Muselings Post on Gratitude

Today’s post is my contribution over at Poetic Muselings. I wrote on Bliss and Gratitude. Go check it out and leave a comment!

Thankful for my Husband

I am thankful for my husband. He understands my quirks. He has expanded my video game comfort zone by introducing me to games like Rock Band and Gears of War. Often he will buy me flowers or treats just because he loves me, and not only for special occasions. He supports my writing, is a helpful critiquer and also good to talk through story ideas with. For my birthday, not only did he buy me awesome boots, he got me Sims 3 Pets, and these lovely glass figurines of a hummingbird and a butterfly. Love you, Jeff! Thanks for all you do.

I so full

I am thankful for coupons.

Due to a late, and filling, lunch yesterday, we put off birthday dinner until tonight. We went to Sizzler (yummy and very filling). Thanks to one of the summer reading programs, B had a coupon for a free kid’s meal. We have coupons for free kid meals just about anywhere we want to eat now, between summer school, reading programs, and school.

Thank you Home Depot

I am thankful for early Black Friday deals. I don’t like the early hours and super business of Black Friday. I’m glad some stores begin their deals early, and that a lot of deals are also online. Wednesday we took advantage of Home Depot’s early deals to buy a new washer and dryer. Much needed!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for family. I’m from a big family (nine kids) and it’s amazing how close we still are. As glad as I am for technology to make keeping in touch easier, it’s still great to get together for holidays like these. Got to see all but two of my siblings today. Love you all!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Community

I’m thankful for my neighbors. I may not know the ones living right next door, but there are a few women in the area that I’ve become close to. They keep an eye out for me in bad weather to offer me a ride home from the school. I also teach their little four year olds in Sunday school, which gives us another connection.

Hugs

I am thankful for hugs. One of my major love languages is physical touch. So hugs are the best thing in the world.

I am so grateful to have both a mom and dad who give plenty of hugs, both as I was growing up and now that I’m an adult.

I’m cherishing the fact that my son still gives me a hug and “love you” before going into school each morning. I know I won’t get that much longer.

Week of Gratitude

To celebrate Thanksgiving, I’m doing a week of gratitude on my blog. Now through Sunday my posts will focus on things I am thankful for. Feel free to join me!

I am thankful for Sparks.

Our kitty, Sparks, provides much entertainment. From his funky sleeping positions, to his snoring, to ambushes from beneath the edge of the couch or a blanket. Sparks got our attention at the shelter by swatting through the bars of his cage, hitting my husband when he walked by. He loves people, loves to play with my son, and is currently warming my lap. We didn’t name him, but his name is quite appropriate, as he rolls on the floor lots for attention, and rubs against everything, thus creating plenty of static electricity.

We love you, Sparks!

Hell Froze Over

I am not a shoe person. I own about half a dozen pairs, and wear them as little as possible. And heels? Why would anyone want to wear heels?! I am all about comfort and style.

So for me to want boots with 4-inch heels? Have I gone insane? Possibly. But while browsing Amazon for Steampunk fashion, I found these awesome Steampunk Butterfly Boots. And I simply had to have them. I initially shrugged it off. Oh, they look cool, but they’re not for me.

Then I bought a new skirt. Knee length, frilly… and I had the thought “Now I have a skirt to justify those boots.” So when my husband actually offered to buy them for my birthday? I gave in to the insanity.

They arrived yesterday evening:

Peace and Gratitude

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the U.S.A. I have so many things to be thankful for. Today is my birthday. My son didn’t have school, and slept badly last night, but is currently taking a rare nap. I already opened the presents my mom brought up (what better way to entertain a 5 year old than open presents??). I had a lovely outing with my mom on Monday. I was thankful to have the one-on-one time. My husband won’t be home for another hour. He will be cooking dinner for me tonight. My father-in-law is doing well post-surgery. It is a good day. I think I will have a piece of cake then do some writing.

Happy holidays everyone!

Piano! potties... plus philosophy

I got a call from my mom earlier this week. She got me a piano! It's second hand, from an old church building that's going to be torn down. But it's mine. I spent a couple hours measuring and planning for a place to put it, and had it all figured out.... then shared the news with my mother-in-law who asked "How are you getting it in the apartment?" . . . You see, we are on the bottom floor, and after the steps down there's this sharp narrow corner, with really no room to maneuver a piano. Maintenance guys had a hard time getting in our washer and dryer. So, my mom is holding my piano at her house until we get a new place (Thanks Mom!). Hopefully that will happen later this year. Still working out if it will be possible. *crosses fingers*

 

Slow progress on the potty training, but progress none-the-less. He pooped in the toilet for the first time today. Was prompted though. Usually ends up sitting on the potty as a cleanup or pees on the way (don't know how many times I've asked "do you need to potty?" when I know he's dry, and he's wet by the time we get to the bathroom only a short hallway away. is there like a trigger or something??).

 

And, since it's been a while, and B is peeing less frequently, and P took a nap (alas, only an hour), I got some Q's answered.

 

5,000 Questions... My answers so far...

