It's the little things, right?

[lovinmomma]

In a time that we are really struggling and worried about being evicted around the holidays I want to focus on the little things. I know lots of people were taking November to be intentionally thankful, but why stop there? Why not stay focused on being thankful through December when so much of our culture is focused on getting "stuff" and all of the stress that comes along with it?

 

These are the little things that I'm thankful for today:

 

We have been without TV/cable for years now. I'm perfectly ok with that, but I am a huge football fan. I have yet to get to watch 1 single game from my team this year. Not one. I typically watch my team every week. But yesterday I somehow figured out that all along we had a tv that had a built in digital converter and we never even realized it (it was one of a couple things that I got in the divorce)!!! Add to that lovely realization, a month or so ago hubby brought home some "stuff" that he had found in a trash pile on the side of the road. One of them was an antenna. SOOOOO..... I got to watch my team whoop up on the Chiefs yesterday. Wooohooo!!! And now I have TV. For free. :) It may be something little, but I am very thankful for the little things.

 

I am also very thankful that we are all (hopefully) recovering from the flu around our house. I didn't (knock on wood) get the flu and neither did my oldest or dsd. My two other children and hubby did, however, and it was not fun around Thanksgiving.

 

I am forever greatful that I have my children with me every day. There was a scare back a few months ago where their father was trying to get custody of them out of the blue after having not seen them for 7 months. I'm even more thankful every day now that I get to hug and kiss them almost every night.

 

And lastly, I'm thankful for some great friends that saw that I was overwhelmed with my house (this happens to me) and when they stopped by my house they cleaned my kitchen for me and did all of my dishes. Great friends!

 

How about you? What little things are you thankful for?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Great idea, Lovinmomma!  (A lot of things aren't going very well for me either.)

 

1.  A square Lindt dark chocolate smeared with peanut butter.  It is so good.

 

2.  Friends and my oldest sister who are so good at listening and being there for me.

 

3.  Our two dogs and cat who love to snuggle with me.  Instant therapy!  

[freeindeed]

The sense of humor that my hubby and kids have-they keep me laughing most of the time. :)

[Annie G]

I am grateful that our oldest daughter decided several years ago to stop exchanging gifts with us for the holidays and instead spends a week with us at either Thanksgiving or Christmas. They live 900 miles away and have three small children- it's a BIG deal to me to have them here for a week.  We play, cook, quilt, eat, and laugh.  

 

 

 

 

[lovinmomma]

Ack! I lost track of this thread, but surely there are more of you that want to add to it! :) Surely? Love the posts so far!!!

[Catwoman]

I'm feeling particularly grateful for Mr Cat (see avatar,) who is still with us a year after being diagnosed with having only weeks to live. We have to take things day by day with him, but I'll take whatever time with him I can get. I love that cat. :001_wub:

 

I'm obviously grateful for my dh and my ds, but I didn't want to get too mushy. :)

[Jenny in Florida]

I will follow Catwoman's lead and not mention the obvious stuff.

 

At least once a day I'm nearly overwhelmed with how grateful I am to have a dog who loves me. She's a little crazy and not especially well behaved, but my life has been immeasurably enriched by having her in it.

 

I'm grateful that I managed to finish the Christmas tree ornaments for my kids in time for our decorating session tonight. Our tradition is that I make personalized ornaments for both of them every year, which I present after we finish putting on all of the other ornaments. Usually, we wouldn't be putting up the tree for another week or so, but my daughter really wanted it earlier this year. Having been super busy with my son's holiday rehearsals and performances and coordinating his choir fundraiser and helping him get the first batch of college applications submitted on top of all of the usual stuff, I hadn't even started making the ornaments until late this past week. It took two nearly-all-night sessions (I've slept a total of about seven hours since Thursday), but I got them done. They turned out really cute, and I'm grateful that I have teens who appreciate the work that goes into such things.

 

I'm grateful for all of the little traditions we've created as a family that make this season special: shopping for the perfect Christmas tree, decorating it with the crazy, eclectic collection of ornaments we've made and acquired over the years, watching the broadcast of the tree lighting in Rockefeller Center and making fun of the cheesy performances, singing along with CDs of our favorite Christmas music . . .

 

I'm grateful to have found a part-time job I can do from home, that I like and feel allows me to make an actual contribution, that lets me make more per hour than I was making at the yucky retail job.

 

I am grateful for a sense of humor that helps me enjoy my life.

