Time Together

I am thankful for the time that I am enjoying with my husband.  I think that after the first few months of him being gone, I just sort of turned off the "missing you" setting, and threw myself into school and work and whatever else I could find to keep my mind off of missing him.
I had an epiphany, yesterday, though.  I really am my best self when he is by my side.  That is part of what I miss, too!  The "we" that we are when we are together.
But I am not going to go on and on about that right now, because today we are together, and I am thankful for that!

The best part is that he now is ready to come home and talking about how quickly he can do that . . . FOR GOOD!!!  YAY!!!

Thankful for Music

I have to say that I am not just thankful TODAY for music; I am thankful every day for music!  Today I am thankful for the beautiful music that children make when they sing praises to our Heavenly Father!
We had our Primary program today, in church.
We had a special opportunity to have a mini orchestra (Thanks, Tiff and Sydney!) for our program; and the teachers got to sing one of the numbers with the children.
Beautiful!  (and frankly, I'm thankful that the rehearsals are over, too!)

What a wonderful day for a wedding!

Today I am thankful for weddings.  Specifically, the wedding of my brother to a wonderful lady!
We are excited to have another sister!
She is so accepting of all of us and I think she will fit in nicely with the Bailey family quirkiness!
Thanks, Kathy, for saying yes!  Hopefully you will find ALL of us easy to love, not just my brother!  :)

Thankful TWICE today!

I am thankful for the veterans of this country, who have served well to insure our freedom!  They deserve this day of recognition and thanks from any and all of us who continue to enjoy freedoms!

Thanks for all that you have done and continue to do to protect our rights!

Road trip!

Today I am thankful for rental cars and the opportunity to have a road trip with my favorite Latino!  :)
We are headed to California for my brother's wedding.
Because of the way rental car companies do business these days, I didn't know if we were going to be able to rent the car.  We don't have any credit cards, and they don't like to let their cars go with just a debit card.
But, thankfully, Jorge's round trip itinerary came in handy, and we drove away in a BEAUTIFUL brand new Hyundai - dark blue and all the nice accessories!  CD and XM radio, electric everything and a nice air flow system.  Traveling in high style, the Zapatas!

Modern Conveniences!

Today I am thankful for modern technology and conveniences!
Thanks to airplanes, my husband, Jorge, could come home for a week and attend my brother's wedding with me.
And I am thankful that it worked out that he could do that!
Love him!

Another blessing!

Today my great-nephew (actually great nephew #4) was born!  My niece, Kayla, became a mommy today!  And Mr. Lott the Third is gracing us with his presence.
I am thankful to see these little ones grow and become people.  And I am thankful for any interaction that I get to have with them!
I am thankful to be an aunt and learn from each experience that this occupation brings me.  Sometimes I don't even know how the parents can handle the stress, because they aren't even my children, but I stress about them all so much!
Thankfully, too, Heavenly Father watches out for all of HIS children, so that we don't have to do any of this alone.

Always Thankful

I am always thankful for prayer, and the knowledge that God hears and answers them. 
The true test in life is to be thankful for the answers, whether it was what we wanted to hear or not.
Prayer heals, comforts and changes hearts. 
Here is a prayer going out for Kayla - she is gonna be a momma tomorrow! 

I found a way!

. . . to be thankful for Mondays!
Yep, I am thankful . . . that it is over and now I can get on with my CRAZY BUSY week!  If ever I had a week when I wished I had a clone of myself, or 3 people to pay to help me get stuff done, it would be this week!
But I am also thankful to be busy!  I find it easier to be positive when I don't have time to sit around and think negatively!
Can you say "woo hoo!!! Monday is done!"

Thanks, Heavenly Father, for my Mama!

Today is my mother's 70th birthday.  (even as I type this, I can hear her chastising me for not "giving a girl her privacy" about some things . . . like her age!)
My whole life my mama has told me that she is so glad that I wasn't born on her birthday.  I just tell her that she got her best gift early!
She is an amazing, giving, loving person.  She has shown me how to be tolerant, caring and understanding.  Most of all, she taught me to be a good listener and a lover of children.
She means the world to me.
Happy Birthday, Mama!

Thankful for . . . .

Birthdays - to remind us that we have survived, learned from and conquered another year!

Hobbies - to give us an escape from the grind of everyday life!

Facebook - so that people that we haven't seen in years can wish us "Happy Birthday" . . . because they have a FB reminder!  Love that!

T G I F

Thank Goodness for Fridays!
I am thankful for Fridays.  I really like my job, but Friday means two days to focus on the other aspects of my life - nothing too exciting, mostly housework and homework - but not stress about cramming them around the work schedule for two days is a good thing.
Thankful, too, that the 10th is that much closer - Jorge's coming home that day!  ♥ ♥ ♥

Thankful, Day 3

I am thankful for breaks.  Breaks from data entry, breaks from school, breaks from stress, and breaks from being my dog's sole caregiver!  I was so thankful for the opportunity to sleep later and better, without the interuption of barking and having to take Dodger out to do his "dooty". 
Aaaaaaah, indeed I am thankful for breaks.

