Things I'm thankful for

Before I talk about the things I'm thankful for, I have to give thanks to God for all that I have. All of my blessings, both spiritual and material, are from Him. That being said, here goes...

• John -- I know without a shadow of a doubt that he was the answer to many, many prayers. I believe that everything that happens is part of God's ultimate plan for us. I don't think it was coincidence that I was hired at the hospital. John has been such a wonderful blessing to me. My life certainly would have been much less fulfilling were he not a part of it.
• Kiddos -- Katy and Jessi were part of a package deal with John, and I was more than willing and happy to get that part of the package. Even though I knew biological children were not part of my future, I was open to being a step-mom...even before I met John. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world to have such beautiful, funny, and smart (step)daughters. And an added bonus is that I get to claim Phillip and Sam, too. Other than John, these are two of my favorite guys.
• Family -- My family is a huge part of my life. I don't always get to see them as much as I'd like, but that's one of the pitfalls of living away. Growing up, we were always a pretty close family. I remember cook-outs on summer nights, more food than could be eaten at the holidays, and lots of laughter. When I talk about family, I'm not talking about only my family I was born into, I'm also talking about the family I married into. John's family accepted me for the beginning and made me feel like I belonged. Carl and Billie made me feel as if I were one of their own children, and Connie and I have always been just like sisters. Needless to say, I am very fortunate in the in-law area. :)
• Friends -- I have some of the best friends a person could hope to have. These are people who I can be myself--100%. They know my quirks, my faults, my likes, and my dislikes. We laugh and cry together. We can talk about everything and about nothing. We don't have to DO anything to have a good time, and sometimes those are the best times.
• Health -- Both John and I are relatively healthy. His diabetes and my allergies are the worst problems we have, and we are able to control them.
• A home -- Not just a house--a home. Almost as soon as I was hired at Ben Russell, we began looking for a house to buy. We looked and looked and looked, but the second we pulled up to this house, we knew we'd found our home. We both love antiques, and this house was built in 1937, so it fit perfectly with what we wanted. Over the years, we have filled it with lots of love and laughter.
• A job I love -- Well, most of the time. LOL Seriously, I do love my job, but there are parts of it that I'd change (like TONS of grading...) My students keep me on my toes and keep me young. There have been times when I still taught special education that I often wondered what else I could do, but when I 'd really sit down and think about it, there wasn't anything else I wanted to do.

There are many other things in my life that I am thankful for, but I don't think I should go on forever and ever. :) I know how very fortunate I am, and I thank God each and every day for everything.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Love you all!