Thankful for Thankfulness: November 15 - 30

No, I have not forgotten about this blog! And since I still have a few more hours left in November, I figured I'd better get caught up on the rest of my November thankfulness items! Here goes...

November 15: Quality
I did not need the vintage Singer sewing machine. I have a wonderful, perfectly good "new" Singer sewing machine. But when one of my dear friends developed the vintage sewing machine interest (obsession? said with love, of course!) and found a 1930's machine on Craig's list for an awesome price a mile from my home, I couldn't resist. I dropped it off at the repair shop for an oil and lube and without even seeing the machine (only the cabinet it's mounted in) the man offered me $150 to take it off my hands. I had to laugh since I'd only paid $40, but of course, I wasn't about to give up my new found treasure! He told me he could have her up and running in no time and she'd run another 50 - 60 years. How's that for quality!

November 16: My dog
I have the world's coolest dog. His name is Oliver, he's almost 8 years old and he's a black and white Cocker Spaniel. He doesn't bark and he only growls if a stranger comes near the kids without Craig or me giving the "stand down" signal first. He has chronic "cocker ear" and he often gets overlooked in lieu of the kids, but he's my first baby and I'm so happy to have him as such an important part of our family.

November 17: Laughter of a child
My 5-year-old is into knock-knock jokes these days and of course, the 2-year-old loves to follow her lead. They spend hours making up jokes that make absolutely no sense but keep them rolling. And of course, when the kids laugh, it's contagious. What's not to love about a child's infectious laughter?

November 18: DVR
It's like TIVO only through the cable company. It lets Craig and I tape our favorite shows and eventually (read: on nights we can manage to stay awake after working all day and getting the kids in bed) watch them without commercial interruption. It's a beautiful thing.

November 19: Eat, drink and be merry...
I was in Salt Lake City on a business trip on election day in 2000. We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant and they wouldn't serve me a beer because there's a law against drinking on election day. I was baffled! Though I knew there were (must be, right?) valid reasons behind it, I bought myself a shot glass that says, "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may be in Utah!"

Don't get me wrong, I know wonderful people in Utah and I certainly don't judge a whole state because of a law about allowable alcohol content on election day. And it's a good thing I don't, because one of the best friends and greatest people I've ever known lives in Utah. I "met" her online almost 6 years ago when we were pregnant with our daughters, who ended up being born on exactly the same day. Her daughter was late, mine was early and we both questioned what God was thinking at the time. Six years and the deepest friendship later, now we both know. (I blame the vintage Singer squarely on her, but still love her to death!) Today, I am thankful for friends near and far, and especially this one who means so very much to me.

November 20: Chocolate chip cookies
I'm not sure this one really requires explanation, honestly. Who isn't thankful for chocolate chip cookies? Amazing how a little bit of flour, sugar and chocolate can melt away a foul mood and put a smile on my face. Yes, I'm a girl of simple pleasures, about as low maintenance as they come.

November 21: Friday nights
My favorite time of the entire week is Friday night when I crawl into bed with my husband. Don't get any R-rated ideas, it's not that kind of blog! I just love the feeling of being cuddled up in my nice, warm, comfortable bed with my favorite person on earth, with the prospect of two full days of weekend ahead of us. What a calm, relaxed feeling it brings. No other night of the week comes close.

November 22: Lunch dates
My friends from Manila invited my family to enjoy a traditional Pinoy (Filipino) lunch with them and of course, knowing what great cooks they all are (not to mention great, fun company!) we immediately accepted the invite. Pansit and grilled pork, yum!

November 23: Church
I attended church every Sunday until I went off to college. Unfortunately, working full time to put myself through school meant weekend shifts at the mall, not conducive to church-going. Then I moved away from home and then farther away again. Worship services became fewer and farther between. Recently, Rachel (the 5-year-old) asked if we could start going to church and of course, I had her there the following Sunday. It makes my heart smile to see her so excited about going each week... waking early, picking the perfect outfit, "is it time to go yet"-ing me for 3 hours on Sunday morning. I'm so glad I've started to attend again. I didn't know how much I missed it until I started going again, and I really don't know how I got along so long without it.

November 24: Adobo and "See you soon"
When my bespren (that's Tagalog for "best friend") came onshore 2 months ago, I knew the time would pass quickly. This was the last day we'd both be in the office before he returned home and he treated me and my co-workers to a wonderful homemade feast of chicken adobo. Though I miss him already, I know I'll see him again next year and I'm glad for the time we got to spend these past few months.

November 25: A good cut and color
Yes, perhaps vain, but I couldn't stand the gray roots any longer. (I am waaay too young for gray, I might add!) Tuesday I worked a half day and spent the afternoon letting Tony (read: the greatest hairdresser on the planet!) pamper me with a great cut (similar yet just enough different from what I had) and a great color (strawberry blond... a cross between my blond and Rachel's red - it's gorgeous!). I walked out of there feeling like a million bucks. Amazing what some scissors and a little dye will do for a girl!

November 26: Changes in plans
I had planned for a long time to take off from work the day before Thanksgiving and had a long list of things I was going to do on my day all to myself. I was a teeny bit ticked off when I realized that Rachel's school was closed this day and I wouldn't get the day to myself after all, but decided to instead enjoy the day as it came, with one of my favorite people in the world. We went non-stop from 8am to 4:30pm but took the day at a 5-year-old's pace instead of my own. It was the best day I've had in a very long time and it reminded me that even curve balls can be hit out of the park.

November 27: Icing on the cake
So much to be thankful for on Thanksgiving Day itself, but after a nice afternoon and a great meal with family, the "new email" indicator on my Blackberry delivered the icing on the cake. It was the sweetest email from a co-worker of my dad's, telling me how my dad was so proud of me and my girls and this blog and she wanted me to know. Fortunately, I did already know, but what a special thing to see it in writing from someone else. That email now lives in my "never delete" folder and to the sweet lady woman who sent it, Thank You!

November 28: Technology
I was in the car with the girls, singing along loudly with them to our favorite Sugarland song when Craig called. From the emergency room. The cat scan showed it to "just" be a kidney stone, and it had passed, but there was another one behind it. I have never had a kidney stone myself but I hear it's like childbirth without the epidural. I'm thankful for the cell phone that let Craig call me and for the CAT Scan machine that told us it wasn't something far worse.

November 29: Sweet treats in the mail
The package arrived with no return address, but the giant Disney World tote bag and chocolate princess advent calendar gave the sender away in half a second flat. What a sweet treat for the whole family to receive some unexpected love in the mail from a very dear friend!

November 30: 24-hour pharmacies and lazy Sundays
Craig's 2nd kidney stone attacked around 3am. I knew he had gotten up, but I figured he had fallen asleep on the couch watching Sports Center. It wasn't until I got up at 6:45 that I realized what was going on, then immediately headed to the pharmacy to fill the prescription the ER doctor had given him on Friday afternoon. It took an hour or so for the meds to kick in and he finally got a little sleep, but I decided to follow his lead and we spent a quiet, lazy Sunday doing a whole bunch of nothing. I'm sorry it took him being sick to get us there, but it sure was nice to have a full day of nothing... like watching football, sewing, watching TV with the kids and finally, at long last, blogging!

I hope that you had a blessed November and that your December is the same. Happy Holidays, everyone!

~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~
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Blessings,
Kat