A few of my favorite (and least favorite) things...

Things I don't like:

- the fact that an unfinished home in our neighborhood burned down two nights ago
- the death of Steve Irwin
- cancer, diabetes, excema, pink eye, high cholesterol, and the like
- when people throw lit cigarettes out of their car windows
- all litter, for that matter - especially the stuff on the side of the highway. Why do people open their car windows and throw their junk out into the world???
- airport delays and flight cancellations
- airplane crashes
- how far away I am from so many of the people I love
- divorce and its aftermath
- "bathroom" humor of any kind
- sarcasm
- criticism, especially when it is behind the back of the person being criticized
- to cook and clean up the kitchen; I'm not a bad cook, but I'd give up cooking in a heartbeat if I could find a good and inexpensive alternative
- the fact that one of the sliding doors in the minivan no longer functions. We had this same problem about a year ago and had it fixed. Now it's bad again.
- when my children talk back and are disobedient, especially over little stuff like dessert portions and bedtime routines
- how superficial I can be sometimes with regard to how I look and what I wear
- how fearful I can be sometimes about saying what I think and feel, especially when the person I am speaking with doesn't want to know how I really think and feel. The tension can be too much at times.
- feeling lonely
- feeling incompetent or unnecessary


Things I like and am grateful for:

- my morning coffee or tea
- brown sugar and skim milk for my morning fix
- the sound of silence as my children read
- the sound of laughter as they play
- fresh, pure water for showering, drinking, and cooking with
- soothing creams for my dry skin
- being in reasonably good health
- having comprehensive medical and dental insurance, just in case that changes
- Uniball Vision Elite pens in fine point and various colors
- the journal pages I fill with tales of joy and sorrow
- how much better I always feel after journaling
- the Great Harvest Bread Company's freshly baked whole wheat bread
- that same bread, toasted with butter and apricot preserves
- restaurants that cook healthy, creative, delicious food
- silver rings and bracelets
- the country of Spain: my friends there, the food, the lifestyle, the art and architecture. I'm heading to Sevilla on October 6th!
- the colorful flowers and lush green plants that are thriving in our front and back yard
- the opportunity to be a full-time, homeschooling mother
- the telephone and the internet: catching up is grand...
- running into a local news broadcaster at the supermarket today: I thanked him for doing a good job on the news. As he walked out, he waved at me. Thanks to you, Rene Romo.
- seeing Bob, Sherry, Andrew, Laura, and Oreo Artemenko this past weekend
- cars that function and mechanics that help when the cars don't function (Gonna get the minivan door fixed next week. It's still under warranty from the last repair!!!)
- music on the radio
- driving in the car with my kids and talking to them about their lives, school subjects, the world, and all sorts of other things. I've SOOOOO glad we don't have a television in the car. It's the best place for non-stop, undisturbed conversation. They ask great questions.

It's not perfect.
It's not even close.
But my life is pretty good.
Tonight, I am thankful.

PS. The time indicated at the end of the blogs is the moment I begin to write a blog. Several errands, a homeschooling gathering at the park, a trip to the supermarket later, I am posting at 8:05 pm or so.