Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The Lists...

Today during my lunch break, I made my lists for Thanksgiving.  There was a list of the things Chris and I are making, and what can be made ahead.  There was a list of all the things we need when we go shopping.  Then, there was a list a mile long concerning all the cleaning that must take place in my home before I can relax and get started on the cooking. 

Most of the time I have a laissez-faire approach to things like laundry (let the clothes pile where they will, I will intervene when chaos is near-imminent) and dusting (Dust?  What dust?  I see no dust!  Oh...that dust.), but around the holidays, I turn into my mother. 

My mom is a list-making, dust-finding, mop-wielding force to be reckoned with in the weeks and days preceding holidays or any other planned, in-home family function.  It's awesome.  I wish I had  her drive to present a beautiful home to friends and family members all the time, but it's pretty much twice a year:  from Thanksgiving to the Feast of the Epiphany, and then again around Easter. I suppose it's yet another something that's tied into my Catholic roots.

At some point in my list-making, I realized that while it was important to note that I must find a way to clean the fan blades in the dining room before we all get some weird dust bunny lung disease from them, I should have been making a list of the things for which I am thankful. 

Doctor day Tuesdays are hard for me.  I feel like everything I do is wrong, and that at any moment, I could be fired.  Of course, we know that extremes like "everything" and "always" are rarely true, and I do enjoy my job most days.  I am thankful to have a job in this economy, especially with my crazy-quilt liberal arts degree.

I am thankful for my husband, who keeps the laundry at bay, and without whom I would never eat breakfast or lunch, and rarely dinner.  Plus, he's just awesome!

I am thankful for my family, both here and home.  I know they love and miss me.  I am especially thankful today for my Daddy, who went to UPS to send out the title for my car tonight so that the loan could go through in time.  

I am thankful for my faith that sustains me and uplifts me when the stress is making me crazy. 

I am thankful to have a roof over my head, food in the pantry, a car that runs, warm clothes in the closet, and a couple of pets that adore me for whatever reason. 

This week, I will attempt to cultivate more of an attitude of gratitude.  By the time Thanksgiving is here, I should have quite a list! 

What are you thankful for today?

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