Today I am grateful for hot water . . .

Unfortunately, we don't have any right now!  Today we discovered a leak at our house.  After finding pools of water on our tile downstairs and in the garage, my husband was able to locate the source of the problem.  The hot water line to the powder room sink is leaking just under the slab.  A plumber is coming by tomorrow afternoon to look at it, so we are stuck without hot water until then.  I'm not really a cold shower kind of girl, but my life is always full of adventure!

Today I am grateful for the ability to forgive . . .

Today I am grateful for scrapbooking retreats . . .

I have a side business hosting scrapbooking retreats, and I hosted one this past weekend.  I absolutely love spending the entire weekend with great friends being creative, laughing and relaxing.  I'm thankful that I discovered retreats several years ago.  Unfortunately, we have had a difficult time finding retreats in our area, so we used to travel hours to attend them.  About 18 months ago, I decided that there was a need for retreats locally.  It was a little bit of a leap of faith, but I took the plunge and started this business.  It has turned out well and each retreat has gotten better than the last as I learn the tricks of the trade.  I had a wonderful weekend, and I'm already looking forward to our next retreat in June!

Today I am grateful for optimism . . .

Today I am grateful for ATMs . . .

We take so many of our modern conveniences for granted, but it's good to sometimes stop and reflect on how technology has made our lives more comfortable.

Today I am grateful for my "uterine tracking device" . . .

It's a big joke in our house that I'm the only one in our family who can ever find anything.  They all claim to look for whatever is missing, but they inevitably have to call in the one with the "uterine tracking device."  It rarely takes me more than a few minutes to find what they've searched everywhere for.  It appears that childbirth is what activates the uterine tracking device, so my daughters can look forward to having their very own UTDs someday!

Today I am grateful for Bluetooth technology . . .

I love my Bluetooth headset.  Since I spend so much time in the car, I use it a lot.  Chatting with my husband during my commute home helps me stay awake and makes the time fly by.  What did we ever do before this wonderful technology came along?

Today I am grateful for fun times with friends . . .

My husband and I went to a birthday party for a good friend of ours last night.  It was held at a Mexican restaurant that has karoake on Saturday nights.  I had a great time watching all the people sing with varying levels of success.  It cracks me up how seriously some of them take it, but it's definitely fun to see.  I even did a duet with my friend, but the highlight of the evening was when our waiter did "Gold Digger" while a bunch of us served as his back-up dancers.  Good times!

Today I am grateful for guacamole . . .

Today I am grateful for the time I spent with my Dad . . .

Today would have been my Dad's 64th birthday.  Unfortunately, we haven't had the pleasure of celebrating with him for 16 years now.  It was horrible for me to lose my Dad when he was so young, and it truly breaks my heart that two of my kids were too young to remember him and two of them were born after he passed away.  Even after all of this time, I still have days when I cry over our huge loss.  But more often, thoughts of my Dad bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart.  He was such a wonderful man, and I am grateful for the time I had with him.  I wish he was still around to spend time with his grandkids, but sometimes life just isn't fair.  The best I can do is to keep his memory alive by sharing stories about him with my kids, and I intend to continue to do just that!

Today I am grateful for my son's help . . .

My kids are on spring break this week.  I had to take my two dogs to see the vet today, so I asked my son to come along to help me.  He obliged, but there was never any doubt that he would.  He is the youngest of four, and he's such a people pleaser with a heart of gold.  I can always count on him to lend a hand, and it really seems to make him feel good about himself to be helpful.  I love that I am raising a kind and considerate young man, and I know that someday he is going to make a wonderful husband!

Today I am grateful for new beginnings . . .

My husband started his new job today.  He really likes the people he's met so far, and he's actually worked with three fellow employees at another company.  He's looking forward to learning some new things and doing a great job.  He's already been scheduled to go out of town next week.  The traveling will be something new we'll have to get used to, but he has always been very supportive of my traveling, so we'll work it out!  I'm just so happy for him that he is getting this opportunity.