Thankful still

I am thankful for friends with listening ears and understanding hearts.  I need to vent sometimes, and I don't know where I would be without friends who listen and don't judge me for my comments. 
Being understood is so important to me.  Understood and accepted.
And thankful!  :)

November = 30 Days of Thanksgiving

So, I have been a slacker blogger!
But not for lack of keeping busy!  I am crankin' away at my studies and the tentative date to become a teacher is December, 2013!  Yay, a goal in sight!!
Anyway - I am back with new commitment to my blog; I will post every day in November, about something that I am thankful for.

November 1, 2011
I am thankful for my job.  2 and 1/2 years as a "temporary employee" really reeks havoc on your self-assurance.  I am settling in quite nicely and I am WAY excited that soon we will be moving into the new facility.  By the way, the "new" facility is the same building that I worked in until 2.75 years ago!  Kinda like going home; my brain can go into auto-pilot mode to get me there every morning.

Be Thankful for your Health

I do try to be thankful for good health; but like most human beings, I am just a little bit forgetful when it comes to expressing gratitude to my Heavenly Father for something that is so easily taken for granted.

Then, when I feel like crap, and would maybe, just a little bit, rather die than continue feeling like crap, I begin to feel a little remorseful about NOT expressing that gratitude.

While NO, a sinus infection relapse is nothing life-threatening, it is rather energy-draining and uncomfortable and the burning up fever is . . . . well, burny! And, as some of my own dear family members have other, more serious and “not going away” ailments, I know I would be quite self-centered to expect any sort of sympathy from them.

I have chosen, instead to express gratitude daily, for my health . . . and even on itchy eyes, drippy nose allergy days like today (Yes, I was experiencing those symptoms ON TOP of the sinus infection relapse episode!) I can find a reason to be grateful for my health.

And many other things, of course . . . . . . .

The Rant I’ve Been Avoiding

You know, when you want to go into a store or a place of business, many of them have two doors. One is for exiting, and one is entering – the first being on the right, and the latter on the left. With the exception of WalMart (and I don’t know why they choose to be different – that’s a WHOLE different rant!!), this should be, or used to be, a commonly understood process.

What happened? When did our society become so dumbed down, or is it just outright rudeness?? Please don’t stand on the other side of the door that I am walking in, and act all bothered, when there is another door RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU that you can open your DANG self, and walk through!!!! Your sarcastic and attitudinal “Thanks!” doesn’t make you look any less stupid, by the way!!!

Just because you think where you need to go is more important than whatever I’ve got on my agenda, doesn’t mean that I have to be an idiot and go through the wrong door, or hold my door open for you, because you are too lazy, entitled or stupid to open the other one for yourself!

It is a simple concept, actually. Which side of the street do you drive on?? Think of that concept, when you want to enter or exit a building – if someone is coming through the door on the right, then MAYBE you should consider exiting that OTHER door that ISN’T there for decorative purposes! (Kinda like a comment that I’ve heard before, when I have asked someone to fetch something for me – “What ? Are your legs painted on?” Nope, and NEITHER IS THAT OTHER DOOR!!! USE IT!!)

I know this sounds petty . . . and that is why I have been avoiding this post! But people can be so rude and inconsiderate without even trying. But, to me, that is the issue – considering others is the opposite of being Inconsiderate! Let’s just TRY to do that . . . it doesn’t have to be some huge philanthropic event. Just use your own door, and think about how others feel about your actions, at least occasionally. PLEASE????

Maybe This Time . . .

we can learn!

After 9/11/2001, this country became AMAZINGLY unified!  We were all ready to beat down the terrorists and the common enemy of hate, together.
Then, after a few complacent, and relatively terrorist-attack free, years, we fell back into our same old UGLY habits.  I have heard before (though I can't quote when or where, or even the exact words!) the thought that if a country (group, entity, whatever) doesn't unite to fight the enemies outside their group, entity, country, etc, they will soon find enemies within - and that, it seems, is what has happened.
The huge debaucle that was the election year became a year-long fight between the parties.  The dividing line between Republican, Democrat and undeclared became a brick wall.  No communication or working together can happen when there is a brick wall dividing the participants, people!
Anyway, just when the changing of the guard was happening in Washington DC, another senseless act of violence had to make us all stop . . . . literally stop . . . badgering, arguing and pointing fingers (even if JUST for a few small moments!) and take note that we are ALL human.
Not one of us, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or political party is infallible and immortal.  I think the Tucson tragedy (which is frighteningly close to my home!) was a little memo from the evil powers that be:  Guess what: your time on earth can be shorter than you've planned!  There are PLENTY of mentally unstable people in the world who care to show their own distaste for the human race, such as it is, and end it for others!
We all, whether near to or far from the actual location of this terrible incident, have to stop and think!  Your neighbor is your neighbor, or actually, your brother or sister, as children of God.  Don't let petty differences keep you from appreciating the similarities that we all share.  Henry B. Eyring said, "the children of God have more in common then they have differences . . ." We need to capitalize on that!  We need to focus on the strengths that bind us, instead of the weaknesses that may divide.
God does and will continue to bless America - we all need to live worthy of that blessing, and act accordingly.  Myself included.