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And how is it that I haven't done this since July 16??
--July--
July 17: I am grateful for computers, telephones, voice recognition, roast beef, broccoli, and blankets - preferably not all at once.
July 18: [none]
July 19: I'm grateful that when the key for Scott's car fell off my keychain, it landed atop the storm drain grate, not falling through.
July 20: I am grateful for eggs, allergy shots, first dentist appointments, two bottom front teeth, and friends.
July 21: I am grateful for family, lovely clear pleasant evenings, experimental glazes, pies, potatoes, blueberries, and taste buds.
July 22: I am grateful for sunsets, breezes, apple trees, and froggy clothing.
July 23: I am grateful for clarity, silly bubble toys, cookies, paper, and pens.
July 24: I am grateful for computers, development environments, debuggers, email, IM, and telephones. Also tabletop fountains.
July 25: I am grateful for grills, camaraderie, pleasantly warm days, homemade brownies, and silly toys.
July 26: I am grateful for good customer service, for Ian's joy in standing and moving, and for cars.
July 27: I am grateful for silly games, & friends who don't mock when I'm the one who can name 3(+) Facebook games in under five seconds.
July 28: I am grateful for car seat inspections done, and for "tambourine boats" that go underwater.
July 29: I am grateful for growth and change. (Also waffles, bananas, and spinach. Not in one dish, please.)
July 30: [none]
July 31: I'm grateful I seldom have days like this, because working from home is hard without your laptop's POWER CORD. Driving in now.
--August--
August 1: I am grateful for ice water, shoes, packages, books, and hope. I hope to be grateful for a good night's sleep....
August 2: I am grateful for ideas, silly and clever, and for the GM agreeing a couple cards can be "in play" for next session.
August 3: I am grateful for answers, bottles, happy babies, matching shirts, and Fridays.
August 4: I am grateful for allergy shots, mail, and tidying. Er, well, tidy spaces anyway.
August 4 (additional): Aha! Ian isn't fussy because of just the mild cold. He has the two top front teeth just through the gum. Scott says one to the side also. I am also grateful for infant Tylenol.
August 4: I am grateful for sunscreen, fans, water, ice, ice water, balloons, ponies, bounce houses, and town fairs.
August 5: I am grateful for morning, sunlight, the promise of a day not as hot, sweet silly children, and cars.
August 6: I am grateful for a full night of sleep, a husband with a sense of humor, and plans that make themselves.
August 7: I am grateful for stencils, and puffy fabric paint. Also silliness, things that work as planned, and art.
I'm also grateful a friend got her ankle checked, tho I wish it had been just a sprain! #gratitude #sorta
August 8: I am grateful for free pizza, dairy pills, and well written change notes.
August 9: [none]
August 10: I am grateful for whimsy that works. pic.twitter.com/RSsnfKpe
August 11: I am grateful for books, dreams, and imagination. pic.twitter.com/ylARXRdv
August 12: I am grateful for family, friends, frozen fruit, lemon tarts, bruschetta (so's Ian), advice, laughter, and babies in bags.
August 13: I am grateful for QA/testers who find bugs before they can go out the door. Especially when they provide good reproduction steps.
August 14: I am grateful for fixed code, stickers, and whimsy again. pic.twitter.com/run1P77S pic.twitter.com/R79Vl4gS
August 15: I am grateful for lactose free *yogurt*. Also for sweet orange-and-pineapple chicken over rice. Mmmm.
August 16: I am grateful for timing, things that fit (even if only just), popcorn, logging, and "welcome home"s said with enthusiasm.
August 17: I am grateful for sunlight through flower petals, peaceful bumble bees, and the lovely smell of lavender.
August 18: I am grateful that I don't often circle around the east metro area this much. Also grateful to be back on the freeway.
I am also grateful for sales on things I was going to buy anyway. Half my list on sale? Yes, please!
Also grateful for smiling boys. (Ian: rotisserie chicken. Drew: new pants and the sizing stickers, now stuck on his legs.)
I am grateful for little boys in Daddy's shirt. And a plastic fireman hat. Also, managing not to giggle.
