Grateful-thinking beyond the obvious!

I was thinking today about what I’m grateful for, another prompt from my Christmas Journal Class and at first my mind went to the same thing it always does, the kids, my job, good health, my great husband, my family in Casey County, my faith-but then I started thinking deeper and I realized I have so much to be thankful for.  This past year I had a great night with my best friend from highschool Gina-(pic is her rotten little sister who got to meet the hunk of burning love) we went to a Toby Keith Concert.  I think we were fourteen when we met and now at 41 I still feel that same connection to her, that’s a blessing.  Or how about being thankful that last weekend I was able to eat pizza with my dad, my daughter, my three aunts and cousins at my Aunt Jeanette’s house, no holiday, no one died we just got together and hung out, it was great!  How about how grateful I am that I have a husband that will have a big pot of chili waiting for me after I worked all day on a Saturday and came home wet and cold from bad weather.  Or even more imporantly how about being grateful for a loving God who helped me process a big decision this week, a decision that I feel I handled with grace and compassion when a few years ago I would have been a raving maniac.  Of course I’m grateful for the kids, my husband etc., but I’m most grateful that I’ve grown as a human being and try to show love and kindness whenever I can.