Gratitude Challenge – Day 5
05 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
Today’s task is to take 5 minutes and write about how greatful I am for all the wonderful things I currently have in my life.
While I don’t often acknowledge it, I do have a lot of wonderful things in my life. First off, my husband. I really don’t know what I would do without him. (See day 3 post.) I also have 4 wonderful cats. And while they often drive me crazy – I wouldn’t trade them for the world. I also have an absolutely wonderful house in a great neighborhood, and we are fortunate that house values have not dropped much (or at all) in this neighborhood and I am thankful that we were smart when we bought and didn’t max out our budget. Not that we are planning to move anytime soon – but it’s just nice to know that we are ok in the housing department for now. I am also thankful for my wonderful parents and my wonderful sister, who are incredibly supportive of me, no matter how much of a pain I am. I am also thankful for my mother in law. I hear horor stories about other mother in laws, and am thankful that mine is so supportive (but not in any sort of intrusive way). I am also greatful for my husband’s good health (as well as mine and our family’s).
I guess, no matter how bad/overwhelming/sad/stressful things seem at times. I really do have quite a bit for which to be thankful.
Gratitude Challenge – Day 4
05 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
Today, (or more accurately, yesterday) the task is to write a short message of thanks for some of the “negative” things in my life.
Probably the biggest negative recently is when I got laid off early in the spring. That was an absolutely horrible time for me as I really expected to be at that job until I retired (or until the job killed me). The way it went down was very bad too as I was betrayed by someone I had considered a very good friend.
While I do not know that I will ever be able to fully forgive my former friend, or the firm for the way I was treated, both in the 11 years I was there or in the disrespect they showed when they let me go, I am now at a point where I am thankful that I am no longer working there. While I still don’t know what I want to do, or where I want to ultimately work, I do believe that I have learned that it is not necessary to stay at a place where I am treated like I was. I have been forced over the past 6 months to do a lot of soul searching (something I didn’t ever have time for and didn’t really want to delve into). I have learned a lot about myself; I have begun to exercise; I have lost 15 pounds – all things that wouldn’t have been possible before. I have been able to spend time taking care of myself and my husband and furkids. It has been a wonderful opportunity.
I still don’t have all the answers about who I am and what I want to do/be when I grow up, I do know that I am in a better place now than I was before I got laid off. So for that, I am thankful.
Gratitude challenge – Day 3
03 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
Day 3 of this challenge is to simply write about something for which you are grateful.
Today’s something is actually a someone: my husband. He is someone for whom I am grateful every single day. He is absolutely wonderful, patient with me, understanding of me (tough as that is sometimes), fun to be around, loving, smart, handsome, an incredible handyman, and fun-loving. In short, he is absolutely perfect. I do not know how I ever got so lucky to find him (and have him want to be with me), but lucky I am. I need to always remember how grateful I am that he came into my life and I need to make sure that he knows how I feel. I hope everyone can have someone in their lives like my husband.
Gratitude Challenge – Day 2
03 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
Ok, I know. I am already slacking and it is only day 2. However, in my defense, I did spend time thinking about the day 2 task yesterday. I just didn’t sit down on the computer once I got home from work to write about it.
So here it is: Use the alphabet to make a list of things for which you feel grateful and share the list.
A – Airplanes that take me away on vacations
B – Benedryl (or other sleep aids)
C – my Cats (all 4 of them)
D – my Dad
E – my Eyesight
F – the Future with my Husband
G – my Garden
H – my Husband; my Home; Hawaiian vacations; Hood River vacations
I – IKEA (is this bad???)
J – my Jeep
K – Kisses
L – Love
M – my Mom; my Mother in Law
N – my Nesties
O – Oxygen
P – Powerball (you know, the one I am going to win soon)
Q – the Queen (sorry – tough letter)
R – Relaxation
S – Sunshine
T – Travel; Time
U – United airlines to take me on vacations
V – Vacations
W – Water (pools, lakes, ocean, streams – pretty much anything)
X – Got nothing for this one
Y – Yeast breads (yep – this carb lover is addicted)
Z – zucchini (the ones that grow so prolifically in my garden)
Later today I’ll post my Day 3 task.
The Gratitude Challenge – Day 1
01 Aug 2011 1 Comment
A friend of mine started doing this 21-day gratitude challenge today and I thought I would join in as it is a really great idea. The details can be found at:
Day 1 challenge is to make a commitment to take note and give thanks for the next 21 days. I have accepted this challenge as a way to refocus my life and be thankful for everything that I have. My life has been very unsettled for the past 6 months (and even longer in many respects), and I feel that I have just been wasting too much time focusing on the negative. I need to start focusing on the positive aspects of my life as I have many positives for which to be thankful. I know that many people believe that we bring into our lives, the things we focus on – ie, if we think negative, we attract negative things to our lives. If this is true, than I am very guilty of much negativity. I am going to take this 21-day challenge and work to reverse the negative thinking in my life and instead, focus on the positive and be grateful for all the good things.
Will you join me?
Ooops. Bad blogger … again!
