September 15

Tonight, its getting personal.  I am naming names. 

I am grateful for the company of the like minded, funny, kind, and brilliant women who shared my table at our Language Arts meeting this evening, for the commiseration and inspiration we shared, for the way they made the long meeting go much faster...Sue, Susan, Leah, Gail... I can try and try to complain about my job but it doesn't get very far, that complaining, once I realize just how lucky I am to work with people like you.

I am grateful for the excellent cooks that I am lucky to call my friends and dinner swap partners.  Tiffany, your pulled-pork it always perfect and Jack and Ivy are eternally grateful for the corn on the cob.  Sarah-- tacos!  Always brilliant!  Delicious, easy, and plenty of meat to keep my kids happy ALLLL week. Melinda, that tortilla casserole was not only easy to dish out and reheat, but it also had some sort of crack in it that made it barely last through next day's lunch.  We're talking sneaking seconds and thirds and slivers of it into the night...

I am really, really grateful that I can cross "menu planning" and "cooking weeknight dinners" off my to do list.  I love dinner swap.

Nat, I am not sure where to begin with the "gratefuls" I feel towards you but let me focus on today:  I am grateful to have this husband and father to my children, the one who spent the day taking them to stimulating places, providing them with fun and messy activities, feeding them nutritious meals. Who was still busy pulling out activities and playing with them when I finally got home at 6.  Who takes care of everything around here, including me.  Who listens and supports unconditionally.

Plus, he's really good looking.

I am grateful I married this one.

I am exceedingly grateful for the women of my book club-- Gayle, Jill, Sarah, Melinda, Melissa, Beth, Caroline-- as they are not only amazing, interesting, smart women but they also have given me the reason to be "reading" (OK, listening to in the car) The Hunger Games, which I am finding to be extraordinary and addicting.  I can't believe I've never read this before.  I also can't tell you how upset I was to find myself at the end of the first download, halfway through my drive home today. 

I am grateful that the second half of the book is being installed on my iPod now.  Can't wait to get in the car tomorrow...

I am grateful, now that I think about it, for my iPod, and for the Christmas money given to me in 2009 which allowed me to spring for a new toy.  I've used it every day since.  Best.  Impulse buy.  Ever.

I am grateful for the crisp fall sunshine that emerged just in time to leave work today.  For the bittersweet ritual of changing out my children's clothing, touching and folding up those summer clothes and the memories that go with them.  Sorting out things to save.  Pulling out and hanging up new clothes in browns and greens and oranges.  Sweaters.  Jackets.  Lists of things to look for at the fall resales.

I am grateful for the fall resales that are starting up.  This weekend!

I am grateful for my mother who watches my children while I feed my addiction at those resales.  When she's not shopping right along with me, that is.  I am grateful that I have inherited her enthusiasm for a bargain and that we can share giddy joy over the perfect outfit, an ideal toy, the money saved and the wonderful things we can provide for the children we love.  I think our enthusiasm is one of the best things about us, mom.  Thanks for giving it to me.

I am grateful that tomorrow is Friday, though the weeks are starting to fly precipitously fast all of a sudden and I think I would be just as grateful for more Thursday, to tell the truth.  Thursday.  Its a pretty good day, you know?

Thanks for listening.