I'm Thankful for...

Thirty things I am thankful for:
 (I will add one each day of November, or a few at a time to catch up or thank ahead cuz that's how I operate, check back!)

This goes without saying since it an always and forever and most sincere feeling of gratitude; and yet I feel compelled to say it because every facebook status I have in my newsfeed says it too: I am thankful for my family and extended family. I am very thankful for my husband and all of my kids, yes, even the dog. Thank you, people, for being my people!

1. I am thankful that Halloween is over. We made it through another successful year of trick or treat! Costume making, decorating, parties, birthday dinner, candy and cake - it's all done! And we did it well I think. I am thankful for all the fun times we had, but I'm thankful to be done with Halloween and move on.

2. I am thankful for my friend, Audrey. Yesterday, she was almost hit by a car. The trailer she was pulling behind her bike was hit. Luckily, her little boy was not in it at the time (she just dropped him off at preschool so it was empty).  I am thankful that she was not hurt, only shaken and inconvenienced.

3. I am thankful for Fenna. She is sharing a lot with us and we are learning and having fun. It is really fun to learn Dutch words, hear stories about how Dutch people do things, and get a new perspective on our American lives.  It's also very cool to see her grow personally. She's having adventures that will forever change her and impact her life decisions. I am thankful that she's such a cool kid.

4. I am thankful that I got to take a nice long hot shower. Usually, I am in a hurry and dealing with crying and pounding at the door, if not an audience right there in the bathroom. Getting a nice long hot shower with no crying audience is not easy around here. What can I say? They love me every minute of the day and cannot bear to have me disappear alone into the chamber of steamy suds.

5.  Friends. I am thankful for friends. I have very nice people in my life and even though I don't spend a lot of time with any of my friends, they are all good people. I'm lucky to know so many! I've got a bunch of online friends from blogging, forums, and other online social spots. They're great and some I've been friends with for 6 years already! I really do consider them to be my friends and not just online people. I have my local mommy friends. I don't see a lot of them lately with school in full swing, but they are a great bunch of ladies. We get together for parties, playdates, babysit swap, and everyone is always very happy to see each other and support one another. If one needs help, there are a handful that are more than willing every time. So wonderful to be part of this group.  And, I have my husband's coworkers as friends. They are special people. I only see them a few times a year, some I don't see but once a year if that. But, they always are a bunch of great people who include me on their fun even though I'm not one of the coworkers and in on their every day lives. They are the friends who inspire me; they are great!

6. Coffee. Really, my life would not be the same without my morning caffeine.

7. My teakettle. My friend, Kristin, gave me a tea kettle not too long ago after mine exploded like a bomb. I really appreciate the new tea kettle! I use it every single day and lately, several times a day. I cannot live without a tea kettle on the stove, that is a fact. I'm also very thankful for my friend too! She's awesome in many ways, not just with saving my sanity with a tea kettle. Thank you, Kristin!

8.  Once again, I am thankful for Kristin! And Keith! Between the two of them, they rescued me when I had a flat tire. I was meeting Kristin at the park for a much needed playdate with our little girls. Fenna said she'd come along. Lexie and Charlie weren't doing anything so they came too. Six of us in the van! We were two blocks from the park and I heard sprinklers but I didn't see any. Odd to have sprinklers going this time of year. But, I heard Psh, psh, psh, psh.... A block later, I stopped at the red light and the noise stopped. My tire air pressure light popped on. Ding. Oh no. I went around the corner and into the parking lot at the park. My tire was mostly flat, not completely flat, but it was obviously a problem. Everyone got out and went to play and I called my husband. He got home from an out of town conference 20 minutes earlier. He came to my rescue! Since the tire wasn't completely flat and he couldn't see anything sticking in it, he decided to take it to the tire store a couple of miles away through town and he left me his truck. It suddenly got cold in the park! Kristin took my teenager and my just barely big enough to legally ride without a carseat kid, and I took Lexie and we stuffed Charlie and Libby into carseats in the jumpseats of the truck. We all fit! Thank you Kristin and Keith for rescuing me and my brood! And extra thanks to Keith for the new tires. Nice!