belated thankfulness

wow, i just got on my blog to re-read about my thanksgiving.
i couldn't find anything.
didn't i blog about it??
didn't i upload pictures for that purpose?
didn't i sit here and type out how i'm a grateful person and love my family and how i don't really like turkey that much?
and then i realized-- i never posted anything about thanksgiving.
no thankful post.
not a word about turkey.
or gravy.
or spending time with family.
not word about pilgrims. or indians.
not a single lick of gratitude to be found anywhere.
what?
are you kidding me?
i can be so...............ungrateful, huh?
so, before i go on and tell you how extremely excited i am for the holidays, and how much fun i am having visiting my family in their new abode in southern California, and before i tell you about my first 5k that i ran, and before i ramble off on some rant or tangent or some explanation why i think Ellie is so cute, i will now attempt to give a belated shout-out to thanksgiving with my top 11 reasons to be thankful this year (because i just couldn't squeeze em in to 10 reasons)...

ddrrruummmrrollll:

11. i am thankful for friends. i am thankful for memories we've made with friends this last year. i am thankful for the friendships we have that have stood the test of time and distance as we've moved so far away from most of them. i am thankful for little texts and emails and phone calls that boost me up more than anyone of them could ever even know. i am thankful for old friendships and new friendships. i am grateful to have girls to talk to about this crazy journey called motherhood and life- and i'm grateful to have couples to watch our favorite shows with, go out to dinner with, and just laugh with. and so, since most all of you are my friends, i am grateful for you.

10. i am so thankful that M has a job. what a crazy world we are living in right now. i thank the heavens every day that M can provide for our little family. we truly are blessed.

9. i am so thankful for my family. i'm so thankful they let me barge on their lives so frequently...whether it's to their house or on the phone or through texts or emails...they are always there. it reminds me of our family song "You've Got a Friend," by James Taylor (or Carol King, take your pick) (and yes, we are that cheesy family that has a theme song...but i know you're secretly thinking, hm, i want a family song):

"When you're down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.
You just call out my name,
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running, oh yeah baby
To see you again.
Winter, spring , summer, or fall,
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got a friend."

i'm thankful i've got a friend in my family. yesterday. tomorrow. every day. forever.

8. i am so thankful for M's family. for giving up every nook and cranny of their lovely house to US, our messes, our junk, and our overwhelming presence. for being so generous with their time and resources in helping us get our first home. for being patient with us. for listening to us and talking with us. for being my friends. and most of all, for loving our little Ellie so much. it warms my heart to see how much they love her...and how much she lights up and loves them in return.

7. i'm thankful for Sesame Street. seriously. Elmo is the best babysitter in the whole wide world! (now don't get me wrong here.. i'm always there...don't go submitting my name for Child Protective Services or anything like that.....) but really, i don't know how you moms who don't let your kids watch tv do it. how do you shower? how do you make dinner? how do you fly on airplanes? Ellie is an ABSOLUTE ANGEL on airplanes, thanks to Sesame Street. oh Sesame Street, how i am forever indebted to you.

6. i am thankful for laughter. and for the chances we are given to laugh each day. for example: today, i was going on this breath-taking run along the coast here in Dana Point, CA...well, i took my parents' Golden Retriever, Lucy, with me. everything was going just fine until all of a sudden, Lucy stopped in the middle of this paved walkway...which doubled as a golf-cart path for the nearby ritzy golf course...and pooped. you heard me: POOPED. well, everywhere there were signs saying "CLEAN UP DOG WASTE." but i hadn't brought a plastic bag. i wasn't anticipating cleaning up dog poop on my run. i mean, i have a toddler- i clean enough poop as it is. i don't need, nor do i want dog poop in my life. but there it was- staring at me. i had to do something. so, i looked at it one last time- real long, and real good- cursing just a little bit in my brain, and decided to kick it. yes, i kicked the warm poop to the side of the road with my lovely running shoes. ICK. what's a girl to do?

5. i'm thankful for music. music dictates the whisperings of my little hum-drum heart. current faves:
john mayer's new cd "battle studies" (even though i'm remaining impartial to the phrase: "who says you can't get stoned..." what the?)
david archuleta's christmas cd (A-MAZ-ING.......i  l-o-v-e it)
dashboard confessional's new cd "Alter the Ending" (brings me back to my high school and early college days)
and pretty much any and all other Christmas music....brings goosebumps to my arms and tears to my eyes.

4. i'm thankful for my religion- my beliefs- my Heavenly Father. i'm so grateful to know who i am, and where i am going. i am so grateful for prayer, which gives me so much hope in such a hopeless world....and helps me to not feel alone when i start feeling lonely.

3. i am thankful for my health. it seems like i take it for granted so often. but i am grateful at this time of my life with a busy toddler and a fast-paced world that somehow i am able to keep up...and not be out of breath all the time...or wait, maybe i am out of breath all the time?

2. i am thankful for food. i love food. so much. i've loved learning how to cook lots of yummy foods this year- and i've loved finding new yummy places to eat since we've moved to Northern Cal. i really really hope that heaven has some sort of food. because i think i might be really disappointed if there isn't any. like, i may ask for an earth-guest-pass to come and eat food once a week if there isn't any in heaven. i love it that much.

1. i am thankful for my own little family- for M- who is the perfect person for me...who somehow puts up with all my irrational, overly emotional rantings and crazinesses...and who i know adores me and loves me...and who i love and appreciate more than words can express. and for Ellie, my sweet little almost-18-month old little Ellie who has brought more joy, tears, personality, stubbornness, and love to our home than i ever could've imagined.

and so, i am thankful.
my cup runneth over....

ok, now that i have my thankful closure--

December, you can come now...
with all of your holidayness...
holly,
silver bells,
sleighs,
stars,
mangers,
stockings,
shopping,
baking,
cinnamon,
family togetherness,
evergreen,
sparkles,
mistletoe,
peppermint,
and so much more...

bring on the holidays!

xoxo