Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers!
Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday for us, so that works out quite nicely. American or not, you can do the usual: make a thankful list with me. 🙂
This week, I’m thankful:
that Zoe’s got her learner’s permit
I remembered all the proper paperwork, she passed on the first try, and the whole thing only took about an hour from start to finish, which is respectably speedy for the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Zoe and I were saying that they should hire some of the smart people from Aldi to help them reduce their wait times because Aldi knows how to move people through in a jiffy.
I realized that this is the last time I will take one of my kids to go get a learner’s permit. 4/4 done!
There are some things I feel a little wistful about, but driver’s licensing procedures are not one of them. I am 0% sentimental about trips to the DMV.
for the upcoming hours with Zoe in the car
We have to log a whole lot of practice driving hours before she gets her license (at the end of summer 2022). In some ways, having a student driver is a little stressful, but on the other hand, it does provide a whole lot of one-on-one time with a kid, and that is something to be thankful for.
that it’s going to be easier to do Zoe’s driving hours
When Sonia had her learner’s permit, almost everything was shut down, which meant we had to be very intentional about driving.
Instead of having her practice while driving to church or college or anything like that, we had to just go out and drive randomly.
But with Zoe, it’s going to be much easier to just work her driving practice into our normal life routines, since we do actually go places now!
for the way 2020 has made me appreciate having things on the calendar
I am still more of a homebody than not, and I do still prefer for my calendar not to be jam-packed.
But yikes! The 2020 calendar emptiness was too, too much for even me, and I am very grateful to be able to go places and see people now.
that I do not have to cook a turkey today
We are having dinner with my aunt and uncle and Lisey, and my dear aunt is doing the bulk of the food prep today. All I have to do is bring rolls.
Which, as we know, is very easy for me.
Bread-baking is like breathing!
for so many good book recommendations from you guys
I filled up my hold list at the library very nicely, and that’s with me only getting about halfway through the books you all recommended!
for library books
Yesterday I picked up some of the medical memoirs you guys recommended, so yay for some free, fresh reading material.
Now I am going to have to resist deep-diving into these until my actual studying is done, though!
for the fact that face masks are nicer in cold weather
They are still required here in a number of places, so I appreciate the fact that they are a more comfy accessory in the cold weather. Much better than summer mask-wearing!
that our heat pump is fixed
Last Saturday morning at 6:30, Mr. FG and I both sat up in bed and said, “Do you smell that?”
It was a distinct burnt-electrical-wiring aroma and it was coming from the laundry room, where our heat pump is. Yikes.
Happily, we were able to find someone to come fix it that same day, so we were back in business pretty quickly.
I am thankful it was fixable and that we had the money to fix it. Mr. FG and I both thought back to the two times earlier in our marriage when our heat pumps had to be entirely replaced. Those were devastating expenses back then, but now, even if we needed to replace a whole heat pump, it wouldn’t be nearly so terrible.
And that is something to be seriously grateful for: more budgetary margin!
Karen
Friday 26th of November 2021
Thankful that being grateful is a daily habit! Having a holiday that recognizes the importance of gratitude is nice, but being grateful as a mindful practice means the world to me. Thankful that my daughter is maturing, facing challenges and getting back up when she's knocked down. Thankful for the time to relax, not shop, just relax and do things with family I want to do. Thankful for the many many privileges I have been given and I have earned, and the understanding that nothing is promised. Coffee.
AnnieH
Friday 26th of November 2021
1. That I tested negative after someone in my office tested positive recently and are able to have my brother over for Thanksgiving after missing him last year. Thankful to be fully vaccinated and boosted, and have been very careful with masks and social distancing. 2. That he's bringing a really delicious homemade French crumb apple pie and cranberry sauce. 3. That we will have a nice quiet Thanksgiving and my office is closed on Friday so I can relax and putter around the house. 4. We have plenty of stuffing frozen for future meals. I love good stuffing! 5. We will be able to Facetime with family near and far.
Toni
Thursday 25th of November 2021
1. For my kids and husband. They are the best part of every day. 2. For being able to gather with extended family today and tomorrow. 3. That my family is healthy and safe. 4. That both sides of our family live fairly close by so we don’t have to travel far to see them for holidays. 5. For science for making this year so much better than last year.
Lindsey
Thursday 25th of November 2021
1. The husband, after 38 years still the best human I have ever known. 2. Pharma researchers, who have discovered the drugs taht keep me alive, when my brother with the same cardiac defect died because they were not around then. 3. For a cozy home. It was 33 below zero at our house this morning, and I know there are people living in tents around here. 4. For this blog, that keeps me interested and thankful for things. 5. To live in Alaska. Every time I go Outside to visit relatives, I worry that there will be a war and I will get stuck out there. Seriously, I always focus on how I would get back in a national emergency. When 9/11 happened, we had friends who could not get back here for weeks. No planes (although they ended up making an exception for small planes delivering food to villages because people were literally in danger of starving for lack of supplies.) No cars available to rent. They were just stuck in a hotel, waiting to see what would happen next. My worst nightmare. The only other worst nightmare I had was when I worked construction on the Trans Alaska pipeline, in my 20s. I was in a remote camp with hundreds of men and 3 women. I used to wonder what I would do if there were a nuclear war and I had to mate with one of these men in order to keep civilization going. It was not a happy thought, as this was not the cream of the crop of manhood. They would blow their noses on the foor, even on carpeting!!!! And some of them were so lazy that if they had to pee at night, they would pee in the corners of their rooms rather than walk down the (admitedly cold) hallway to the john!
Jody S.
Thursday 25th of November 2021
@Lindsey, LOL. I know people sometimes fantasize about being stranded on a desert island with (insert name of very attractive person) and how they must keep civilization going. But who thinks of the opposite? Now I do, thanks to you :) I've seen a lot with my crew of 7 kids, but I don't ever remember blowing noses on the floor. Thanks for the laugh!
Jody S.
Thursday 25th of November 2021
I am thankful that-- *I didn't eat a second piece of pie; I'm quite stuffed already. * I follow another homeschooling mom on instagram who highlighted cooking with the little ones. It inspired me to be patient with the little ones today and let them help cook. *stretching my legs before I get out of bed really reduces the pain of my arthritis. *I have all that I need and want. . . plus some. *my children all said lovely things that they were thankful for at dinner this evening. *people take a day out of the year to devote to gratefulness. *God has blessed us in so many ways.