November 5 and 6

Sorry to miss last night.  Stupid time change, had me falling asleep on the couch at 9:45..

Retrospectively:

I am grateful for my boy, for his light-the-world smile of victory as he faced his own demons and tried something new.  I am grateful for a half hour of chilly sitting at an ice rink, watching him fall-- and more importantly, get back up again.  Smiling.  Miracle of miracles.
I am grateful that my children love a nice hot bubble bath-- and that it can entertain them for a good long time.  I am grateful for tortillas and quick dinners and Little Bear and Max&Ruby on DVD.  I am grateful for snuggly-under-a-blanket warmth old a cold night.


Today:

I am grateful for the sun, every retina-burning moment of it on my drive to work today.  I am grateful for the good-tired feeling of starting the day with a workout, and grateful for the lovely showers at the JCC.
I am grateful for friends and pizza and the joy of 9 little ones racing loops around a house.  I love the beauty of these growing families, the children of these people I love. I am grateful for the way they are growing up together, their ease together, their laughter and their smooth, bright faces.
I am grateful for the crisp wintry air and for the holiday feel that comes into my heart on these dark evenings.
I am grateful for the sublime, singable beauty of the Faure Requiem, for the chance to pour my  heart into the Pie Jesu, for the dancing joy of Uni Genite, for singing in mixed position.
I am grateful to live in a country where people have a choice in their government and their future.  Even if the choice of half of our country is not the one I would make. In the face of the unknown and the trepidation tonight, I am holding tight to my gratitude for the people who work for change in our nation, for the people who care about the welfare of others and strength of our future, for the people who use their minds and hearts to make the world better.  I am grateful that a few of these people have already, solidly, been elected.
I am grateful for like-minded friends and loved ones with whom I can sit, on the edge of our virtual seats, through this long night (days? weeks?) of waiting for the choice to be made.