Thanksgiving...

With the THANKSGIVING holiday season upon us, I thought I would pause and be thankful.
First, I would like to say I feel bad for Thanksgiving. If I was Thanksgiving I would be peeved. November first rolled around and WHAM - all the Christmas commercials started running. HELLO? Thanksgiving comes before Christmas. It's like the forgotten step-child. But I do believe that Thanksgiving shall rise again. (As Whistlin' Dixie plays in the background.) Most of my friends feel the same way about Thanksgiving. We all love Christmas but do not want to crowd out the one holiday that has been somewhat preserved from commercial mania.
One of the fun things about having a new family is that we can start some of our own traditions without seeming too cheesy. I have decided that there should be a "season of thanks" - kind of like what advent is during Christmastime. I don't know exactly how I am going to execute it, and luckily I have a year or two to perfect it before Miles can remember anything. For now, I am going to list something I am thankful for for each day up to Thanksgiving. (I meant to start this at the first of the month, but now will have to do.)

1. Mine and my family's health. (Nothing reminds you of this like being sick.)
2. My little house - I complain that it is small but there are parts of the world that this is a mansion and I try to remind myself of that.
3. I can stay home with Miles and still contribute to our budget
4. My sister lives in practically the same town (North Little Rock is almost Little Rock)
5. Freedom - to do as I please, go as I please, believe as I please, and choose as I please
6. a good loving husband
7. a good loving family (even the in-laws) who are close enough
8. a God who loves me and cares about me
9. Friends who I have been able to share baby stuff with and not worry that I am boring them to death
10. a beautiful happy healthy baby boy - I would not change a thing about him (well, maybe less spit-up)
11. a church family
12. homemade mac-n-cheese
13. a fantastic neighborhood where I can walk around a lake whenever I please and name the neighbors two houses down in every direction.

That is one per day so far - more to come.