Celebrated

Having your birthday while working at an elementary school is the most fun thing. I was totally celebrated for about a week. A mom decorated my classroom door:

And one of the teachers spearheaded a celebrating of my birthday with her class. There were presents all week. But on my actual birthday, my desk looked like this:

So, grateful.

It was a fun week, and I have been blessed.

I am grateful.

service

Last weekend I went with some friends from church to serve at the local Rescue Mission. We served dinner.

The mission serves dinner 6 nights a week to anyone who shows up. The only requirement is that you are in the door by 5 pm, and you sit through the message. Not a sermon, really, but more of a bible devotional or encouragement.

My friends and I passed out drinks, refilled drinks, handed out plates of food, and talked to people.

I often forget how good it feels to serve someone else.

I sometimes get so wrapped up in my own little world that I forget about the blessing of serving others. I get blessed, and I would hope they do too.

Anyway, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve. And I am grateful for the Mission and how they help people on a daily basis.

K

recovery

Well this week has been Spring Break.

I am grateful for the break, but more than that I am grateful to be feeling better.

About 5 weeks ago, I got pneumonia. Didn't get sick, didn't catch anything, didn't come out any other sickness. Just...WHAM! Pneumonia.

So I got the drugs, and an X-ray to confirm, and spent a week getting better.

Felt great for a couple weeks, and then caught this nasty virus that went around school. I got it, but a bunch of other students and staff got it as well. And THAT was awful! It was the sickest I've been in several years. Even considering pneumonia!

So for the past 2 weeks I've been taking drugs for that, and doing breathing treatments, and just generally breathing.

Finally, I think I am better. I've gone a couple days without doing a breathing treatment, and besides my regular allergies, I'm feeling "normal". As normal as I usually am.

I just want to say that I am grateful to be better! I guess sometimes it takes feeling poorly to be grateful for health.

Here's to breathing.
K

mittens

Well, it is winter for sure. I have shoveled the front of my house several times in the past few days.

And I have never been so grateful to have mittens.

This is the first time I have ever owned mittens. I never understood mittens at all - I just never had mittens in my life. Oh, I have had gloves - when I moved to Colorado, I quickly realized that it behooves you to have a pair of gloves in every coat pocket. It gets COLD here people! Especially to someone who grew up in northern California, and then lived in Georgia for 14 years.

But now I have mittens.

I guess mittens weren't a part of my life growing up, so I never realized how great they are.

A few weeks ago, a friend came to church wearing a fleece, no coat, and mittens. I told her that I liked her mittens. She said her husband bought them on Etsy. So that afternoon, I went on Etsy, and searched "fleece lined mittens". HOLY COW! Mittens can be cute too! Mine are made out of recycled sweaters, and the inside is fleece lined. Every time I've shoveled in the past couple weeks, I've worn my mittens. It's amazing - the only way you can feel like you are outside is on the face. Everything else is snuggly warm. Unbelievable!

I am grateful for mittens. And for warm hands.

And for spring, if it ever comes.
K

Dad

Well. it is not the "official" 30 days of thankful anymore, but I am still thankful.

Today I am thankful for Dad.

Yesterday we had a "snow situation". When I left for school it was fine outside, albeit VERY cold. But fine. Over the course of the day, the snow kept falling, and by the time for carpool it was awful out! About 3, Dad called me and said "I'm in your parking lot".

He came to pick me up in his 4 wheel drive and took me home!

And this morning he took me back to get my car.

I'm thankful for Dad who looks out for me, and thinks about me having to drive home in awful weather. He might have had a prompt from Mom, but I'm grateful nonetheless.
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 30

Well this is it. Today I am thankful for rest.

I am home now, after being at the cabin with the WHOLE family, and I am glad to be at rest.
I'm paying bills, have a load in the laundry, and am intermittently watching Friends. Relaxing.

I am thankful for the breaks we get, and the chance to stop for a bit.

Oh, and I'm also thankful that I have all my Christmas shopping done! :)
Bring on the Christmas music!
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 29

Today I am thankful for the cabin.

Several years ago, Mom and Dad built a cabin up in the mountains. This Thanksgiving we all went up to the cabin. Mostly, it has been great. It is different, having the whole family in one place for several days.

This is what I saw going out to the store today:

The collegiate peaks were beautiful with all the snow.

I am grateful that Mom and Dad value time with family enough that they took that into account when building their home. I am thankful that they want us up here. I am thankful for a retreat from daily life.
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 27

I am thankful for all the blessings God has given me.

Today I went with a group of people from church to serve at the Rescue Mission's Great Thanksgiving Banquet. It is a free Thanksgiving meal for anyone who wants to come. It is largely homeless people who are there, but there are also some people who are not homeless but just down on their luck.

There were 165 of us volunteers there, and we served about 1000 people.

There were clothing giveaways, flu shots, free bibles, and lots of love and welcoming spirit. As the coordinator told us before starting, the people coming today are out guests.

And that's what it felt like.

I am grateful for every blessing in my life- both those given to me, and the opportunities to work for others. I am so blessed, that I couldn't even count them all.

Thank you God for your blessings, and for the opportunity to serve others.
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 26

Today I am thankful for God's beautiful creation. Here are a couple pictures I've taken over the years:

The above pictures are (in order): the collegiate peaks, balanced rock in Garden of the Gods, beach at Moss Landing, CA, South fork of the Arkansas River, Pike's Peak, beach in Fort Bragg, CA, Arkansas River near Canon City, CO, Arkansas River near Buena Vista, CO.

