30 Things I'm Grateful For...

Since next week is Thanksgiving I thought I'd get us started early with 30 Things I'm Grateful For...

See creepy fingers cute bottom!

What smell are you grateful for today?

I am always thankful for anything that smells like Christmas, so basically Bath and Body Works. Truthfully, the smell of the holidays brings me joy and comfort (or comfort and joy).

What technology are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for Google and the ability to Google anything anywhere. I can’t tell you how often I do this! Do penguins have knees? How old was Eliza Hamilton when she died? Can you eat too much bread pudding in one sitting?

What color are you grateful for?

It’s a tie between pink and black. Pink for being my favorite color and black for making me look like I try at the gym.

What food are you most grateful for?

ALLLLLLL the foods but especially pizza!

What sound are you grateful for today?

As a teacher surviving the week before Thanksgiving break, I am grateful for the sound of silence even if it’s only for 5 minutes.

What in nature are you grateful for?

I’m truly grateful that raccoons have really fat bottoms! It makes up for their creepy fingers and makes me laugh when they run.

What memory are you grateful for?

There is literally no way to decide for this question. I’m very sentimental and memories are very important to me.

What book are you grateful for?

Outside of the Bible, probably the Anne of Green Gables series. Anne has colored my outlook on life and on being unique.

What place are you grateful for?

My parents’ house. I love my house and I have so many memories in it but there is something about snuggling down under the covers on Christmas Eve without a care because Mother and Daddy are down stairs and cause Santa’s coming.

What taste are you grateful for today?

Cherry Coke! I don’t typically drink carbonated drinks but my throat is killing me and it is like nectar from the gods.

What holiday are you grateful for?

CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!! I love the Christmas season because not only do we celebrate the beginning of our salvation story but the world seems a little warmer. There’s a little more compassion and hope. You can still believe in the good in the world and hopes for the future.

What texture are you grateful for?

What a strange question! GLITTER!!!!!

What abilities are you grateful for?

I am thankful for my creativity and resourcefulness. It’s one of those things that I take for granted until someone points out how it stresses them to design costumes or decorate for a dinner with 250 of your closes friends. I derive so much joy from these creative projects and I’m thankful that the Lord gives me the joy with the ability.

What sight are you grateful for today?

I’m so thankful for the sight of my Tylenol Sinus.

What season are you grateful for?

If you can’t tell from my other 38 answers, I L-O-V-E the holiday season. Those days from October 1st to December 31st. I’m pretty sure magic exist during these times. I have no issue believing in elves and flying reindeer when twinkle lights and glitter are an acceptable part of décor.

What about your body are you grateful for?

I take for granted how able my body is. I once had some say that you should appreciate ever sore muscle because it means that you have a body capable of working out and growing stronger. So, I am thankful for my growing strength!

What knowledge are you grateful for?

I love every random piece of knowledge I have. It makes me weird but I’m glad that I’ve learned so much stuff. Who knows? It might be useful one day.

What piece of art are you grateful for?

I really appreciate ancient/historic art because it gives us a glimpse of these people that we would have no other way of visualizing. For example, I really like the work of Holbein (the younger) because he captured so much of Tudor court even if it was captured in the way they wanted rather than in the most truthful light. (Looking at you Henry!)

What touch are you grateful for?

This is also a strange question…Hugs. Especially unexpected hugs. They can break down walls.

Who in your life are you grateful for?

It’s been a year since mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and I’m extremely grateful that she is healthy and here.

What song are you most grateful for?

I could no more pick one song than pick one star. I’m grateful for music of all kinds. Something in melody makes my soul dance.

What story are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for the story my grandmother used to tell me about a painting she had over her bed. It was of a deer in some snowy woods with a church in the background. When I would spend the night, I would sleep in her bed and she would tell a delightful story of how the deer showed up for church but realized no one was there because it was Saturday so he was scampering off. Her version of the story always made me laugh and now that she has lost her ability to speak I treasure that story and those moments so much!

What tradition are you grateful for?

I love all of our holiday traditions but especially decorating the tree while watching Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story.

What challenge are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for the challenges I face in Tabata and Ballet every week. These challenges make me stronger and I’m appreciative of that change.

What moment this week are you most grateful for?

I was able to the Moscow Ballet preform the Nutcracker and I was able to see it with a bunch of my friends and ballet classmates. We even sat with our ballet teacher.

What form of expression are you most grateful for?

Dance!

What small thing that you use daily are you grateful for?

I’m going to sound terribly vain but my makeup or hair straightener. Y’all the struggle is real! There’s a reason Victorian women looked scary! They needed some concealer and a little lipstick.

What small thing that happened today are you grateful for?

We had food delivered for lunch and I got to eat with Meg which was nice. I love my students but sometimes I need big kid conversations.

What friend/family member are you grateful for today?

I’m grateful for my Great Grandmother Virgie even though I didn’t know her. Firstly, I’m grateful because she left behind the greatest pound cake recipe in the history of food. I fed it to my students today and they all agree. Secondly, she raised my Great Aunt Naomi, who was one of my favorite relatives ever, and she treated my grandmother like a daughter. Anytime, my mother and her cousins get together all they talk about is all the wonderful memories they have of Mamaw and she’s be gone for over 35 years! What a legacy she left!

What talent or skill do you have that you are grateful for?

I’m grateful for my ability to wing it! As a teacher life does not always go as planned so the ability to talk out of your head or make it up as you go along is priceless. I would be up a creek without it!

There they are! All my strange gratefulnesses...Is that a word?