I'm grateful for baby Mum Mum rice crackers.
August 19: I am grateful for Drew, who is happily hugging and holding Ian on his toddler couch.
August 20: I am grateful for quiet moments, smiles, progress, and questions. Also, chocolate.
August 21: I am grateful for progress, things that work, donuts, time to breathe, relaxation, and good people.
August 22: I am grateful for getting to see the wonderful, incomparable Judy. And all the other great people! :)
I am grateful for an excellent BBQ, for chips and burgers and watermelon and cake and more. And the great people who made it.
I'm grateful for Marcia. :)
I am grateful I've not bought a 6-pack of Cherokee boys' socks before. Seven plastic ties for six pairs of socks??
(Scott: "Some disassembly required. I love Scott.)
August 23: [none]
August 24: [none]
August 25: Thursday I should have said I was grateful for fun first sessions of new games. And of course friends; friends rock.
I am also grateful for family, airplanes, cute kid moments, plans that stay on track, and excellent food.
For those in the Portland area: I am grateful for http://daressalam.org/ - an excellent restaurant in Wilsonville.
Extras: "I think I'm gonna throw to Mom!" Drew throws to Grandma. "I was wrong!" #kids #catch #joy
At farmer's market. Drew likes cheese and watermelon. Ian likes watermelon and tomatoes. I like people's faces at baby w/watermelon slice.
August 26: I am grateful for Ian, for the wonderful people of Prince of Life Lutheran Church, and for a lovely service and baptism.
I am also grateful for in-laws who're the family I would have wanted & chosen even if they hadn't come with my wonderful husband.
August 27: I am grateful for eggplant and a baby who likes it. Also bell peppers.
August 28: I am grateful for patience, progress, sleep, jamocha shakes, and my wonderful boys.
August 29: I am grateful for radio traffic reports.
August 30: I am grateful for markers and a boy still young enough to wonder how I knew they played with them. pic.twitter.com/FDnFiLdq
August 31: I am grateful for the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, and for the fact that our @OregonZoo membership got us half price admission.
--September--
September 1: I am grateful for laughter, sleep, swimming pools, dominoes, knowing where I am, salad, and family family family.
September 2: I am grateful for family, family get-togethers, chicken sandwiches, brownies, cucumber cottage cheese, and banana splits.
Extra: Pineapple + ice cream from banana split = win. pic.twitter.com/Yo7azmPM
September 3: I am immensely grateful for a glorious holiday weekend filled with family and joy. Also, "march march march march."
I am grateful for the kindness of strangers, and help with luggage wrangling.
September 4: I am grateful for being home, washing machines, clothes dryers and drying racks, dishwashers, cars, and getting caught up.
I am also grateful for silly fun socks. pic.twitter.com/sW9m3w1v
September 5: I am grateful for helping hands, flexible schedules, progress, and things that work. Also, less cryptically, for M&Ms.
September 6: I'm grateful for raspberries, plums, ice water, infant Tylenol, eye checks that go well, and happy conversations.
September 7: I am grateful for farmer's markets, homemade pico de gallo, and the willpower and sense to NOT touch my face while chopping veg.
September 8: I am grateful for Scott saying my pico de gallo, while it has its own flavor, compares favorably with Chipotle or Qdoba.
September 9: I am grateful that the only problem Ian seems to have with peanut butter is that I didn't give him as much as he wanted.
September 10: I am grateful for rain, and the scent of it on hot pavement; memories, and history; small handprints. And homemade burritos.
September 11: [none]
September 12: Meant to post yesterday: I am grateful for all who risk / offer up their lives to protect their fellow citizens.
I am grateful for appreciation, insight, asking the right question, coordinated tests that go as planned, and dogs.
September 13: I am grateful for progress, for card games, for the Margrave card, and for farmer's markets and heirloom tomatoes.
September 14: I am grateful for the time and patience to remain calm and content while stuck behind someone doing 30 in a 45 zone.
I am grateful for sales, unnervingly cheerful checkout clerks, and polite drivers in parking lots.