What beauty!
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 25

Today I am thankful for Noah. He is the oldest nephew. And he's funny...

This was one of his first camera attempts...

I am thankful that I moved here when he was 2 months old. I am thankful that I get to see him every week, instead of every year. I am thankful that I get to be his music teacher and see him in school every week. I am thankful that I got to be his regular babysitter until he was about 4.
He is a blessing.
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 24

Today I am thankful for the little bundles of joy that animals are in my life. I grew up with animals - Leroy was our first dog. Then there was Princess Pricilla (aka Prissy) the cat, who was with us for a long time. Then Toby the dog, and then I moved out and had kitties of my own.

Sam was my first cat, and we were by ourselves for about 6 years. Jenny, the little old lady cat was with us for about a year, and then Ed's cat Max came to live with me and Sam. Maxie Faxie made me laugh on a regular basis. When Sam was 13, he got sick and had to go to kitty heaven, and then about 6 months later, Max got sick and joined him.

I haven't had animals for a long time - like 5 or 6 years.

But now I have Callie.

This is Callie. This morning she was curled up keeping warm on her heating pad/bed.

This is Callie from a bit ago, right after she had her thrice-yearly shave-down:

Her hair gets really knotted, so she gets shaved about 3 times a year. Granted, she looks a little funny without much hair, but when you pet her she feels like VELVET! She is SOOOOO soft.

I am thankful for Callie, and for all the wonderful animals I've had in my life.
Thankful for the earthly kind of unconditional love.
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 23

Today I am thankful for family.

This is part of my family:

My Dad and I took the 2 nephews to the library today. The little one found a baseball book, so here is Pop Pop reading the baseball book to the nephews. Then we all went out to lunch. It was a good day - nothing spectacular, nothing amazing, nothing mind-blowing. Just a good time with family. People I love spending time together.

Thank you Lord for giving me a great family.
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 22

Oh man. Today I am thankful for extra time.

Last night at 10:30, I got a phone call that school was delayed for 2 hours this morning. I am still in my jammies, and all warm and toasty at home. At some point, I will take a shower and mosey in to work, but at this moment I am still reveling in the relaxed schedule of this morning.

I love the unexpected gift of time, and that leisurely 2nd cup of coffee!
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 21

Oh. My. Word.

Today I am SO thankful to be home safe.

This morning, my 15 minute drive to work took 45 minutes, was very sketchy and I slid on the ice. Twice.

This afternoon, it took about 35 minutes to get home, and I slid into my neighborhood.

I am thankful that I didn't wreck my car or myself in the process of driving in today's weather.

I am thankful my friend is OK - she had a car accident today and totaled her car.

I am NOT thankful that nobody called a snow delay...but that's another topic. :)

Right now, it is about 12 degrees outside, and I am warm and safe in my house.

And terribly thankful for that too. Tonight I'm pretty sure I will be thankful for the extra blanket on my bed.

And I think that Callie (the cat) will be thankful for the heating pad that is in her cat bed.

So much to be thankful for - God's blessings and mercies are everywhere.
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 18

Today I am thankful for a simple thing: being in my jammies at 6:30. I am at home, warm and comfy. I can't think of a better thing to be thankful for!

It is the simple things in life...
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 17

Today I am thankful for my small group at church. We got together today for lunch.

As you can see from the picture, my crazy Canadian friends had us over today. It was a great time - good food, good friends, and good conversations. I am thankful for these people that I have become great friends with over the past year.

It is good to be known.
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 16

Today I am thankful for friends. I had several friends over tonight, and it was great. I had a really fun time. I am grateful for friends from work - the fact that I work with some great people.

I know that often people don't have friends at work - work people are just work people.

I am far too blessed for that. Not only do I have a great job and a fun workplace, I am friends with lots of people at work.

Thankful for fun, and friends, and a great house to have them over to.
I am full.
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 15

Today I am going to be thankful for this little gift - my nephew. He is the youngest nephew.

And, yes, that is red hair. D is so much fun - he makes me laugh. He gives great squeezes. He is happy and loving and mischievous and helpful and definitely all boy.  I am thankful for him, and for his brother too. I am blessed to be an Auntie.
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 14

Today I went to a musical. It was my school's High School presentation of "The Pajama Game". It was very well done. I really enjoyed it. But the absolute best part was seeing all these kids I had in music class back in elementary school, and now they are juniors and seniors and have leads in the musical! Here's a great scene from tonight:

I am thankful that I get to see "my kids" grow up. I am thankful I get to see them sing in High School choir concerts. I am thankful that I get invited to Youth Symphony concerts because "my kids" are performing. I am thankful that I get to see what comes beyond 6th grade music. And most of all I'm thankful that I have such great kids in the first place.
K

30 Days of Thankful: Day 13

I have had such great days lately. Recently, someone dropped these off on my desk at school:

It was a HUGE potted pot of beautiful Gerber Daisies. My FAVORITE flower! I know this is weird, but they just make me happy. Every time I looked at them over the past couple days, it made me smile.

Now they are livening up the front room of my house.

I am thankful for these flowers, but I am especially thankful for the parents at my school. They are the best. NOT because one of them brought me these beauties, but because they are SO helpful, and thankful for us, and supportive. I could not ask for a better cadre of parent to work for.

I am so lucky.
K