 

Those are the first things that come to mind.

 

 

 

 

[Liz CA]

Grateful that

...we are healthy

...we are blessed with a nice, little home

...blessed with a good church and friends

...have a funny dog - instant therapy as Jean pointed out!

...are able to give back to the community

...live in the land of plenty

...it rarely gets below F27 at night here (I've been reading that low temp thread, uuggghh!)

...it can be chilly but never icy and no snow here (don't like to drive in snow)

...power rarely goes out here compared to where we used to live

...soon we get to celebrate that Christ was born so we are not all lost forever

[Liz CA]

I'm feeling particularly grateful for Mr Cat (see avatar,) who is still with us a year after being diagnosed with having only weeks to live. We have to take things day by day with him, but I'll take whatever time with him I can get. I love that cat. :001_wub:

 

I'm obviously grateful for my dh and my ds, but I didn't want to get too mushy. :)

 

Could you update us in a separate thread on what is going on? I remember the scare you had but then I thought it was all getting better and he is scheduled for some kind of surgery???

 

[swellmomma]

I am greatful to be working.  I see so many posts on here about people struggling to find work, and after 2 years of unemployment due to health issues, I am so very greatful to have not 1 but 2 jobs.  Even if I am exhausted from working 7 days a week, knowing I can pay the bills and buy groceries even if nothing else makes me very very happy. Especially since both have hours that allow me to keep homeschooling and attending all the kids extracurricular activities.

 

I am greatful my ds got the deal he did, in the end it will mean no criminal record so he didn't completely throw his life away with a stupid decision.

 

I am greatful my kids can participate in some great programs and learn so many new skills.  Having the means to not only pay for those activities but also the gas money and time to be there. 

I am greatful for my little Yorkie who thinks I am the best thing since roast beef and gives me so much love and affection no matter what.

[Elfknitter.#]

Although contractual full time, I currently work and can for some bills and small gifts for Xmas. I hope to have my work contract renewed soon.

 

On nights like tonight where the temp is near freezing, I am more than thankful for a home, electricity, heat, water, and extras like Internet and cable tv. I also wish we could help more.

 

I am thankful we are not where we were last year, which was waiting to celebrate Christmas only to move onto this place for New Year's. celebrating Xmas in one house and finishing to pack for this house was stressful.

[duckens]

I am grateful for

 

--healthy kids and a healthy partner.  We marvel at how few doctor's appointments our kids have ever had, and we know that some of this is dumb luck.  There are many with health issues in their family, and the family revolves around it every day to keep their family members alive and functional.

 

--Loverboy.  He is supportive in all ways, good with the kids, and handy around the house.  I hope I can be the partner and support he needs me to be.

 

--a full refrigerator.  I wouldn't be surprised if we had people in our own neighborhood that suffer from food insecurity.

 

--cars that start when we start them.  For years, I drove old cars, and this was not the case.  You wake up in the morning, and you wonder if you will be able to go to work without your car breaking down and destroying your meager savings (saved for the express purpose of getting the car fixed when it breaks down).

 

--a garage.  We store extra stuff in it, and we don't have to scrape windows in the cold!

 

--a warm house.  We just live in a trailer, but, as I tell my family members, we own it; we can paint the walls whatever color we want; we can have pets.  Many people are envious of these things in life.

 

--the opportunity to homeschool, and a partner that supports the crazy ways this affects our life.  I know many moms that would just love to be SAHMs, or to have a work schedule that allowed them to see their kids off to school and meet them at the bus at 3pm, or that would be flexible when their kids are sick.  I am lucky enough to be able to homeschool and be with my kids all day.

Whether we are learning Chinese, or making Sumerian Princess costumes, Loverboy is in 100%.

 

--a town that has many opportunities for children.  Swim lessons, affordable children's theater ($4/ticket), great parks, schools, and homeschool support, Nature Center, and a local university with all it offers.  Many local free events.   It is clean and low crime.

 

--a country that is based on the Constitution and has limited corruption.  In the U.S., if you offer a bribe to a policeman, you ARE going to jail.  In many countries around the world, if you don't offer a bribe to the policemen, you are going to jail.

 

--infrastructure of roads to get us where we are going, electricity, clean water out of the faucet, police and fire protection if needed.

[sewingmama]

Well I am grateful that even though my kids are sick they are now old enough to make it to the bathroom so I don't have floors and bedding to wash and clean like I used to.