Continued Gratitude
I have been busy working on shipping calendars, and I think I’m down to the final shipment - which will go out on Wednesday (since Tuesday is Veterans Day and the Post Office is closed). Tomorrow I will package up what’s left, and also gather the prints I will be taking to The Stash for the Holiday Marketplace next weekend. It’s just like me to wait until the last minute. Sometimes I think I work more efficiently when I have to cram everything into one day.
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I haven’t forgotten to write down my daily Gratitude thoughts and here they are:
November 7th
I recently read a blog entry posted by one of my friends. In the entry, she lamented the fact that she had to take a job unloading trailers in cold winter temperatures, because she needs health insurance for herself and her family. This woman is my age, and unloading trailers and driving a fork lift aren’t tasks she ever thought she’d see herself doing. But she has no choice. She will do what has to be done for the insurance. Today, I am thankful that Steve works for a company with comprehensive health/dental/eyeglass benefits. I am also thankful that we have the “fall-back” option to get care at the local army hospital. My heart goes out to anyone who doesn’t have health insurance, as the costs of medical care continue to rise.
November 8th
Today I am grateful for quiet mornings with my husband. I love mornings when Steve is off from work. I love that he puts on his boots and winter gear and trudges down the long driveway to retrieve our newspaper from the box. I love that he makes and pours my coffee. I love that we exchange sections of the newspaper and discuss current events. (He can keep the sports section though). I love that he turns on the space heater when it’s chilly in the living room, and asks me if I’m cold. If I say yes, he tucks the fleece sofa-throw around me. Steve is my rock - my strength. He is the voice of reason when my emotions rule my head. He is protective, and supportive. It’s the little things that remind me just how much he loves me, and just how lucky I am to be sharing my life with him.
November 9th
Today I am thankful for my friend Lisa. It is so nice to have a female friend with whom I can share a movie, have lunch, or just hang out with. I haven’t had a friend like this since Rachael moved away more than a year ago. (I really miss Rachael a lot, and she will always have a special place in my heart) As time passes, I find the friendship I have with Lisa growing. We have many things in common, and I feel a bond with her. I know that when her husband comes home from Iraq, we won’t spend as much time together, and that’s OK. I’m happy that I can help her through the deployment by being available on the weekends, when her loneliness is more pronounced. I remember what a lifesaver it was for me to have Rachael (and vice versa) when our husbands were deployed. I know that Lisa and her husband will be leaving here sometime next year. Sometimes I wonder if it’s such a good thing to allow our friendship to continue to strengthen. It will make the hurt even worse when the time comes to say goodbye, and I don’t know if I want to go through that again. However, I do believe that people come into our lives for a reason, and I’d rather have a meaningful friendship for a year or so, than to never have had the friendship at all. After Lisa leaves Alaska, our friendship may wane - as so often happens. But I will always be thankful for this moment in time and the fun we’ve had.
“When people come into your life for a season, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.”
November 10th
Today I am thankful for food - and the ability to purchase food - and being well-fed (albeit a little TOO well-fed). Steve went grocery shopping today (another thing I am most grateful for!) and I helped him to put away the groceries. While the majority of the food purchase was for what we consider staples or necessities, there were also quite a bit of treats or non-necessary items. And name brand foods too. I remember the days when most of the things in my shopping cart had the black and white packaging of “generic” items. I’m glad that we can now buy food that tastes good, even if it does cost more money. I can’t help but feel guilty that there are so many people starving in our world, when I look at the bounty that comes out of the shopping bags every week. I wish that no one had to worry about where their next meal was coming from.
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On Friday, I had to run some errands (mailing calendars and picking up some things at Sams Club), and I took Sedona with me. We made our usual stop at Creamers Field for a walk. It was -14F, and I had forgotten my hat and gloves on the kitchen counter. I pulled my collar up to my ears, and tucked my hands inside my sleeves. We had only gone about 20 yards when I couldn’t take the cold any longer. We came right back to the car, and Sedona even jumped in willingly. I can’t believe I forgot my winter gear! I guess I was so preoccupied with loading the parcels into the car, that it just slipped my mind. It did make me realize that my emergency winter kit (in the back of the car) does not have extra gloves or a hat in it. I need to take care of that.
There was a skijorer doing laps with his dog, and I snapped a photo, but I didn’t even bother downloading the memory card, as it was the only photo I took. When I go out on Wednesday, I will remember my winter gear and Sedona’s booties. It’s time for her to start wearing her winter clothes too! She won’t be making a fashion statement however; she always loses one or two booties each winter (much like a child and their gloves). Sometimes she wears two or three different colored booties. She doesn’t mind that her *shoes* don’t match.
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Tomorrow is Veterans Day. (Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, if you don’t live in the US) I hope that you remember to thank a Veteran for their dedicated and loyal service to our country. Let them know how deeply you appreciate the sacrifices they have made in their lives to keep our country free.