September 15: I am grateful for reunions, for places you can go back to and find them better, and for a good bratwurst.
September 16: I'm grateful for homemade pizza sauce, homemade pizza, neti pots (I think), prayer, community, mail, photos, and beautiful skies.
September 17: I am grateful for listening ears, helping hands, ice cream, stars, wind, birds, and snuggly children.
September 18: I am grateful for good numbers.
September 19: I am grateful for adjustments, creativity, hope, planned barbecues, snuggly babies, ice cream, and new shirts.
September 20: I am grateful that I do not often have to file expense reports.
I am VERY grateful for wonderful, helpful, fun-to-talk-to coworkers.
Extra: I wish I'd had time to grab the camera; I didn't. 3-year-old + chocolate ice cream cone. Face mask, forehead splash, hands, clothes. EPIC.
September 21: I am grateful for cupcakes, laughter, rain, rest, new books, and soap.
September 22: I am grateful for rotisserie chicken, compromises, dinosaur costumes, and the joy of putting together a gift package.
September 23: I am grateful for unexpected clearance sales, and for farmer's markets and fresh peaches. Oh, and wish lists.
Extra: Anyone think Ian is teething? Chewed on: a rock, a teethie, Scott's nose (OW), the back of his pacifier, the *bars of the metal baby gate*.
Our tv stand is apparently a cat stand. pic.twitter.com/ZuxOEKmM
September 24: I am grateful for fabric markers, dye, ovens, peach floating pudding, the mail, and innovation.
September 25: I am grateful for freezers, fresh peaches, iron on patches, mail order, and good decisions.
September 26: I am grateful for telephones, card games, microwaves, flu shots, and cars.
September 27: I am grateful for card games, friends, laughter, plans, and children. Mine especially, but also in general.
September 28: I am grateful that what has been going wrong today has been annoyances. Nothing major, and several things have gone right.
September 29: I am grateful for _Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs_, and the library since we borrowed it. So. Funny.
[editor's note: he got his own copy as a Christmas gift!]
September 30: I am grateful for zofran. And that's really all I wanna say about that.
--October--
October 1: I am grateful for rest days, showers, Drew's tackle-kisses, and Ian's snuggling in to sleep cuddled on mama.
October 2: I'm grateful to be back in the office, feeling better and getting stuff done!
Extra: 3-year-old versions: "Little pig, little pig, let me in!" "Nooooo waaay!"
October 3: I am grateful for filters being replaced, that really needed to be. It's bad when it's slowing the water flow to a trickle....
October 4: I'm grateful to Drew for requesting a read of _Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs_ while friends were here. Reactions: priceless.
October 5: I'm grateful for tie dye. Also for things finished well, good health, and wish lists.
October 6: I am grateful for good soap, afternoon naps, good local parks, weekends, and crock pots.
October 7: I am grateful for the Portland Children's Museum for a fun start to the afternoon. I'm also grateful the weekend ends soon.
I'm also grateful I checked online & found out today was $2 admission day at @OMSI so we didn't go there! Imagine it was crowded.
October 8: I am grateful for sewing machines, rice, sales, hugs, microwaves, and frozen dinners. Oh, and big fuzzy cats who snuggle.
October 9: I am grateful for progress, cleaner rooms, dishwashers, laundry machines, timers, and cars. Oh, and candy. Shhhh.
Extra: Scott this morning, offering Drew a chance to taste flavored hot chocolate: "Would you like to try a spoonful?" Drew: "A cupful!"
October 10: I am grateful for productive days, sweetly sleeping boys, baby snuggles, and a picked up family room.
October 11: I am grateful for kind and patient friends, card games, children's creativity, and good soap.
October 12: I am grateful for the promise of rain, for a glorious sunrise, for a rainbow through pink-glow clouds, and for cameras.
I'm also grateful I didn't have a whole lot that had to be done today...since it wasn't....
October 13: I am grateful to have a husband who takes me to the Japanese Garden in spite of myself. Also grateful @PDXJapaneseGdn exists.
October 14: I am grateful for good decisions, joy and laughter and play, and both boys playing in the nursery at church.