Today I am grateful for the Take Care Clinic at Walgreens . . .



Today I am grateful for the Renaissance Festival . . .

Today, we made our annual visit to the Arizona Renaissance Festival.  I have lived here since 1987, and we just discovered the festival a few years ago.  I never knew what to expect, but we really enjoy it!  There are some interesting people wandering around, but I just love the vibe there.  It's a fun time with a bunch of people who aren't judgmental.  The performers are funny and happy to be doing what they love to do, and I find that very inspiring.  I'm already looking forward to going back again next year!

Today I am grateful that teenagers eventually grow up . . .

Today I am grateful that my husband finally got a job offer . . .

My husband has been looking for a full-time job for quite some time now.  He's been working part-time in retail in the meantime, but that definitely is not what he loves to do.  His background is in homebuilding, which is a pretty crappy field to be in right now, particularly in Phoenix.  He had nearly given up hope of getting a construction-related job, so he was pleasantly surprised when this opportunity came along.  He will be a project superintendent for a commercial contractor, and he's really looking forward to learning another aspect of construction.  I am so happy for him!!!

Today I am grateful that I get to wear jeans to work every day . . .

Today I am grateful for cruise control . . .

My commute can get pretty monotonous, so I often find myself day-dreaming.  If I don't have my cruise control on, I inevitably look down to find that I am REALLY speeding.  Luckily, I usually have it on, so it keeps me from getting too many tickets!

Today I am grateful for professional networks . . .

My husband has an interview tomorrow morning that came as a result of a former co-worker contacting him to find out if he knew anyone who was looking for a job.  He's been trying to break into commercial construction for a couple of years, but most commercial companies don't even want to speak with a potential candidate unless they have prior commercial experience, which my husband does not.  I'm so thankful that he's getting this opportunity, and it's all because his strong skills and excellent work ethic made an impression on someone he used to work with.

Today I am grateful for hotels with free internet access . . .

My youngest daughter has a dance convention and competition this weekend.  We decided to stay at the hotel where the convention is being held because it is so much more convenient than driving back and forth.  I can't go an entire weekend without getting on the internet, so I was really pleased that I don't have to pay extra for internet access.  It's the little things that make me happy!

Today I am grateful for my son's advanced conversation skills . . .

My son just turned 12, but he speaks much like a little adult (with just a little more potty humor than the average adult!)  He has been a voracious reader pretty much since he began reading at four.  He outgrew books geared toward his age group years ago and reads a lot of material that is intended for teens or adults.  I think this is why he has such a great vocabulary and can actually hold a very intelligent conversation.  I am glad he has these skills, because I really enjoy his company, and other adults always tell me what a bright kid he is.  His best friend's mom just adores him, constantly telling me what a joy he is to have around.  That certainly beats getting calls from his friends' parents telling me that he is no longer welcome in their homes!  Now if I could just get him to apply his brilliance to his school work and be able to enjoy the grades that he is clearly capable of earning.  Is that too much for an old, tired mom to ask?

Today I am grateful for professional dog groomers . . .

One of our dogs is really furry and needs regular grooming.  We never seem to find the time to take her, so we got this brilliant idea that we should just get our own grooming kit and do it ourselves.  So today, my husband attempted to groom her for the very first time.  It took a lot longer than he expected, and he ran out of time before he had finished.  So, my poor dog is half-shaven!  She has never been the prettiest dog, but now she just looks ridiculous, and I really feel sorry for her!  Our other dog keeps growling at her, too!  I'm hoping she'll look a little better when my husband finishes the job, but I think our days of DIY grooming may be over.  :)

Today I am grateful that we made it through the height of RSV season with only one ER visit . . .

I hope I'm not jinxing myself here, but I don't remember the last time we had such an uneventful RSV season!  With two asthmatics, we usually have several visits.  The respiratory gods must have taken pity on us since last year was so horrible.