Grateful

Seeing as how tomorrow is the end of the world, I thought it would be nice to spend tonight thinking about all the things I'm grateful for.  Might as well go out with a full heart and all that.  So, here they are in no particular order, things I'm feeling especially grateful for tonight.

• my hubby.  Yes, he drives me crazy sometimes, as I've been too quick to document here, but truly I think he's my best friend in the world, and I know he would do anything for me, including dishes, laundry, slaying bugs, and yardwork which makes me pretty lucky.
• my oldest.  I'm grateful for him in so many ways.  Should the world not end, Sunday will mark 27 years since I officially became a mother and my life changed exponentially for the better.  I'm grateful for the relationship we have; including one where he would knowingly choose to buy a house just around the corner.  He's very caring and loving towards us and a constant reminder that we did something right.
• my daughter-in-law.  She's a beautiful person, inside and out, and I'm grateful for her warmth and love towards us.  I'm grateful she so willingly shares her life, her husband, and her children with us, generously too; and that she also chose to buy a house just around the corner from us.
• Matthew & Lily.  They, too, are loving little people in my life and they bring us all a lot of sunshine and joy, constantly.  It doesn't get better than that.
• Rebekah.  It's hard to put this one in words.  As a mother a lot rides on your relationship with your daughter.  There's a lot of expectations, a lot of pressure.  I am so thankful and grateful for the relationship we share, I'm so proud of how she's doing in college.  I'm grateful we've been able to find a way for her to be at college and pray that will continue.  I'm grateful she opens her life, her feelings and emotions and invites me in.  I'm grateful to have her in my life.
• Jacob.  Jacob has taught me so much about love and joy.  Jacob's a pretty emotional little guy, but most of the time he's very happy.  I'm grateful for that.  I'm grateful that he finds so much joy in playing, that he follows his heart and most of the time it doesn't steer him wrong.
• Julianna.  Julianna is full of love and helpfulness.  She tells me constantly how much she loves me, she feels everything very intently.  I am so grateful that she's willing to forgive me my faults and love me unconditionally and I try so hard to be worthy of that devotion.  Even when I fall short, she's there positively loving me.  I truly never could have imagined that I would be lucky enough to have 4 children and I am extremely grateful that I was.
• my parents.  It's certainly a special blessing in life that I'm acutely and painfully aware not everyone has, to have parents that love me so much and would literally do anything for me.
• teachers.  My kids have awesome teachers that are very kind to them and have taught them a great deal this year.  It really doesn't get better than that.
• work.  Yes, I would prefer not to be working, but if I have to work, and I do, I'm grateful for the families I have, the loyalty they show, the wonderful children I get to share my days with.  I'm grateful I have found a way to still be home for my family, doing the things for them I think are important.
• I'm grateful for the home we own, even with all it's faults.  (basements, grrr.)  I love our backyard, our kitchen cabinets, my teeny-tiny but oh so lovely shower, the paint in my living/dining room, the new furnace and air conditioner that make our lives so comfortable.
• butter.  olive oil.  sugar.  'nuf said.
• my grill.  I love cooking on the grill 3/4 of the year, and I absolutely love my gas grill.
• my dog.  I'm not a big dog person, but she's a gem.  She doesn't go to the bathroom in the house (our house anyway, sorry mom and dad), she's good to the little ones here everyday, she's friendly and well-behaved and we have really lucked out.
• My minivan.  It gets me everywhere I need or want to go, in comfort, I'm very grateful for it.
• Target.  Whole Foods.  Nice stores to shop in.  I'm a shopper.  I try and deny my inner shopper, but it's there and it shines through and I'm grateful I have such wonderful places to let her out.  :)
• my bed.  I love my bed and am grateful my head gets to hit the pillow every night on such a luxurious, comfy, beautiful spot.
• appliances.  Can you imagine a washboard instead of a washer/dryer?  A coal or wood-burning stove instead of an oven?  Using ice and coolers to keep food fresh?  No, thank you.  I'm very grateful for all the conveniences I have that make my life so much easier.
• restaurants.  'Tis true.  I love to cook, but it's a wonderful feeling to let someone else do the cooking and just r-e-l-a-x.
• entertainment.  I love to be entertained.  It's true.  Books, my laptop, the tv, my sewing machine.  I'm thankful for every fun "thing" in my life.
• rain.  I know, there's been a lot lately, and it may not be what you expect to hear from someone struggling with a wet basement, but I love a good rainy day.  I love the smell of rain.  I love the coziness of a good rainy day with nowhere to go.  I love the lush, emerald green glow of everything after a rainy spell.
• blog friends.  I'm grateful for each and every person who takes the time to read what I write, thinking about me, caring.  
• freedom.  choice.  safety.  health.
• My life.  I may complain, too much, unfortunately, but really my life is pretty perfect just the way it is and I'm exceedingly grateful for it.  

I'm also pretty sure the world's not going to end tomorrow, but it never hurts to take a step back and remember all the good in my life.