02 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
Well, so much for trying to post here regularly. One of these days I will manage to get everything organized so I can do that. Oh well, until then, here is an update of my 101 things in 1001 days lists:
List 1
2. Wrote 2 blog posts.
3. Reviewed and updated my lists 4 times.
10. Took 2 overnight trips with Lars.
14. Went camping at Lake McConoughy.
21. Saw my sister at least 4 times.
24. Worked on cleaning out magazines and recycling.
27. Took pictures.
29. Took an art/craft class (the purse liners class at knitting store). Was supposed to take another, but ended up not being able to due to work.
36. As a result of the craft class above, I was able to get the purse liner sewed into Jenna’s purse.
39. Worked on baby blanket for Palmer – although it had a big hole in it so Ive restarted it.
48. Bought life insurance. Yay!!!
61. Tried 3 new recipes.
76. Read at least 9 more books.
81. Got 2 pedicures.
List 2
Only thing I accomplished here was to get a new side table – courtesy of birthday gift from my mom and dad. Thanks!
My furbabies
09 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
I began to realize that I haven’t posted much about who I am or my family. So to remedy that – here are my furbabies.
Yes … we have 4. Yes … I should probably be committed. I’ve always told DH that he can’t leave me or I’ll end up a certified cat lady : )
Gracie Lu: (aka the “Bear”) She’s the one in the front of the bed. Jack just loves to snuggle with her. She’s not so sure sometimes. We adopted her (or should I say she chose us) from one of the local “no kill” shelters. They told us she had been there for a year. She has asthma and we have to give her medicine daily – but we love her and she give us so much love back.
Sadie: (aka the “Monkey”) My sister adopted her as a kitten. But she was a holy terror – dad nicknamed her “ricochet.” Sis moved in with me for a while and Sadie and Gracie got along so well. After my sister moved out, she went back to her crazy ways and we decided it might be best if she had another cat around. We hoped that Gracie could teach Sadie how to mellow out. It worked and Sadie is now one of the sweetest cats ever.
Jack: (aka “Party Cat”) As you can see, he loves dressing up. He is Buster’s brother and both have been with us since the day they were born. He loves to get licked by Gracie so we often find him right next to her. He doesn’t seem to understand the concept of bedtime yet and often will play all night. Of course, come morning, he is curled up sleeping and looking so innocent and sweet. Thus, the nickname “party cat.”
Buster: (aka “Big Boy”) He is our big boy – all 19 pounds of him. He is Jack’s brother and both have been with us since the day they were born. He will snuggle with me, but only at night in bed. Other times of the day he generally doesn’t purr or snuggle.
The boys as babies with their sister Georgie (the black one). They were such cuties. I hated that they had to grow up. My parents adopted Georgie so we still get to see her at holidays.
February/March 2010 Update
02 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
List 1
2. Wrote 3 blog posts.
3. Updated my list 2 times.
10. Took an overnight trip with the Hubs (see # 15)
15. Travelled to Hawaii. Yay!!!
18. Met up with friends – once for coffee and once for lunch.
21. Saw my sister 3 times.
27. Took pictures.
32. Saved those pictures to external hard drive.
45. Taught Gillian to knit.
58. Worked out at home. (Actually did the Wii 30-day challenge)
76. Read several books (but can’t remember how many so I need to update my list to be sure).
81. Got a pedicure.
List 2
Unfortunately, did nothing off of this list, but promise I will do better in April.
Will post pics from vacation soon. Stay tuned 
Cancer Sucks!
04 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment
No … my husband’s cancer has not returned. Thankfully. At least I really, really, really hope not. But, it has come time, once again, for his regularly scheduled testing which has to be done for the rest of his life. So again, all the fear, pain, uncertainty that comes along with the testing, returns with a vengence.
It is so hard to sit back and watch him have to go through all of this again and again, and not be able to do anything to take away any of the fear or pain, or even reassure him that everything is going to be just fine. Because I cannot guarantee him that. I wish I could and I would really do anything to do that for him.
The fact is that because he lost his eye to the cancer, he has a daily reminder and can never really “forget.” But at least after each time the testing is done and we get an all clear, he can go back to living his life knowing that at least at that moment, he is cancer-free.
Since I can’t take the cancer away, or do anything to make sure that it never comes back, I will just continue giving him all the love and support I can, and just hope the test results come back clean so that he can live again – at least until the next round of tests.
If you have a moment, or some juju to spare, we could really use some good thoughts sent his way next week so that he is clean.
Thanks.
21 Things in 12 Months
16 Feb 2010 Leave a Comment
Since the 101 Things in 1001 Days seems so overwhelming at times, I also created a smaller list of 21 things in 12 months to do. (And joined a FB group to help keep me on track.) Some of these are the same or similar to the other list, but they are things that I am hoping to get all done this year.
1. Lose at least 10 pounds.
2. Maintain my momentum to make my life a priority over my work.
3. *** This is a goal that I’m not quite willing to share yet as I am not sure who, if anyone, is reading. But it is one that I am working on.
4. Start exercising regularly.
5. Finish organizing craft room.
6. Set up wills.
7. Get life insurance.
8. Finish up several unfinished knitting projects.
9. Clean up master closet and install closet organizer.
10. Get furniture for living room.
11. Organize and paint master officer.
12. Organize basement storage area.
13. Read 50 books.
14. Go camping.
15. Renew passport.
16. Change auto insurance.
17. Organize paperwork for bills.
18. Organize bank accounts.
19. Paint/stain patio door.
20. Get vents/ductwork professionally cleaned.
21. Furnish and decorate dining room.
