HEY, THANKS!
I have been remiss in acknowledging that tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and that it is a day where we should be reflecting on our blessings. Lately I have used this blog to do a lot of moping and complaining. Which, frankly, I am entitled to do - after all, it is MY BLOG!
But...there is no better time than now to give thanks, and so I am going to give it a shot. Please forgive me if I ramble a bit, I've got a bit of wine coarsing through my veins.
I am thankful for my health. Especially now that I am well, after being sick for what felt like the first HALF of November.
I am thankful that I get to spend tomorrow with my family. Thankful, especially, that I have a family to spend the day with, and that they are a family that I care about and enjoy spending time with. I don't get to see my sisters often enough, so I savor the holidays as much as possible.
I am thankful that I won't be hungover tomorrow. I spent far too many Thanksgiving mornings in my twenties nursing a hangover from Turkey-Day Eve nonsense.
I am thankful for the show "The Biggest Loser." Loving the reunion 'where are they now' show that is on right now, and totally psyched that they just showed a clip from the road race I did with Mark and Jay (Season 5) in October!!!!! Woo-Hoo!
I am thankful that I like Turkey. Thanksgiving is kind of all about turkey, and if I didn't enjoy it, I think it would put a big damper on the day.
I am thankful for Riesling. Duh.
I am thankful for celery stalks with cream cheese smeared down the middle.
I am thankful to spend some time tomorrow with my two beautiful nieces and my precious new nephew, who I haven't seen in over five weeks!
I am thankful that I found kick-ass shoes for my twenty-year high school reunion!
I am thankful for not only a roof over my head, but a beautiful one at that. I'd be even more thankful if I had a cleaning lady...
I am thankful to be employed, when so many people are struggling.
I am thankful that I like and enjoy my job...for the most part.
I am thankful for my husband, a really good guy who is a wonderful dad to our daughter. I am thankful that Amanda is fortunate at her age to have such a wonderful relationship with her father, because it is something I never had as a toddler.
I am thankful that my dad came into my life and adopted me as his legal daughter when I was about the age Amanda is now.
I am thankful that my dad survived the heart attack that struck him out of nowhere this past March, and that he seems to be taking pretty good care of himself as a result.
I am thankful that Anthony's dad survived his heart attack and subsequent quadruple bypass, which happened last year on Christmas Eve. He also is taking very good care of himself and seems to be doing very well.
I am thankful for Starbucks. (Though not so thankful that my regular one is not open tomorrow!!!!!)
I am thankful that I have decided to play music again, and thankful that I was able to purchase a saxophone recently. I am even more thankful that, after twenty years, it seems I still sort of know how to play it.
I am thankful that I have finally stopped assuming that there are things out there that I just cannot do. Slowly I am learning that if I want to achieve a goal, with proper preparation and commitment, anything is possible.
I am thankful for facebook, and for the people that it has reconnected me with over the past couple of years.
I am thankful for fall in New England.
I am thankful for some of the amazing concerts I had the opportunity to see this past year.
I am thankful that I have made it nearly thirty-nine years without ever having to prepare Thanksgiving dinner! (Hey - I don't like to cook, what can I say).
I am thankful that the only travelling I need to do tomorrow is to walk five houses down the street to my parents' house.
I am thankful for Black Friday shopping.
I am thankful for Robert Downey Jr., and Michael Bublé. Mostly for Robert Downey Jr.
I am thankful for being in shape, probably the best shape of my life.
I am thankful that I have two medals on my bureau, representing two very first Half-Marathons that I completed this past year.
I am thankful that my hair is finally growing out from last year's too-short haircut.
I am thankful for Sharpies.
I am thankful for my friends. I don't say it nearly enough (or ever), but my friends are so important to me and are so valuable. You each bring something unique and important to my life, and I love you all.
I am thankful for spinning class.
I am thankful for my personal trainer Christine, who I truly love.
I am thankful for Howard Stern and Artie Lange, for entertaining me on my painfully long commutes to the office.
I am thankful for my mother. She is my very best friend, and I would be an incomplete person without her in my life.
I am the most thankful for my beautiful daughter Amanda. I waited four long, difficult years for her. No, actually, I take that back - I waited my entire life for her. But once I had made up my mind to have a baby, it was the longest most difficult road I have ever travelled - much harder than any race I have ever run. The four years of doctors appointments, drugs, ultrasounds, injections, negative pregnancy tests, depression, miscarraiges, chemical pregnancies, failed IUI and IVF procedures, hormonal shifts, all the way to being told by fertility specialists that our chances of having a baby were "highly unlikely" and that it was time to stop putting ourselves through the trauma of IVF...those four years, in hindsight, were the best thing that ever happened to me for the simple reason that they brought me my beautiful daughter, against every odd. Had things gone any other way, I wouldn't have the amazing little girl that I have today, the number one thing that I live for. Knowing now that it was all worthwhile makes the pain suffered during those four years so much more palatable. It is almost impossible to believe that she has now been with us for almost as long as we fought to bring her into our lives. Amanda is the best, most precious gift I have ever received.
