Thankful in 2012

So, if you’re a person who enjoys the whole Facebook thing then I’m sure you’ve noticed the every day I’m Thankful for posts for the month of November. I have to admit, I was kind of annoyed at first. Not that I don’t appreciate people sharing what they’re thankful for [it’s your Facebook, do what you damn well please] – it’s just it was getting in my way of being a snoopy mcsnooperson on who posted photos and who didn’t. [Don’t judge, you know you do it too.]

I didn’t participate because I didn’t want to force myself to give thanks for something that I may have not really been all that thankful for in the first place. You know, just trying to make sure I did post something for the day to keep with the theme. I wanted to give myself a little bit of time to really think about what I’m thankful for. If I’m grateful/thankful for something I really try to express that in the moment to whoever or whatever may be the cause of that emotion. I often feel that social media is a gateway to ‘one-up’ other people into thinking that they’re life is less awesome than you’re life in some way. [Whether intentional or not] And I didn’t want to do that in some way every single day with my ‘thankful’ posts.

So, instead I thought I’d hit you with it all at once on my blog. I figure if you’re brave enough to click the link to get here, then you deserve to be whammied into thinking my life is freaking amazeballs.

A few things that I’m Thankful for in 2012

1. Well, you know this one was coming – my daughter, Lillie. Every day is a blessing to be able to share it with her and see things through the eyes of a child. I mean, some days are more of a blessing than others. Like the time I thought I could get her to the potty in time when she said poo-poo. Turns out I only had enough time to drop her diaper to the ground and place my hand in a very unfortunate position underneath her bottom. Yeah, that day, not a blessing.
2. Another cliche – the ol’ husband. Same deal as above. Every day is a gift that I am able to share with him. He’s without a doubt the best friend I ever had. Which is exactly why there are some days when all I want to do is punch him in the throat and other days all I want to do is throw my arms around his bruised punched throat in a fit of love.
3. Running. I am grateful firstly, that I can run and secondly, that I want to run. I have pushed myself to places I never thought possible [physically, mentally, emotionally]. At the beginning of this year, the thought of running a half-marathon was something I scoffed at – and now, it’s something I’m going to do in two short weeks happily. Running has focused me on me and the results of that have been astonishing. I have more energy to give to my daughter [who deserved so much more than what I was giving her before], I have more energy to devote to my husband [who also deserved so much more than I was giving before] and I have more energy for me. It’s been absolutely wonderful.
4. Lillie’s Grandparents. They keep her while the husband and I are putting in our 40+ for the week, but they do so much more than that. They teach her, they let her grow, they share my excitement when she does something as silly as doing a booty dance. We couldn’t be more blessed to have such wonderful people helping raise our daughter.
5. Lillie’s Godparents [my cousins]. They are willing to keep her on a moment’s notice, they spoil the bajeebus out of her and she loves every minute of it. We know that no matter what we can always count on them to help. We also know that no matter what our girl is coming home with a new bag of clothes. [Not complaining on damn bit either!]
6. This blog. When I started writing here I thought it would just be a great little diary of sorts to kind of keep up with little tidbits of my life. But then, it became more. I have made friends I otherwise would not have had and I have accomplished things I never thought I would – simply because I wrote it down. Never underestimate the power of words.

Happy Thanksgiving friends. I hope you drown any sorrows you have in a bowl full of gravy and get your thankful on. [In the south there’s nothing a boat of gravy or a sweet tea in a mason jar can’t cure.]