October 15: I am grateful for brakes, Costco, gift boxes full of goodies, the sound of heavy rain, and giggles.
October 16: Just walked outside to a mostly clear dusky blue predawn sky with high soft clouds and cool air. Mind clear, heart joyful.
I am grateful to have known and worked with Dennis Miller. So very sad to learn of his passing.
October 17: I am grateful for the Rage of Bahamut game; for cuddly boys; for my wonderful husband; for cars and computers; and for socks
I am also grateful that the semi that rolled onto its side at 5 am did so in the southbound, rather than northbound, I5 lanes.
October 18: I am grateful for successful shopping trips with a baby, a big boy at the park, rotisserie chicken, and instant messenger.
October 19: I'm grateful for planning, candy, grocery stores, baby hugs, wish lists, and blankets. And sleep.
October 20: I'm grateful Ian's fever overnight didn't last too long and no other symptoms of anything worse than a cold.
October 21: I'm grateful for matching Christmas pajamas for the boys, for colds with no ear infection, for jumper cables, and for showers.
I am also grateful for the chance to help others.
EXTRA: Ian STOOD. Not "tried to stand" or "pushed up and wobbled" or "forgot to fall down when he let go of a support" - stood up and looked at me. No wobbles, just standing, for probably 5 seconds; then he sat down, but it wasn't *wobbly*.
October 22: I am grateful for first steps.
Extra: Ian was standing braced on me, let go and stepped back, turned, and stepped forward to grab the rocking chair!
October 23: I am grateful for candy, healthy cuddly kids, pumpkins, thought, soap, and sleep.
Extra: "I'm much wider awake than Ian, because I have much bigger eyes!" #bedtime
October 24: I am grateful for efficiency? Day care needs a resupply of Ian's: diapers, wet wipes, spare clothes, 2x snacks (MumMums & puffs).
October 25: I am grateful for little boys who are NOT dinosaurs but are CROCODILES and went SNAP SNAP and snapped fingers off (his words!).
October 26: I am grateful for Coursera, gratitude, glasses, my wonderful family, tea, dishwashers, soap dishes, and Halloween fun.
October 27: I'm grateful that Ian's backward arching headbutt did no permanent damage to my nose. Wow did that hurt.
I'm also grateful for friends, possibility, beautiful spaces, water, the children's museum, and balls.
October 28: I am grateful for our church: community, caring, chili, cornbread, and candy. (Harvest fest and trunk or treating.)
October 29: I am grateful for all of you reading this, and for all the other wonderful people who are around me but don't happen to see this.
I am grateful for design, fixes, questions, and help. Also grateful Drew didn't hit Scott harder with the plastic drum.
October 30: I am grateful that I am not on the east coast, and grateful that there was so much preparation for this storm.
October 31: I am grateful for Halloween, costumes, children, potlucks, design, and the lure of sleep which hopefully comes soon.
--November--
November 1: I am grateful for cars, for people, and for the affluence required to be inconvenienced by traffic.
November 2: I am grateful for cleaning sprees with positive results. Also grateful for Coursera.
November 3: I am grateful for happy healthy growing boys who keep me very very busy. Also for canned food, because some days just are.
I am also grateful for teething confirmed. Yay chompy baby.
November 4: I'm grateful for the laughter of children.
November 5: I'm grateful for class lectures to listen to on my commute. And for enuf warning before a fire alarm test to have ear plugs handy.
November 6: I am very grateful that worked. #cryptic #work
November 7: I am grateful for plumbers, and for quick fixes.
I'm grateful for Tylenol, clean water, radio without election ads, hugs, and my family and friends.
November 8: [none]
November 9: I am grateful for all those who serve to protect us: in the military, the police, fire departments, EMS, doctors/nurses, etc.
November 10: I am grateful that this appears to be the last perspective/drawing assignment in my design class. #frustration into #gratitude
November 11: I am grateful for all those who serve, or have served, in our military; and also for those who have waited at home for them.