Happy Thanksgiving, to everyone. Be sure to count your blessings.
But...there is no better time than now to give thanks, and so I am going to give it a shot. Please forgive me if I ramble a bit, I've got a bit of wine coarsing through my veins.
I am thankful for my health. Especially now that I am well, after being sick for what felt like the first HALF of November.
I am thankful that I get to spend tomorrow with my family. Thankful, especially, that I have a family to spend the day with, and that they are a family that I care about and enjoy spending time with. I don't get to see my sisters often enough, so I savor the holidays as much as possible.
I am thankful that I won't be hungover tomorrow. I spent far too many Thanksgiving mornings in my twenties nursing a hangover from Turkey-Day Eve nonsense.
I am thankful for the show "The Biggest Loser." Loving the reunion 'where are they now' show that is on right now, and totally psyched that they just showed a clip from the road race I did with Mark and Jay (Season 5) in October!!!!! Woo-Hoo!
I am thankful that I like Turkey. Thanksgiving is kind of all about turkey, and if I didn't enjoy it, I think it would put a big damper on the day.
I am thankful for Riesling. Duh.
I am thankful for celery stalks with cream cheese smeared down the middle.
I am thankful to spend some time tomorrow with my two beautiful nieces and my precious new nephew, who I haven't seen in over five weeks!
I am thankful that I found kick-ass shoes for my twenty-year high school reunion!
I am thankful for not only a roof over my head, but a beautiful one at that. I'd be even more thankful if I had a cleaning lady...
I am thankful to be employed, when so many people are struggling.
I am thankful that I like and enjoy my job...for the most part.
I am thankful for my husband, a really good guy who is a wonderful dad to our daughter. I am thankful that Amanda is fortunate at her age to have such a wonderful relationship with her father, because it is something I never had as a toddler.
I am thankful that my dad came into my life and adopted me as his legal daughter when I was about the age Amanda is now.
I am thankful that my dad survived the heart attack that struck him out of nowhere this past March, and that he seems to be taking pretty good care of himself as a result.
I am thankful that Anthony's dad survived his heart attack and subsequent quadruple bypass, which happened last year on Christmas Eve. He also is taking very good care of himself and seems to be doing very well.
I am thankful for Starbucks. (Though not so thankful that my regular one is not open tomorrow!!!!!)
I am thankful that I have decided to play music again, and thankful that I was able to purchase a saxophone recently. I am even more thankful that, after twenty years, it seems I still sort of know how to play it.
I am thankful that I have finally stopped assuming that there are things out there that I just cannot do. Slowly I am learning that if I want to achieve a goal, with proper preparation and commitment, anything is possible.
I am thankful for facebook, and for the people that it has reconnected me with over the past couple of years.
I am thankful for fall in New England.
I am thankful for some of the amazing concerts I had the opportunity to see this past year.
I am thankful that I have made it nearly thirty-nine years without ever having to prepare Thanksgiving dinner! (Hey - I don't like to cook, what can I say).
I am thankful that the only travelling I need to do tomorrow is to walk five houses down the street to my parents' house.
I am thankful for Black Friday shopping.
I am thankful for Robert Downey Jr., and Michael Bublé. Mostly for Robert Downey Jr.
I am thankful for being in shape, probably the best shape of my life.
I am thankful that I have two medals on my bureau, representing two very first Half-Marathons that I completed this past year.
I am thankful that my hair is finally growing out from last year's too-short haircut.
I am thankful for Sharpies.
I am thankful for my friends. I don't say it nearly enough (or ever), but my friends are so important to me and are so valuable. You each bring something unique and important to my life, and I love you all.
I am thankful for spinning class.
I am thankful for my personal trainer Christine, who I truly love.
I am thankful for Howard Stern and Artie Lange, for entertaining me on my painfully long commutes to the office.
I am thankful for my mother. She is my very best friend, and I would be an incomplete person without her in my life.
I am the most thankful for my beautiful daughter Amanda. I waited four long, difficult years for her. No, actually, I take that back - I waited my entire life for her. But once I had made up my mind to have a baby, it was the longest most difficult road I have ever travelled - much harder than any race I have ever run. The four years of doctors appointments, drugs, ultrasounds, injections, negative pregnancy tests, depression, miscarraiges, chemical pregnancies, failed IUI and IVF procedures, hormonal shifts, all the way to being told by fertility specialists that our chances of having a baby were "highly unlikely" and that it was time to stop putting ourselves through the trauma of IVF...those four years, in hindsight, were the best thing that ever happened to me for the simple reason that they brought me my beautiful daughter, against every odd. Had things gone any other way, I wouldn't have the amazing little girl that I have today, the number one thing that I live for. Knowing now that it was all worthwhile makes the pain suffered during those four years so much more palatable. It is almost impossible to believe that she has now been with us for almost as long as we fought to bring her into our lives. Amanda is the best, most precious gift I have ever received.
Happy Thanksgiving, to everyone. Be sure to count your blessings.
