {or disconnect} from the rest of the world with the simple press of a button.

[15] My imagination. It has saved me from several near-death-due-to-boredom experiences.

[16] My health. The fact that the last time I had the flu was sophomore year of college. That I am healthy and functioning after donating my kidney. That I am able to do anything physical that I put my mind to. That I have stuck to my work-out routine for 3 months straight and I am still motivated. That, despite the torture and abuse I have put my body though, it is still working and I don't have any serious health issues. That I can still run a 10 minute mile despite smoking cigarettes and that my time continues to improve. That the more I exercise, the less I crave cigarettes.

[17] That I have a choice in what I choose to believe spiritually. That I can change my mind over and over again and that this doesn't make me lose credibility, but rather strengthens it because it shows my interest in learning and thinking things through. That my life is not in danger because of what I believe. That my family has not abandoned me because of my beliefs.

[18] That I was born in America. That I was not born in a country where woman do not have a voice. I was not born in a country where it is ok to abuse women. That I was born in a place where anything is possible. That even though I don't agree with the way the government is run, I am allowed to voice my opinions. That my life is not in danger whenever I disagree with politicians. That if I wanted to be, I could be a politician.

[19] That I have access to clean drinking water. That I can refuse to drink tap water if I choose to do so, because I can afford to drink filtered water. That filtered water is always available. That I do not have to risk getting stick when I drink water from my sink. That I do not worry about getting sick from my drinking water. That I get to bathe, wash my clothes, and drink from different water sources.

[20] That I can make decisions about my own body. That one day when I have a baby, I can choose to give birth in a hospital or at home and either way I will not be putting myself or my baby at risk. That I can decide when I want to have a baby. That when I do have a child, I will not be defined by him/her and I will still have the ability to work outside of the home if I choose to do so. That there is more to me than my ability to give birth.

[21] That I have money to spare on tattoos and other hobbies.

[22] That I can read. I have the power to learn about whatever I want without having some one else read for me. That I don't have to worry about signing a document that I can't understand. That people aren't able to take advantage of me in this respect.

[23] That unlike many people in the world, I can afford to live on more than $1.25 a day. That when I don't like the food in my pantry, I can afford to buy lunch. That when I pass a homeless person on the street, I have extra cash to spare. That if I want to buy a house, I can save up and buy one. That if I want to continue my education, I can afford it. That if I want to waste money on a shirt I will probably only wear once or twice, I can without feeling really guilty about it.

[24] I am thankful for a boss that I can laugh with. Who cares about her employees personally. Who supports me and believes in me.

[25] That I live close to the river. That I can see it from the roof of my loft. That I can smell it when I leave our building.

[26] Dinner dates and laughing with friends over food and wine.

[27] A hot bath at the end of the day, with or without bubbles and music depending on my mood.

[28] My husbands willingness to let me cook dinner once in a while. His understanding that my ability to cook a meal without his help is important to me. My friends willingness to teach me how to fix some of their favorite dishes.

[29] The ability to switch from vegetarian to pescetarian to meat eater to back again without having a limit in food choices. To have knowledge and endless resources on doing so in a healthy way.

[30] The ability to live my life my way. That there are options for happiness and everyone gets to choose their own path. That there are a million ways to do any given task, and the courage to keep trying until I find the way that works best for me.