Extra: "I don't want dinner yet." "But when you do get hungry, what do you want?" "When I get hungry, you have to feed me food." - Drew and I
November 12: I am grateful for positive feedback and climbing babies! Ian climbed the stairs all the way to the second floor by himself.
November 13: I am grateful for information, questions, fixes, debuggers, and links that work.
November 14: I am grateful for a good job, good benefits, and a quick clear easy and timely open enrollment process.
November 15: I am grateful Ian just has a miserable cold. No ear infection, bronchitis/pneumonia, etc. etc. I am also grateful for car naps.
November 16: I'm grateful for a surprise birthday party for Scott's coworker, for good food, company, and conversation.
I'm also very grateful that both the boys are feeling better.
Extra: Drew is creating Christmas trees and birthday cakes with a magic wand. Instructions to me: "Eat the cake. Don't eat the Christmas tree!"
November 17: I am grateful that Ian is half-patient about having his nose scrubbed. Practice helps? Unrelated: I'm grateful for Visio.
I am grateful for growing boys. And cute footwear. (Not the prices, but such is life.)
November 18: I am grateful for community, friends, family, and our church. I am also grateful that it is almost Monday, after a busy weekend.
November 19: I am grateful for progress, plans, holidays, gratitude, and stores that wait to start Christmas until after Thanksgiving.
November 20: I am grateful for gifts unlooked-for, things going well (or better) for friends, silly toys and silly boys.
November 21: I am grateful for a spare bedroom almost cleaned to usability. And for family, so very much for family.
November 22: I am grateful for friends, family, food, flying plush turkeys, sliding pillows, the cancan, and shared laughter.
November 23: [none]
November 24: I am grateful for family, community, prayer, kindness, and hope.
November 25: I am grateful, after a rather yell-y afternoon, for Drew giving me lots and lots of hugs and being happy.
Extra: Ian isn't easily daunted. Climby baby climbs the whole staircase to get to the playroom. I just spot him and open the gate.
With appropriate gestures: Scott: "Live long and prosper." Drew: "Peace. Out."
November 26: [none]
November 27: I am grateful for the ability to work from home and rest, and also for chicken soup, hugs, and peppermint tea.
Extra: "Hi, Drew! Is there anything I can help you with?" "Yes, but only one thing."
November 28: I am grateful for a healthy growing GOING baby. Ian moves from the wobbler room to toddlers at day care next week.
I am grateful for the competetiveness of small children. "Time to tickle Ian!" "No, no, time to tickle ME and Ian!"
November 29: I am grateful for games, friends, silly plans, cookies, cuddles, and children.
November 30: I am grateful for eye exams that show no changes or new problems, and for Scott, who drove me home with my very dilated eyes.
I am also grateful for sweet honeycrisp apples, and friends kind enough to gift them to us. Yum!
--December--
December 1: I am grateful that my iPhone is under warranty a few days more since they just told me the stuck button means full replacement.
December 2: I am grateful for a very nice, comfy, big new bed.
I'm grateful for my replacement phone and will be even MORE grateful when it finishes restoring from the backup!
December 3: I am grateful for giggles. And for iPhone's Siri. Ian just had a "conversation" with her. Hilarious!
Extra: Drew told me tonight about stompasaurus, a dinosaur with big stompy feet, a roary head, and a swinging tail. He says it's not nice.
December 4: I am grateful for my sweet baby boy. Happy first birthday, Ian.
December 5: I am grateful for plans, happiness, sandwiches and chips and soda, and things that work correctly.
December 6: I am grateful my kids are hard headed. They'd better be if they're going to smack them!
December 7: I am grateful for my mother-in-law, for visits, for guest bedrooms, for tacos, for hungry babies, and for cookies.
December 8: I am grateful for friends, family, first birthday parties, cupcakes, smiles, sleepy babies, happy big brothers....
Extra: Dinner at the Olive Garden. Scott's face! Ian snaked a hand out, dragged bread basket over, grabbed a breadstick, stuffed it in his mouth.
December 9: I'm grateful for visits, weekends, my mother in law, games of Apples to Apples and Epidemic, tea, hugs, and pictures.
