And here we are with the 4th installment of Thankful Thursdays. I think it’s been even more rewarding to write these posts this year because I covered the major things last year (family, home, job, friends, etc.) and didn’t want to be repetitive. That has meant that I’ve really had to think about all the things I am thankful for and I’ve realized I have many blessings. And so, finally, this week I am thankful for:

1. My camera. It has allowed me to share so much of my world with you and I am grateful to have a very nice camera along with some pretty awesome lenses.
2. The internet. I remember the days when there were no search engines and you had to use a url to find anything. Now there is so much out there and it has been a wonderful resource for me. I have made friends, and enhanced my ability to do my job. I’ve wasted a lot of time, too, but it’s all good.
3. Thanksgiving. I guess this is obvious but if we didn’t have Thanksgiving I think it would be really easy to just forget to be thankful. So on Thanksgiving I remember all I have – the ones I love, the job I enjoy, the comfort of my home and my pets, the hobbies and the friends and all the blessings in my life.

In closing, let us consider the words of this quote:

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Let’s all live with an attitude of gratitude! Happy Thanksgiving, my friends.

Is it really the third Thursday in November already? Sometimes I think these weekly themed posts make the weeks fly by too quickly. Surely it isn’t my advanced age.

Anyway, this week I am thankful for:

1. Our woodstove. It’s a beautiful soapstone stove that we bought right before we got married and I love it. There’s really nothing quite like a fire to provide not just warmth but also a high coziness factor. Dale replaced the glass on the front of the stove this week and I can’t believe how clean and beautiful the fire looks now. While it’s certainly extra work to haul wood, the benefits are wonderful.
2. Hannah’s upcoming homecoming. It’s only 5 sleeps away now and I can’t wait to have my girl back under my roof for several nights. I haven’t seen her since 10/10/10 and I’ve really missed her.
3. My ability to cook. I don’t mean this to sound conceited but I’m really thankful that I can plan and prepare meals for my family. We save money, we eat more nutritious food, and I get a lot of pleasure in showing my love for people in this way. Whether it’s a fancy dinner like last Saturday night’s filet mignon with baked potato and brussels sprouts with maple butter pecans, or something simple like American Chop Suey (yes, I said IT), or a homemade apple pie, it’s always delicious and it always makes me happy.

Reflecting on thankfulness makes me happy, too.

You know what I really love about Thankful Thursdays? It actually makes me think about being thankful all week long. You see, I plan my posts in my head and this makes me think of all kinds of things I could list when it comes time to write my Thankful Thursdays post. It transcends Thursdays, my friends.

This week I am thankful for:

1. Veterans. Today is Veteran’s Day and I am thankful for the men and women that served our country. I am thankful for those that volunteered for this service and I am thankful for those that were drafted into service. I am grateful that they sacrificed their time with their families in order to protect mine.
2. Kiwanis. I love being a part of an organization that does so much good for our community. Last week we donated $500 to a local child who suffers from Spastic Quadriplegia Cystic Fibrosis. It was an instant and unanimous decision and it feels great to give away money like that – and that’s just one example of the kind of things we do for the people.  Tonight we are assembling care packages to send to our soldiers who are overseas. We work hard at our fundraisers like selling Christmas trees and the Pancake Breakfast, but it’s wonderful to be part of a group that exists for the sole purpose of helping others.
3. Wheaton College. When I went to Wheaton it was a small liberal-arts college for women. It was (and still is) a gorgeous campus and I know without a doubt that it was the exact right place for me to be. I would not be the woman I am today if I had gone anywhere else. Things have changed at Wheaton, in fact the decision to go co-ed was made on the weekend I graduated, but I think the school is still a remarkable place. Last week I heard that the son of an acquaintance is applying “early decision” to go there, just as I did 28 years ago. While it’s still strange to me to hear about a man going to my alma mater, I’m thankful it’s still there and I’m so thankful for the experiences I had as a student there.

Being thankful feels good. And it’s contagious, too.

It’s a Thursday and it’s November and that means it’s time to resurrect Thankful Thursdays. I covered a lot last year and am still thankful for all of those things – my family and my pets, my job, my hobbies and my friends. You can go back and read the archives from each week if you would like but then please come back and read this week’s installment.

This week I am thankful for:

1. My right to vote. The race that was closest to my heart this week did not go the way I wanted but I am still thankful that I could vote and hold a sign for my candidate. And I am thankful that we get to do it all again in a couple of years.
2. Foliage. I live in a beautiful area and the foliage this year (as evidenced by some of my pictures lately) has been spectacular.
3. Spin night at the library. Once a month I host a spinning get together with a wonderful group of people. This week we brought a new spinner into the fold and I’m thankful for what she will bring to our group.

I hope some of you will join me and participate in Thankful Thursdays this month.