What I'm Thankful For Today

John Williams, the morning DJ on my radio station, has a regular Friday feature entitled "The Bright Side of Life". During this segment people call in and simply say one thing they are happy about today. Mary Schmich, one of my favorite Chicago Tribune columnists, wrote about what happened when she asked people "What are you happy about today". So I guess I need to answer both of them!

I've spent this afternoon baking tons of cookies for the reception after Kevin's concert at church tomorrow afternoon. I'm thankful for.....

• the smell of warm chocolate chip cookies
• Kitchen Aide mix-masters. Oh why, did I wait about 30 years before getting one?
• the dishwasher
• Kevin living in Chicago and being able to attend his concerts
• a close friend whom I don't get to see very often who will be at the concert tomorrow
• a Jersey Boys CD to listen to all afternoon!
  

This morning was my regular Friday morning walk with Beryl, Pat and Susan. I'm thankful for...

• being able to walk! sharing good friends' lives!
  
• the peer pressure that keeps me from begging off when I'm tired
• finally being outside!
• the "Perk Café" which provides our post-walk coffee but, more importantly, provides a supportive work environment for special needs adults in the community

After walking, I stopped at Costco. I'm thankful for....

• lines that move quickly in spite of huge crowds....always
• being able to get wonderful produce, enough apple juice to keep my mom going for a couple of weeks, and a "just stick in the oven" entree for tonight
• being able to walk around the cavernous store after walking around the lake twice

After Costco I stopped at Rosewood. I'm thankful for....

• Mom being really alert recently. I started to tell her that David is at his "Crack House" in Florida and she finished the story with every detail that David had told her last weekend. (By the way, the "crack house" is an empty house in a subdivision near a quarry. They have placed and monitor computer sensors to see if explosions at the quarry are causing any cracks or problems in a neighboring sub-division. Hence, "crack house")
• her doctor who seems to be on top of every medical need. Even though Dr. M doesn't spend a lot of time patting my mother on the head, her health is more stable than it has been in a long time.

Throughout the day I've looked at my computer. I'm thankful for....

• David's, Nancy's and Tom's blogs....to be part of their lives and thoughts
• Rosetta Stone. In spite of my huge frustration with pronunciation, how cool is it to be able to learn another language in one's kitchen!
• FLteach, a listserv I've joined. How amazing to be able to read the thoughts, ideas, frustrations, concerns and joys of 1000's for foreign language teachers all around the world....delivered to my kitchen!
• Silly pictures and goofy jokes sent by friends. An unexpected giggle in the middle of the day is a good thing. Contact with friends is a better thing!

Tonight I'm actually home and will veg in front of the TV. I'm thankful for....

• a VERY patient husband who has put up with leftover spaghetti three nights this week while I have been off "gallivanting."
• the good progress so far in our Call Committee work...an excellent group of committee members and promising candidates.
• "What Not to Wear" --- Some people watch "Dancing with the Stars", others watch "American Idol", my secret Friday night vice is Stacey and Clinton! Tonight I also get to watch a recorded "Grey's Anatomy", a second vice.

It's a pretty ordinary day, with pretty ordinary things to be thankful for, but thank you, John and Mary, for reminding me to focus on them! Isn't that better than fretting about Swine Flu?????