December 10: [none]
December 11: I am grateful that neither I nor my family was near Clackamas Town Center this evening. Thoughts & prayers to those who were.
December 12: I am grateful for pears, and tea, and warmth. And babies who love pears - and oh does he!
December 13: [none]
December 14: I am grateful for my little boys, safe and sound at home, where the worst they face right now is a cold.
December 15: I am grateful for mints, silly memes, the post office, silly cats, and the fact that my 3-year-old likes tea.
December 16: I am grateful for thoughtful sermons, a warm dry home, and getting things done.
December 17: I am grateful for blocks and tiny socks and tops and randomly collected rocks; for logs and frogs and dogs; for toys, and boys.
December 18: I am grateful for possibilities, for Scott, for Christmas lights, and for tea.
December 19: I am grateful that Drew, discovering that we had coconut pineapple ice cream, wanted some of it. Instead of a banana split.
December 20: [none]
December 21: I'm grateful for really lucky timing and sudden understanding. Also for pan pizza and excellent tea.
December 22: I am grateful for Grandmas; cookies; little boys; books; tea; comfortable beds; blankets; showers; computers; and smart phones.
December 23: [none]
December 24: I am grateful for candles and carols and church. I am also grateful for learning...for example, feed kids BEFORE 5 pm service.
I am also grateful for Ian starting to point to communicate - even if the first thing (insistently) was grandma's spritz cookies.
December 25: I am grateful for Christmas, and for family, food, company, toys, and smiles. Also for Christmas jammies and sleepy babies.
December 26: I am grateful for cats. Including the one standing on my thigh as I'm lying on my side. I'm also grateful she's small.
December 27: I am grateful for laptops and cell phones, power buttons and storage bins, lasagna and baby snuggles.
December 28: I am grateful for healthy boys, rotisserie chicken, silly cats, housework done, and holidays.
December 29: [none]
December 30: [none]
December 31: I am grateful for the year just past, for the new and the familiar, and for all the changes a year brought in my children.
Things I have noted: I am not surprised by how often family, immediate and extended, appears in my gratitudes. I'm especially not surprised at how often my joy at my boys' growing up appears. I am a little surprised at how often food appears. I am surprised - and shouldn't be - at how often references to warmth, and relatedly to tea, appear.
I need to remember that making my home and days warm and cozy, when I can easily do so, will yield a resultant joy. So obvious, and so easily skipped, overlooked, or deferred.
--July--
July 17: I am grateful for computers, telephones, voice recognition, roast beef, broccoli, and blankets - preferably not all at once.
July 18: [none]
July 19: I'm grateful that when the key for Scott's car fell off my keychain, it landed atop the storm drain grate, not falling through.
July 20: I am grateful for eggs, allergy shots, first dentist appointments, two bottom front teeth, and friends.
July 21: I am grateful for family, lovely clear pleasant evenings, experimental glazes, pies, potatoes, blueberries, and taste buds.
July 22: I am grateful for sunsets, breezes, apple trees, and froggy clothing.
July 23: I am grateful for clarity, silly bubble toys, cookies, paper, and pens.
July 24: I am grateful for computers, development environments, debuggers, email, IM, and telephones. Also tabletop fountains.
July 25: I am grateful for grills, camaraderie, pleasantly warm days, homemade brownies, and silly toys.
July 26: I am grateful for good customer service, for Ian's joy in standing and moving, and for cars.
July 27: I am grateful for silly games, & friends who don't mock when I'm the one who can name 3(+) Facebook games in under five seconds.
July 28: I am grateful for car seat inspections done, and for "tambourine boats" that go underwater.
July 29: I am grateful for growth and change. (Also waffles, bananas, and spinach. Not in one dish, please.)
July 30: [none]
July 31: I'm grateful I seldom have days like this, because working from home is hard without your laptop's POWER CORD. Driving in now.
--August--
August 1: I am grateful for ice water, shoes, packages, books, and hope. I hope to be grateful for a good night's sleep....
August 2: I am grateful for ideas, silly and clever, and for the GM agreeing a couple cards can be "in play" for next session.
