Things I'm Thankful for...

Well, with this being my inaugural blog, I thought it would be a really good time to be positive. That spirit might not last. My husband works in retail so I won't be seeing him much until January. I tend to get a bit melancholy during the holidays with him gone so much. So here are ten things I'm thankful for...

1) My husband. I'm married to my best friend and one of the best people I've ever met. He's an amazing dad, a good boss (to his employees--not to me :-)), and I love him with all my heart, even if he does forget to clean up after himself. Plus, he plays guitar and that's really sexy.

2) My oldest son. Ten is one of the most intelligent, creative, and infuriating kids I know. He's a wonderful storyteller, singer, and big brother. He looks at everything from a different perspective than the rest of the world. He could be a great lawyer someday because he loves to argue.

3) My youngest son. Seven is the child that every teacher says is their favorite student. He's better at brown-nosing than anyone I've ever met. He's sweet, bright, cuddly, and always knows just when I need a hug.

4) My dog. Lily is 80 pounds of big, furry walking buddy. Although I'm not always delighted to see her at 5:30 in the morning, she's always, always deliriously happy to see me. She positively vibrates with excitement at the mention of the W word and loves me unconditionally, no matter what kind of hair day I'm having.

5) My cholesterol level--which is 37 points lower than it was six months ago, mostly due to walks with #4 on my list. I've lost about 15 pounds since March and dropped my triglycerides by 95 points. But I still remember the days when I could eat anything I wanted and never worry about it. Sigh. I miss my twenties.

6) My first grade teacher and my library. Because she made us read a book every night, I became a really good reader. Because the library lets me borrow books rather than buy them, I can afford to feed my children.I don't know what I'd do without my books. I'm the only person I know who has an emergency book in her car at all times--the way normal people carry jumper cables and water bottles. I never want to get caught anywhere without a book. I'm currently working my way through Lisa Scottoline's backlist. She's been called "the female John Grisham" by People magazine because she writes legal thrillers, but she's way better than Grisham, IMO.

7) Easy Mac. Where was this wonder food when I was in college? My roommate and I never had fresh milk, so even Kraft macaroni and cheese in the big blue box was beyond our cooking capabilities most days. But through the miracle of modern science, it's now possible to make a delicious meal with only water and four minutes in the microwave. Thank God. If it weren't for Easy Mac, Ten would probably starve.

8) My other best friend. The one I'm not sleeping with. My best girlfriend, teaching partner, neighbor, and all-around great person. A girl who says "Sure!" when I say, "Hey, I have a great idea for a Halloween costume. Let's dress as Chicka Chicka Boom Boom." This photo is from last year (Halloween 2006) and she's lost more than fifty pounds since then while I've lost a mere fifteen. She's one of those people that you never hear anyone say a cross word about. Everybody loves her because she's so darn nice. Why she's still hanging around with the likes of me is a complete mystery, but one for which I'm eternally grateful. And tomorrow is her birthday, which means I like her even more because she's my age again. Happy birthday, Grace.

9) My Mom--who doesn't bat an eye when I say, "Hey can you make two medieval muffin caps for the boys' costumes for the school play? By next week?" At least I don't think she batted an eye. I made the request through email, so for all I know she was cussing me out. But I bet my kids will have the cutest headwear in the play. Thanks, Mom.

10) My iPod--a gift from #1 two years ago. This magical device makes it possible to "read" a book while doing tasks which are impossible to do while reading. I love audio books. Laundry has never been so entertaining.

I hope all my friends have a super-long list of things you're thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving!