Gratitude - Day 30

Today I'm grateful for a long hike on a gorgeous day. I went with Mike, Neave, and Roberta and we did just over 5 miles. Keep in mind, I live on top of a hill so anywhere we go, it means we have a long walk back up!

Gratitude - Day 29

Today I'm grateful for our friends who traveled to Auburn to celebrate another Thanksgiving. What fun! Mike, Neave, Steve, Roberta, Julie, Diana, Greg, Heather, Mary, and Keith are all here. lucky can one family be?

Graatitude - Day 28

Today I'm grateful for turkey sandwiches! Yum! I'm also grateful that I don't have to struggle anymore with Dave and Mason to keep the Christmas decorations down until I've had my full run of fall! Okay boys, have at it! Happy Holidays.

Gratitude - Day 27

Happy Thanksgiving! Today I'm grateful for all my family has in an economic time when others have so little. Simply having my family makes me wealthy beyond any amount of money we could possibly amass in a bank!

Gratitude - Day 26

Today I'm grateful for safe communication. We all have times in our lives when we have to confront a difficult situation and to know that you can say what you feel, honestly, and not be attacked, abused, or ridiculed is comforting. This is not to say that the conversation is easy or you will hear what you want, but there's comfort in having a willing participant to get through the difficulty with you. That's what I mean by "safe" communication.

Gratitude - Day 25

Today I'm grateful for Kim B. Kim has leased our horse Chance and has already done more with him in two weeks than I did with him in more than a year. To be perfectly fair, Dave did more with him than I did, but now that he's with Kim, he's being properly conditioned to trail ride and possibly even be a competitive endurance horse. Thanks Kim for making Chance part of your family!

Gratitude - Day 24

Today I'm grateful for my girlfriends! The women in my life fill a space no man can. With that said, I love that my husband is supportive and understands the importance of my bond with my girlfriends! We women know how much we need each other, but what a blessing when the men we love get it, too!

This is just one of what could be many pictures of the women in my life. Dahlynn and Marcella have been my friends since 1988. Not the longest, but certainly dear to my heart!

Gratitude - Day 23

Today I have so many things to be grateful for but I'm going to share two of them. Happy 40th Anniversary to my sister Terry and her husband Bill! The average number of years Americans stay married is seven, so they are almost six times the average.

The other thing I'm so grateful for is today the son I gave up for adoption is eighteen years old. Happy birthday Michael J.!

Gratitude - Day 22

Today I'm grateful that there are so many things to do in Auburn and the surrounding towns. this weekend we get to choose from the Mountain Mandarin Festival, The Ski and Snowboard Show, The Harvest Festival, along with numerous other holiday craft shows.

We will be going to the Ski and Snowboard show to see how many pairs of ZB Gloves we can sell (www.zipperbackgloves.com), and we'll stop in at the Mandarin Festival to get our delicious little mandarins for Thanksgiving. Here's the other part of our choices; the Ski and Snowboard show offers us a full day lift ticket to Northstar or Sierra at Tahoe with our paid admission ($15 to get in gets us each a $79 lift ticket). For the Mandarin Festival we were given free admission months ago and I held on to them knowing we would want to support our local growers.

In this economy, and as always for me, we're doing everything we can to make the most of all the things we do. I'm grateful we have so many options!

Gratitude - Day 21

Happy Friday! We've been working together to create a community "Gratitude Journal" and at least one of you has hung in there with me! Laughing. No seriously, Lisa Anderson has posted almost everyday and she was even on a cruise in the Caribbean for more than a week! At this point, she is clearly the winner of my little prize but it's not too late for you to chime in. It's never too late to express those things in your life that you are grateful for.

Today I'm grateful for Mother's Cookies, you know, the little animals cookies with icing on them. The sad news is that this childhood icon of mine is to be no more. Mother's Cookies is going out of business so those little pink and white circus animals I remember eating as a child (and trying desperately not to eat as an adult!) will only be in stores until they are gone. For today, I'm grateful that I bought two bags of the Christmas cookies and will be sharing them on our Saturday Thanksgiving with our friends.

Gratitude - Day 20

Today I'm grateful that our family has the resources we need to make ends meet. Times are tough for us with me not working but we have the things we need and most of all, we have each other. One day at a time and as long as we can keep it all in perspective, we'll be just fine!

Gratitude - Day 19

Today I'm grateful for music. Studies have shown the calming effects of classical music on children and animals, and I'm sure you've noticed the difference in your workout when you have a great mix playing on your MP3 player. For me, music reminds me why I'm special (yeah, yeah, I've heard the little-yellow-bus jokes!), and at the same time, how we're all so alike. Certain songs take me back to events in my life and even chronicle it in some ways. How is music important in your daily life?

Gratitude - Day 18

Today I'm grateful for our new front door! Hooray, it's actually on the hinges and looks beautiful. Those of you who have been here know that our door has seen better days.

Though I don't believe our door speaks to who we are as people, it's kind of like your smile, if your teeth are healthy and clean, you have an easier time extending your hand and introducing yourself.

With our front door, I will now feel confident opening it and feeling proud that our door reflects how happy we are to see you!