August 3: I am grateful for answers, bottles, happy babies, matching shirts, and Fridays.
August 4: I am grateful for allergy shots, mail, and tidying. Er, well, tidy spaces anyway.
August 4 (additional): Aha! Ian isn't fussy because of just the mild cold. He has the two top front teeth just through the gum. Scott says one to the side also. I am also grateful for infant Tylenol.
August 4: I am grateful for sunscreen, fans, water, ice, ice water, balloons, ponies, bounce houses, and town fairs.
August 5: I am grateful for morning, sunlight, the promise of a day not as hot, sweet silly children, and cars.
August 6: I am grateful for a full night of sleep, a husband with a sense of humor, and plans that make themselves.
August 7: I am grateful for stencils, and puffy fabric paint. Also silliness, things that work as planned, and art.
I'm also grateful a friend got her ankle checked, tho I wish it had been just a sprain! #gratitude #sorta
August 8: I am grateful for free pizza, dairy pills, and well written change notes.
August 9: [none]
August 10: I am grateful for whimsy that works. pic.twitter.com/RSsnfKpe
August 11: I am grateful for books, dreams, and imagination. pic.twitter.com/ylARXRdv
August 12: I am grateful for family, friends, frozen fruit, lemon tarts, bruschetta (so's Ian), advice, laughter, and babies in bags.
August 13: I am grateful for QA/testers who find bugs before they can go out the door. Especially when they provide good reproduction steps.
August 14: I am grateful for fixed code, stickers, and whimsy again. pic.twitter.com/run1P77S pic.twitter.com/R79Vl4gS
August 15: I am grateful for lactose free *yogurt*. Also for sweet orange-and-pineapple chicken over rice. Mmmm.
August 16: I am grateful for timing, things that fit (even if only just), popcorn, logging, and "welcome home"s said with enthusiasm.
August 17: I am grateful for sunlight through flower petals, peaceful bumble bees, and the lovely smell of lavender.
August 18: I am grateful that I don't often circle around the east metro area this much. Also grateful to be back on the freeway.
I am also grateful for sales on things I was going to buy anyway. Half my list on sale? Yes, please!
Also grateful for smiling boys. (Ian: rotisserie chicken. Drew: new pants and the sizing stickers, now stuck on his legs.)
I am grateful for little boys in Daddy's shirt. And a plastic fireman hat. Also, managing not to giggle.
I'm grateful for baby Mum Mum rice crackers.
August 19: I am grateful for Drew, who is happily hugging and holding Ian on his toddler couch.
August 20: I am grateful for quiet moments, smiles, progress, and questions. Also, chocolate.
August 21: I am grateful for progress, things that work, donuts, time to breathe, relaxation, and good people.
August 22: I am grateful for getting to see the wonderful, incomparable Judy. And all the other great people! :)
I am grateful for an excellent BBQ, for chips and burgers and watermelon and cake and more. And the great people who made it.
I'm grateful for Marcia. :)
I am grateful I've not bought a 6-pack of Cherokee boys' socks before. Seven plastic ties for six pairs of socks??
(Scott: "Some disassembly required. I love Scott.)
August 23: [none]
August 24: [none]
August 25: Thursday I should have said I was grateful for fun first sessions of new games. And of course friends; friends rock.
I am also grateful for family, airplanes, cute kid moments, plans that stay on track, and excellent food.
For those in the Portland area: I am grateful for http://daressalam.org/ - an excellent restaurant in Wilsonville.
Extras: "I think I'm gonna throw to Mom!" Drew throws to Grandma. "I was wrong!" #kids #catch #joy
At farmer's market. Drew likes cheese and watermelon. Ian likes watermelon and tomatoes. I like people's faces at baby w/watermelon slice.
August 26: I am grateful for Ian, for the wonderful people of Prince of Life Lutheran Church, and for a lovely service and baptism.
I am also grateful for in-laws who're the family I would have wanted & chosen even if they hadn't come with my wonderful husband.
August 27: I am grateful for eggplant and a baby who likes it. Also bell peppers.
August 28: I am grateful for patience, progress, sleep, jamocha shakes, and my wonderful boys.