 

317. What are your feelings about the death penalty? This is a toughie. Well, as is most any other controversial issue... You see, I can see both sides of an issue and am easily swayed. Very hard to take an actual stance. Also why I don't vote. The more informed I get about politics and issues, the less I know who/what to vote for. I would be horrible in debate...

318. If there was a god and you could ask him/her one question what would it be? What does He see in me that I don't?

319. Do you believe that life will be found on other planets? I believe there is life on other planets. Will we ever be advanced enough to find each other? I don't know.

320. What is something worth suffering for? Apparently getting a child potty trained... and being a mom in general. But I draw my line with one. Don't want to tip the balance between joy and suffering. Note that this is just me. I have nothing against my mom or siblings with their many children. I personally don't feel emotionally or physically capable of raising two or more. Stretched thin enough just babysitting a second... I'm sure there are other things worth suffering for, but ask me when B is done peeing his pants...

321. If you could put an extra eye on your body anywhere you wanted, where would you put it? Extra eye, eww... The back of my hand, maybe? Then I could aim it just about any direction I want. Much more versatility than the back of the head. Though still creepy.

322. Are you in touch with the earth and nature? Not to the extent I used to be. I miss my long, aimless walks.

323. Would you rather live simply or extravagantly? simply extravagant. seriously.

324. Have you ever been camping? Yes. I remember camping regularly growing up - Family Camp (reunions), Girls Camp (church group), Honeycomb Rock (back in southern Utah). Last time I went camping was Family Camp in August 2004. Me, five-month old B, and my family camping out with aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. My husband doesn't like camping much, so didn't join us.

325. Is your heart open when you meet someone new? I think my heart was way too open. Since being married, not so much. At least not open to love. Open to friendship, yes.

326. Are you able to have conversations with and become friends with people who are not like you and are interested in different things than you are? I don't know. Initial friendships, sure. Long lasting, hasn't really happened yet. Not sure whose side was to blame, if any. Any relationship needs common ground. C.S. Lewis says it well:

Friendship arises out of mere Companionship when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some insight or interest or even taste which the others do not share and which, till that moment, each believed to be his own unique treasure (or burden). The typical expression of opening Friendship would be something like, 'What? You too? I thought I was the only one.'

 

327. Are strangers more beautiful or frightening to you? Beautiful. It's the interacting part that is frightening, not the people themselves.

328. What stops you from doing everything you want to do? Money stops me from traveling. My own fears stop me from doing other things.

You've Got Mail

Last weekend we watched The Postman - a post-apocalyptic show with Kevin Costner. After finding undelivered mail, one man delivers some in exchange for food and lodging. But what started as a con becomes a quest to return hope through restoring postal service. Very good show. It made me grateful for the communication lines we currently have in place. It would be difficult going back to a time with no internet, no mail, no tv. No way to know what's going on in the world. Each city would be an island.

 

I love mail. My daddy is a postman, currently a supervisor at a post office. But I didn't really appreciate mail until we moved when I was in fifth grade. Letters were my link to everything and everyone I knew. I'd rush to be the one to check the mail each day, even going out barefoot in the snow. Getting a letter would make my day. It was a rush. Though it's rare for me to get an actual handwritten letter anymore, what with everyone having e-mail, there's still that little thrill when I hear the mailman come. And sometimes it pays off to be the one rushing out to get the mail. Yesterday my Christmas gift to my husband came. I had to hurry and hide it in the closet before he got a look, especially since the name on the package is his (his name on the card and Paypal account and all).

 

E-mail is equally addicting, especially with the speed of sending and replies, but I do miss the feel of writing a letter.

Mom

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

 

I am grateful for my Mom. Though my birthday doesn't fall on it this year, I was born on Thanksgiving Day. I know I was a struggle to deal with as a teenager, but I never doubted the fact that my mom loves me. She has always supported and encouraged me. I am amazed that she survived raising nine children. My parents had to make a lot of sacrifices to support all of us. Thank you for everything.

 

Thankful Thursdays will likely become a part of my regular blogging schedule. Continually looking for things I am grateful for, even on "bad days" has helped my outlook stay more positive.

Mmm... Donuts...

I am grateful for having a 7-Eleven just around the corner. I don't go there every time I'm tempted to (thank goodness), but it sure is nice to walk down as a family and buy some donuts or other treats. Chocolate donut tasted so good. I got a variety box with two chocolate, two coconut covered, and two with nuts. Mmm.

Tuesday Tally and Many Thanks

Status of my novel

total words to date: 86,050

pages: 376

completed chapters: 18

Last week's goals:

• finish chapter 18 - yay! one step closer to The End!
• clean up email inbox of 2nd hotmail account - was fairly uncluttered. 3 more emails to go through

Goals for this week:

• finish first draft 
• clean up excite email inbox
• send out another wave of invites to join my website mailing list

Extra thanks today because I didn't write down my thoughts over the last few days.

