Crossing the Finish Line

91.  Sons-in-laws
92.  Having a big family
93.  Graham crackers
94.  Sunshine
95.  Chocolate kisses
95.  Cheese balls
96.  Water
97.  Bubble baths
98.  Lists
99.  Sweet Vidalia Salad Dressing
100.  Head lights

Count on Me

Counting down the days till I see the Kiddos and it is getting down to hours.  Which is a lot exciting and a little intimidating because of all the things I need to accomplish before that happens.  Because I still have to work 12 hours, take call 8 hours, travel 12 hours, get two nights worth of sleep, and do laundry, pack, and, oh yeah, finish that project that I started on Saturday because I really can't go to Thanksgiving without it.  All in less than 48 hours? 

On the done list: I downloaded a book to my kindle for the trip. (thinking...thinking...thinking...) okay, I guess that's it for the done list.

And now for the count-up:
72.  Amidala
76.  Mark
77.  Flush toilets
78.  Brains
79.  Bibles
80.  Iced tea
81.  Ice cubes
82.  Ice makers
83.  Clocks
84.  Numbers
85.  Hands
86.  Smiles
87.  Teeth
88.  Dental Hygienists
89.  Three ring binders
90.  Zumba

Really more excited than intimidated.  Really really.

Going Over Seventy

66.  Projects and plans
67.  Vintage fabric
68.  My sewing machine
69.  A mom who sewed
70.  Text messaging
71.  Google
73.  My sense of taste
72.  Just seeing if your still reading
74.  Fresh fruit
75.  Exotic fruit

Going to eat a pummelo this week.  Among other things...

No Creative Title

But the thankful list continues:
58.  Staplers
59.  Mail
60.  Daughters
61.  Anticipation
62.  Waking up after the sun is up
63.  Leftovers
64.  Dinner out with the STP
65.  Forgiveness

Just Over Fifty

50.  Claire and Nick
51.  Candles
52.  Duck Dynasty
53.  Earl Gray tea, hot
54.  A freezer full of meat
55.  Pinterest
56.  My nephew Tyler and Golden Eagle Baseball
57.  Tyler's Mom

Feeling the Heat

It's not like things aren't happening in my life.  Just thattheyare happening so close together.  I have a few pictures that I hope to eventually share with you.  Of my halloween pumpkin.  Of my refrigerator.  Of my odometer.  Of my bedroom/bathroom remodel. Of a recent wintery sunrise.
But Amidala claims there are just 9 days until Thanksgiving, so I am feeling the pressure to record a few more things I am thankful for.

31.  Plane tickets
32.  Telephones
33.  Cinnamon rolls (and a co-worker who saves one for me.)
34.  Finally cooking edible ribs (I was too busy licking my fingers to take any pictures, but trust me, they were pretty good.  And I served them with GF corn muffins and corn on the cob. Go ahead, be impressed.)
35.  Steeler wins--even ugly ones
36.  Beth Moore
37.  Pay day
38.  Hugs
39.  Kisses
40.  New tires
41.  Snow
42.  Push pins
43.  Band-aids (I'm not even wearing one.  But I bought a box of two hundred when I was at StuffMart this week.  Flexible ones, and clear ones, and waterproof ones and neon ones.  All in one box.  Almost makes me want to smash a finger.)
44.  Music
45.  Grace
46.  The God Who is crazy in love with me
47.  The STP (who is also crazy in love with me)
48.  The Goob
49.  The SLD
50.  House plants

If you can't find something on that list to make you thankful, you should probably be on medication. 

Grateful

23.  Chalkboard paint (a quart goes a long way)

24.  Colored chalk

25.  A job

26.  Vitamins

27.  Pain free movement

28.  Pinterest boards

29.  Lazy mornings

30.  Productive afternoons

17 and Counting

17.  Skelemingoes
18.  Warm fall days--and an hour to spend in the flower beds
19.  My pedometer--not having to get 10000 steps and getting 12500 anyway
20.  Countdowns--like till Thanksgiving
21.  Brussel sprouts--who would have guessed
22.  Appointments made--and not having to keep them till next April

My Favorite Daughter

16.  I'm thankful that each of my daughters thinks this post is about them.

My Favorite Son

11.  I am thankful I have a son.
Oh, you finally got your boy, they said to me nine years after the birth of my third daughter.  It wasn't like I had him on lay-a-way.  In many ways he is the son I never wanted.
12.  I am thankful for the things my son has taught me.
Patience,  understanding, the value of the individual, who Optimus Prime is. Once I shared with him that there were things I didn't learn about God until I had children.  I'll bet you're still learning was his reply.
13.  I am thankful for glimpses of the man he will become.
Tall, thin, patient, kind, responsible, loving.
14.  I am thankful that sometimes he is still my little boy.
Giving me a hug, sharing a joke, eating halloween candy from a pillowcase.
15.  I am thankful he will spend a Friday evening with me.
He is picking the movie for tonight.  Something we will both like.  Which means he had to rule out fantasy sci-fi and romantic comedy.

Recently someone who just met us asked if he could ask about our son.  You mean where did we get an amazingly tall, incredibly thin, blonde child over whom we do not fuss?    You mean did we adopt him?  You mean is he leftover from a previous marriage?  You mean is he really ours?

Oh, he's ours.  A gift from God.  For which (today) I am thankful.

Ah Sweet November

1.  Shoes
2.  Shoe boxes
3.  Money
4.  Knees
5.  Encouragement
6.  House plants
7.  Green tea
8.  Electricity
9.  Moisturizer
10.  Hair dye

The first ten are always the easiest.