34 things I am grateful for

I have so much I am thankful for and here are just a few -
...34 of them in no particular order...

1. My loving husband who quietly puts up with me and all my crazy! Thank you for everything you do.

2. My daughter who has taught me more than she can ever image, and makes me laugh. I am very blessed to have her in my life and to be her mom.

3. Thursday night rides home with my big sister. We laugh, we vent, it is 45 minutes every week of just us. I look forward to this time every week and if we miss it, I feel like I forgot something.

4. My mom and all of her giving. You are my hero and the person I look up to most in the world.

5. The extended Hildred family who teaches me every time we gather.
If we don't know how, we figure it out,
if there isn't a tool for that, we build one.
The creativity and support of my family is really amazing.
Thank you, each and every one!

6. My dad and how strong he has gotten and continues to get.

7. My In-laws. The married couple that I look up to and hope to be like.

8. Miss Jamie and our email chats and short walks to get food.
You are such a great friend! (to everyone you meet...I learn from you - thanks for being my bff)

9. James and playing cards. Rummy!!!

10. Jim - my pen pal. We always find things to chat about...

11. That I have a very rich life full of people who love me and support me.
(too many to list here - or I would go way beyond 34)
(yes that includes all of you)
I love you all.
You all have touched my life in such a big way.
I am so thankful to have you in my life.

12. A great job that challenges me and humbles me every day.

13. A place to paint - and while there are times it isn't everything
I want in a space (like natural light) I do love that I have the space to create.
And am inching my way to making it mine.

14. The love of art - keeps me seeing things in a new way all the time

15. Shutterfly - I love that site and the free web and great deals.
Chief memory officer is glad to have that resource
(and spot to look at my kiddo's photos whenever I want)

16. a digital camera to save all those memories -
cause sometimes my brain needs that help

17. flush toilets

18. trash pick-up and general sanitation and traffic laws...
(visit a 3rd world country and this will make your list too...)

19. google calendar - so my husband and I can- litterally-
be on the same page!

20. wireless internet - while it sure sucks a ton of time,
i find lots of inspiration in this virtual world

21. earl gray tea with cream and sugar

22. dark chocolate

23. really good food

24. the people who i draw on the light rail-
thanks for letting me even though you don't know i am doing it.

25. yoga that makes me stronger and calmer

26. that I made the choices in my life that I made when I made them.
I wouldn't be here as this person if I had done things differently.

27. the color green - it makes me happy

28. and red, yellow, blue, purple, orange and browns, shades of gray...

29.the little things are more important than anything else

30. books and books on tape for when reading just can't happen

31. spell check

32. time for painting nights and being able to carve out the time to do what I love.
Without my family, I wouldn't be able to do that. Thanks guys! However long it lasts, I am grateful to have it so that I can make this my art year!

33. my education - taught me everything I know and all the things I don't know I know.

34. health, wealth and fine - things are really ok, (I think 30's might be the best years...) and anything that isn't perfect, well, let's figure out  how to make it better one day, one second, one breath at a time.

thanks for reading.

g