Thankful 30: days 1-4

I hate to be a copy cat but I've been seeing a lot of posts about November being a time to reflect on the things we have to be thankful for. I thought I would take up the challenge to both a) increase the frequency of posts on my blog and b) think of something to be thankful for each and every day. Even if you don't have a blog, I challenge you to do the same. It seems like it should be easy but we sometimes take for granted all that we have been blessed with on a daily basis. The first days are easy, but what about the end of the month? I find these exercises both reflective and inspirational, but most of all they are good at reminding me of what really matters. Why stress over dirty dishes and laundry? There are games to be played and memories to be made!

S0 today, I'm catching up....

Day 1 - I am thankful for my family. We have been so blessed with health and happiness both in our little family of four as well as our extended family of parents and siblings on both sides. As I hear of tragic accidents, illness, and broken families all around us, I am reminded just how lucky we are!

Day 2 - I am thankful for our jobs. We have been blessed with a great place to work, a kind and generous boss, the flexibility to work around our family's hectic schedule when necessary, and the financial stability to provide all the blessings we enjoy on a daily basis!

Day 3 - I am thankful for living in rural America. We may feel isolated from the rest of the world at times, but we enjoy the safety, security, and beauty of wide open spaces every day. Rural living provides an opportunity to teach our kids about ethics, an appreciation for hard work, an ability to be creative and experience nature daily, and the sometimes hard lessons about life and death. They are grounded in their roots and they will have the foundation to someday be successful and give back in their own way.

Day 4 - I am thankful that our house remodel project is nearly complete. Mainly because of reasons 1 thru 3 above, we have been able to withstand the last year or so of destruction, construction, and all out transformation. We are now living in a house that we will strive to make a home. I have learned in this long process that it's not the square footage or the ammenities that make a house a home. Rather, it's the little things like the piles of toys and games around the house, the mud on the floor after a hard day of working with the livestock, or the piles of dirty laundry we create that remind me that we are the luckiest people in the world!

And now... I'm off to play with the kids!