 

I am grateful for entertainment. We saw Stardust on Saturday. So glad we did. I could find no flaws - a perfect five star film. Humor, adventure, romance, fantasy. Truly enchanting. It ranks up on the classics with Princess Bride. My type of movie. We will definitely be picking it up on DVD. Yay for movies, books, and games that free us from life's stresses. We finally grew tired of LOTRO and have returned to EverQuest2 after an absence of a year and a half. New expansions have come out, and a lot of other changes have been made - definitely for the better. We did enjoy Lord of the Rings, and stayed there longer after maxing out our characters than we have any other MMO, but we reached a point where we could no longer progress and are tired of running the same instances every week. EQ2 is familiar yet new. When I wasn't writing this last weekend, I was reacquainting myself with the game.

 

I am grateful for pants that fit. Before seeing the movie, I used the early birthday money from my in-laws to go shopping for new pants. I was lucky to actually find two different styles that fit well. It's hard to find pants that work with my big bony hips and long legs, and aren't low-riders (hate those - feel like they are going to fall off). Love the new Wrangler Aura. Would have bought more of those, but only had one pair the right style and size.

 

I am grateful for major appliances: dishwasher, fridge, microwave, stove, washer & dryer. Fairly self-explanatory. Less work for me. More time for other things. Definite benefits to living in this day and age.

 

I am grateful for WRITING. It's the most incredible feeling to get immersed in writing. I love when the rocky struggle finally hits that smooth flow. It reminds me why I love to write and leaves me on a "high" for the rest of the day. I know a lot of my rough draft is just that - rough. But when I reread my work, there are certain scenes where everything shines and it makes me all excited to read more. Hopefully with enough work I can get the whole thing to shine. I need to dig through this chunk of rock to find the gem hinting from within.

Family Traditions and reminders

I am grateful for family traditions. Such as drawing names for Christmas, so I don't have to buy presents for all eight of my siblings every year. That would be a big chunk of cash. It's difficult enough trying to find gifts for the one plus parents on both sides. Another nice tradition that prevents scheduling conflicts or arguments is switching sides for major holidays. For example, this year we go to my in-laws for Thanksgiving and my family for Christmas. Next year it will be the other way around.

 

Unrelated topic: I read a quote today that I really needed a reminder of.

 

"You fail only if you stop writing." ~ Ray Bradbury

 

I came so close to quitting this past week. But I didn't. Today I sat down and I wrote another scene. I will finish this novel, and I won't stop there. I'll keep writing, polishing, and submitting.

toiletries

I am grateful for indoor plumbing. No running out into the cold to use a hole or outhouse. No stinking up the house with a chamber pot (stinky diapers are stench enough). Speaking of diapers, I am also thankful for disposable diapers. Yay for convenience.

School

I am grateful for school. I love B, but it sure is nice to get a break from him. He loves preschool, and I love him going to preschool. He was having a huge tantrum this morning over the child gate in the hall being back up (had it down over the weekend, to move TVs, but had to put it back up for babysitting P) and his entire mood reversed once I mentioned getting ready for school. Angry child became excited child. I loved school when I was little. That love may not have lasted to high school, but I never hated going. It had its benefits. I can't say much for continued education though. Never experienced the college life, and haven't even done much online. Though I am grateful that my husband getting an Associates Degree resulted in a raise. So school is good, even though I'm not always good at it.

 

On a (somewhat) school related note, I wrote the following Blotz poem for English sometime during Junior High. The form is all about alliteration and the imagination.

 

Paddinox

He lives in a pink pagoda in Pakistan.

He eats pachysandra plants, pickled parsnip, pancakes, and papayas.

He likes pale pansies, Polaroid prints, perfect pandas, and purple polka-dotted packages.

He’s a passive pachyderm who paraphrases paragraphs and is a paraprofessional in parenting.

He played part of a piano piece with a papa peacock from Paris.

The Muse in Music

I am grateful for music. Music and emotions are intertwined. Music can make me cry, sing, dance, inspire. Celtic music is often my muse when writing. It somehow taps into my creativity. When I went about a year without writing, it was listening to Celtic music again that brought back the desire. Lullabies soothe. I wrote a lullaby for my son when he was a baby, and would sing it to calm us both when I nursed him during the night. Even after that, it was part of his bedtime routine for a long time. Music helps memory and learning. It also helps me sleep (though hubby can't sleep with it on, so I have to do without at night; still soothes for naps). Being able to play music on the piano is a beautiful thing. It lets me be a part of the magic. When we get a house, a piano will be one of the first things on my list to buy. Singing music also brings joy and drains stress. I've been in school choirs and church choirs. The thing I miss most from high school is choir. I love music.

Christmas Shopping

I am grateful for technology, and that it gets cheaper (and lighter) over time. Namely, we bought ourselves a Vizio 32" wide-screen HDTV (counting as our Christmas present).

 

Along the lines of Christmas presents, we ordered B's present online and it arrived yesterday. He loves to play in big buckets and make pillow forts, so we got him a Thomas the Tank Engine Hideaway. (Did I mention he loves trains as well?) Yay for getting most of Christmas shopping done early. :-)