November 6: I'm thankful for my friend, Katey Johnson! I needed the recharging of spending time with friends and the reminder that I'm really not alone. :)

November 5: I slept the whole night without my back brace. First time in over 7 weeks. I'm thankful for healing and for the absence of hard plastic digging into my ribs while I sleep!

November 4: I'm thankful for the simple joys in life...like cleaning off a table of "to do later piles" and rearranging a few things in my classroom. Ahhhh, it feels new and fresh again!

Today I'm thankful for songs that play in your head long after the music has stopped.


And after the storm,
I run and run as the rains come
And I look up, I look up,
on my knees and out of luck,
I look up.

Night has always pushed up day
You must know life to see decay
But I won't rot, I won't rot
Not this mind and not this heart,
I won't rot.

And I took you by the hand
And we stood tall,
And remembered our own land,
What we lived for.

And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.

A month of thanks

I've made it through surgery and for the most part my pain is gone. But, even with that happy news I sometimes find myself in a funk. Months of pain have taken a bigger toll on me than I realized and I now find myself in need of looking for the really great things in my life and focusing on them. November seems like a great month to focus on things to be thankful for. So...that's exactly what I plan to do this month.

November 1: Today is my dad's birthday. Today I'm thankful for a dad who loves unconditionally and supports me in his unique ways. :) I'm thankful for the silliness that he has taught me. I'm thankful for memories of trick-or-treating with him every year and for his eagerness to participate in all my big ideas and adventures as a kid. I'm thankful for his passion for gardening. I tease him about it, but the backyard is amazing and the food is always great...even if all that is in their fridge are jars of pickles and salsa. :)

November 2: Today I'm thankful for snow. It is difficult to get around in, but it makes everything so beautiful. The world is quieted with those first few snowfalls and I'm reminded of God's grace and presence. I'll always be a snow bunny. :) (Can I start listening to Christmas music yet??)