Thursday, November 24, 2011

Thankful from A to Z

I'm stealing this idea from others on the interwebs. Here's my first (and probably only) Thanksgiving alphabet. I am thankful for:
  • Airline tickets and adventures whenever and wherever I can get them.
  • Mr. Booth, Jack's band teacher. He is the reason junior high is going to be okay.
  • Living in a community that believes in community. I am continually amazed by what people do for one another and what we achieve together.
  • Diet Coke with a twist of fresh lime.
  • Existential angst that keeps me moving forward on a spiritual path with faith and hope. Okay, maybe using the term existential angst is a bit over the top. On most days at least.
  • Friends and family. I know and love so many interesting and wonderful people!
  • Good conversation with all of those interesting and wonderful people.
  • Our home. I have a dysfunctional relationship with the house itself (clutter and dust are relentless!), but every night when we're all tucked in, I am so grateful we are comfortable and safe.
  • Ice cream from the old fashioned counter at SOS Drugs, a special tradition with Jack.
  • Jack, obviously. And not just because he's an excuse to get ice cream.
  • Our goofy kitties, Fluffy and Doublestuff.
  • Lake Geneva for summer fun, family, and renewal.
  • My MacBook Pro (and everything it enables me to do).
  • Natural curiosity, which drives me to think about, read about, and learn about all sorts of amazing things.
  • My orthodontist, who straightened out the crooked overbite I was developing.
  • My parents (and the fact that they're both okay after some medical scares this year).
  • Quick-witted political satirists who help me laugh in the face of insanity. (We will get through the insanity, right?)
  • Roger, obviously. And he also helps me laugh in the face of insanity, especially my own.
  • My students at Utah Valley University. They are the reason I love my job there.
  • Training for a 5k and my "triathalon" at the lake this summer. It felt very, very good.
  • My work at the Utah County Jail, which has stretched me in good and unexpected ways.
  • Our Dyson vacuum cleaner that we bought for a song from woot.com. It is superior.
  • A wealth of opportunities. I am particularly blessed in this way, and I don't know why. I never want to lose sight of it.
  • Extra pillows on my bed, which are extra nice for reading.
  • A year of discovery and growth. Writing this blog has helped me see this in unique ways.
  • The zoom lens on the camera Roger bought me for Christmas last year. It's come in handy many, many times.

2 comments:

Kazzy said...

Lots of things to be thankful for.

I want to catch up with you on your jail gig (the gig where you work there, not live there).

Robin said...

What a great post! I love the glimpses I get of how you see the world.

And I'm so glad your parents are doing well.

I'm thankful for great people -- like you -- who share their lives so that I can understand mine a little better.