Thanks

I'm thankful that I have a home.

Thankful that the roof doesn't leak.  The floor isn't mud.  The walls don't move in the wind.  We paid our rent last week and we will again this week.  We have fair and honest landlords.  More than fair.

I'm so thankful that today I ate.  I ate really well.  Porridge, Banana, toast, eggs, salad, Watties spaghetti (ah, a treat!), cheese, yoghurt, cake, apple...I ate really, really well.  I am not hungry.  I will not be hungry tomorrow.

My water is clean.  I'm grateful for that.  It won't make me sick.  It is crystal clear, sparkling clean water.  Gushing from my tap.  I didn't even have to go outside to get it.  Wow.  That's pretty amazing, when you stop and think about it. 

I got to work today.  Now sometimes, I am not very grateful for the honour of working.  Sometimes, I would much rather roll over and snuggle back to sleep (okay, okay, nearly every morning!).  But I am grateful that when we needed the money, a job was provided.  I'm honestly, truly in awe at the timing and the way my new job has fitted into our already busy lives.  I'm also grateful that I get to sleep in over most of January.  Bliss.  That's really something to look forward to!  Two more early mornings to go.

I'm thankful that I am physically able to work.  I can get myself around just fine.  I might moan and complain about various body aches and pains at this time or that, but right now, I am grateful that I am alive and I am well. 

I'm so thankful that we have family near.  Parents just up the road.  Parents-in-law just 'over the hill'.  It's going to be lovely spending time with them all over the next week.  Plus, my brothers are coming to visit!!!!  Not often that we get all three of us together these days, so I'm totally hanging out for that.  Then there's the BIG party - my 30th and Munchkin's Dedication...lots of friends and family coming for that, yay!

I loved spending time with my family today.  Boyo and Munchkin, centre of my world. 

I love the beach.  So grateful that we live this close to a beach.  A beautiful, windswept, sandy beach.  I realised just how much I take it for granted when the Rena grounded offshore a couple of months back.  Today was our first trip back to the beach since September.  Ah, I've missed it.  Munchkin with a stick as big as he is, dragging it all around, toes wiggling in the sand.  Running and running and running, chasing me and the stroller.  Then chasing Daddy and the stroller while a chubby little hand grips my finger. 

Laughter.  How I am grateful for laughter.  Moments spent rolling round and round on the bed, tickling tummy, nibbling ear, making funny faces and funnier noises.

I am grateful that tonight my man is out working.  Not that I wouldn't love having him at home.  But I'm grateful that he has a job.  And that he's working his hardest at it, trying to provide for us all.  I'm thankful that he's being offered extra work at a time when work is so hard to find.  I'm so proud of him, doing this past year of study!  I do love spending time with Boyo, holding hands, sitting and chatting as we gaze out our lounge windows.  Walking side by side on the boardwalk.  Being a team.  I love that we are a team.

I'm thankful that we have money in the bank.  Apparently this puts us in the top 5% of the world's population or something (owning a computer pushes us even higher!).  Whatever it is, I often forget just how blessed we are to have spare money at the end of each day, each week, each month.  Money for takeaways every now and then.  Money for birthday presents, money for doctors visits, clothes, and playcentre.  Money to help a friend in need.

And finally, I am grateful for my bed.  It is a really nice bed.  Soft.  Cosy.  Doesn't really look all that flash (most of our bedding doesn't match), but does that really matter?  And while I'm on the topic, I'm also thankful that I have blankets.  Lots of people don't, you know.  I not only have one blanket, but several.  I have a blanket for every season (and nearly every occassion!).  If I feel chilly in the middle of the night, I just get up and grab the quilt, the duvet, or the polarfleece blanket (depending on just how cold I am!).  And I just love my pillow. It is so right.  Moulded to me.  Then there's my hot water bottle.  I am totally grateful for hot water bottles!  I would love to thank whoever invented them.  They are the best!  I still use mine nearly every night.  Yup, even in summer.  My poor lil tootsies have trouble getting warm on their own! I so love my hot water bottle.

And on that note, I am heading to bed!  So thankful that tonight I can sleep in peace.  There is no war in my country.  No unrest in my neighbourhood.  Not even any loud parties.  I go to bed without fear of the night, or fear of tomorrow.  Thank you, God, for all these many blessings in my life!  Thank you.

Linking in with Paisley Jade's Things I'm Loving

Amy