The Magic of Gratitude

Yesterday, the nation took time out to officially give thanks. While Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday, gratitude is magic we can find everyday. It's very easy to get
really caught up in everything that's wrong in our lives. However, I guarantee your outlook will change if you take time every day to list or think about three things you are greatful for. Even finding one thing can turn the day around. At this official "time out" for gratitude I am greatful, of course, for family, a home, a job, and health. But here are some other "off beat" things I am greatful for that have a tremendout impact on my well-being. I am greatful for:

1. My craft room and the opportunity to spend time being creative.
2. Having the opportunity in my life to have learned to do many different things that I can still enjoy - skiing, scrapbooking, playing the violin, writing
3. An understanding boss who is also a soccer mom
4. My Book Club
5. My yearly ski trip to look forward to
6. The fact that the worst thing we've had to deal with so far in having teenagers is a trip to court for a speeding ticket!
7. Kids with good grades and that care about their grades
8. The Internet -- that makes anything you need to know available within seconds, allows you to find and reconnect with old friends, hosts webcams that let you glimpse into another part of the world, provides ways to instantly communicate and share information, and so much more!
9. The fact that Dwight and I are in our mid/late 40s and still have all of our parents with us in relatively good health
10. Being able to leave my kids home alone and be able to trust them
11. Having a husband that cooks dinner since I hate to do that and helps out around the house