Gratitude - Day 17

Today I'm grateful for the safe return of SPC Andrew Plank from Afghanistan. Andrew, his wife Kara, and their nine month old son Clayton live in PA. Kara read my story, A Constant Presence in a Chicken Soup book and felt the need to reach out to me (my e-mail is listed in the back of the book with my bio). As it turns out, our stories are strangely similar. The main thing we learned we had in common was that Andy was deployed when Clayton was just three weeks old, same as Dave and Mason.

Kara learned on Friday that Andy had safely returned to US soil from Afghanistan and they will be reuniting this week. If you want to see some heartwarming pictures you can visit Kara's blog at http://www.akplank.blogspot.com/. Welcome home Andy!

Gratitude - Day 16

Today I'm grateful for Sunday. Though Fridays are my favorite day of the week, my Sunday rituals make them welcome. I love it when we can sleep in (even if I can't actually sleep, I like to know that if I could, it would be okay) and don't have anywhere we need to be when we do get up. I like to have my coffee and read the paper in my pajamas. It's best when I can be outside, but even when it's raining, that's got it's appeal as well. Today is sunny and warm so it's coffee and the Sunday paper in the backyard with Riley sleeping at my feet. What a glorious day!

Gratitude - Day 15

Today I'm grateful for several things. First and foremost, for the GORGEOUS fall colors that make me feel like I want to explode every time I see a tree in multiple phases of color at once, or at dusk when the sunlight hits the Japanese maple outside our back gate. Magnificent!

I'm also grateful for my Mr. Riley. Oprah reported that she had to put her beloved chocolate cocker spaniel, Solomon to sleep. I cried openly feeling so sad but also grateful to feel the love for my Riley so deeply that my heart aches for a woman and her dog who I don't even know. You can see her heartfelt tribute to Solomon here:

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/20081114_tows_fridays/12

Gratitude - Day 14

Today I'm grateful for the new friends I make every day. I may not keep close lines of communication with all of them, but I certainly have at least one meaningful connection with someone I encounter every single day.

Gratitude - Day 13

Ah, lucky number 13! Yes, today I'm grateful for my lucky number 52. Yep, for more than 20 years 52 has been my favorite number. I think it's become lucky because I'm fond of it, and you all know, "whatever you think, you're right!"

Gratitude - Day 12

Today I'm grateful for the unlimited opportunities that are all around me. If you just open your eyes, you can see that anything you need or want is within your reach!

Gratitude - Day 11

Today I'm grateful for the speedy recovery my hand is making. My finger is still not straight, but hopefully with time it'll get there.

Gratitude - Day 10

Today I'm grateful for all the veterans who have ever served in our armed forces. It takes special people to sacrifice their freedom to preserve ours. Happy Veterans Day!

Gratitude - Day 9

Today I'm grateful for seven "better than I ever dreamed they could be" years of marriage. It seems like yesterday that we met on the radio, built a friendship over six years, and finally acknowledged our true feelings. We still watch our wedding DVD and are in love as ever!

Happy Anniversary Flower! Love, your Bee

Gratitude - Day 8

Today I'm grateful that I get to spend time with Cris without our kids.

Today I get to do something really nice for her in exchange for all the times she's been there for me. She takes care of Mason so Dave and I can have some time alone, she house-sits to take care of Riley when we go away, but most of all, she's a wonderful friend! Thank you Cris!

Gratitude - Day 7

Today I'm grateful for Mason's sense of humor, he is so funny! I know in my heart his sense of humor comes from a sense of security in his life and it makes me happy that Dave and I provide for him that way. I believe the best gift you can give your children is parents who love each other.

Gratitude - Day 6

Today I'm grateful for the journey of self discovery my husband has initiated for himself. He's been making small, but wonderful changes to better himself, take care of Mason, and make me happier. I love that he love's me like he does.

Gratitude - Day 5

Today I'm grateful for dry firewood and our wood burning stove.

if you're just joining us, we're working together to create the worlds biggest gratitude journal. Log in and share with us what you're grateful for today.

Gratitude - Day 4

Today I'm grateful for my strong sense of self and Lisa Anderson for committing early and starting. Mike and an anonymous writer joined us yesterday, hooray!

I've been getting the message lately (and again), that my expectations are too high. in one example, it's been suggested that for me to expect anyone to plan to log onto my blog every day for a month and write one thing they're grateful for is ridiculous. Why? I don't know. I think if you are so inclined to keep a log or journal, why not here, with me?

I'm also grateful that all the election advertising is done! I bet we can all agree on that one.

Gratitude - Day 3

I'm grateful for the early evenings that really make it feel like fall.

Gratitude - Day 2

Today I'm grateful for the abundant rain that's falling. Finally!

Day One - Gratitude Journal

Happy November 1st! Today is the one year anniversary of my IWIL blog and I'm so glad I'm here. Today I'm grateful for those of you who have traveled with me this year, letting me know what you like (the general positive feeling of the blog), what you could live without (really long posts), and what you found really useful (the money tips!).


Today I'm grateful for each of you!