August 29: I am grateful for radio traffic reports.
August 30: I am grateful for markers and a boy still young enough to wonder how I knew they played with them. pic.twitter.com/FDnFiLdq
August 31: I am grateful for the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, and for the fact that our @OregonZoo membership got us half price admission.
--September--
September 1: I am grateful for laughter, sleep, swimming pools, dominoes, knowing where I am, salad, and family family family.
September 2: I am grateful for family, family get-togethers, chicken sandwiches, brownies, cucumber cottage cheese, and banana splits.
Extra: Pineapple + ice cream from banana split = win. pic.twitter.com/Yo7azmPM
September 3: I am immensely grateful for a glorious holiday weekend filled with family and joy. Also, "march march march march."
I am grateful for the kindness of strangers, and help with luggage wrangling.
September 4: I am grateful for being home, washing machines, clothes dryers and drying racks, dishwashers, cars, and getting caught up.
I am also grateful for silly fun socks. pic.twitter.com/sW9m3w1v
September 5: I am grateful for helping hands, flexible schedules, progress, and things that work. Also, less cryptically, for M&Ms.
September 6: I'm grateful for raspberries, plums, ice water, infant Tylenol, eye checks that go well, and happy conversations.
September 7: I am grateful for farmer's markets, homemade pico de gallo, and the willpower and sense to NOT touch my face while chopping veg.
September 8: I am grateful for Scott saying my pico de gallo, while it has its own flavor, compares favorably with Chipotle or Qdoba.
September 9: I am grateful that the only problem Ian seems to have with peanut butter is that I didn't give him as much as he wanted.
September 10: I am grateful for rain, and the scent of it on hot pavement; memories, and history; small handprints. And homemade burritos.
September 11: [none]
September 12: Meant to post yesterday: I am grateful for all who risk / offer up their lives to protect their fellow citizens.
I am grateful for appreciation, insight, asking the right question, coordinated tests that go as planned, and dogs.
September 13: I am grateful for progress, for card games, for the Margrave card, and for farmer's markets and heirloom tomatoes.
September 14: I am grateful for the time and patience to remain calm and content while stuck behind someone doing 30 in a 45 zone.
I am grateful for sales, unnervingly cheerful checkout clerks, and polite drivers in parking lots.
September 15: I am grateful for reunions, for places you can go back to and find them better, and for a good bratwurst.
September 16: I'm grateful for homemade pizza sauce, homemade pizza, neti pots (I think), prayer, community, mail, photos, and beautiful skies.
September 17: I am grateful for listening ears, helping hands, ice cream, stars, wind, birds, and snuggly children.
September 18: I am grateful for good numbers.
September 19: I am grateful for adjustments, creativity, hope, planned barbecues, snuggly babies, ice cream, and new shirts.
September 20: I am grateful that I do not often have to file expense reports.
I am VERY grateful for wonderful, helpful, fun-to-talk-to coworkers.
Extra: I wish I'd had time to grab the camera; I didn't. 3-year-old + chocolate ice cream cone. Face mask, forehead splash, hands, clothes. EPIC.
September 21: I am grateful for cupcakes, laughter, rain, rest, new books, and soap.
September 22: I am grateful for rotisserie chicken, compromises, dinosaur costumes, and the joy of putting together a gift package.
September 23: I am grateful for unexpected clearance sales, and for farmer's markets and fresh peaches. Oh, and wish lists.
Extra: Anyone think Ian is teething? Chewed on: a rock, a teethie, Scott's nose (OW), the back of his pacifier, the *bars of the metal baby gate*.
Our tv stand is apparently a cat stand. pic.twitter.com/ZuxOEKmM
September 24: I am grateful for fabric markers, dye, ovens, peach floating pudding, the mail, and innovation.
September 25: I am grateful for freezers, fresh peaches, iron on patches, mail order, and good decisions.
September 26: I am grateful for telephones, card games, microwaves, flu shots, and cars.
September 27: I am grateful for card games, friends, laughter, plans, and children. Mine especially, but also in general.
September 28: I am grateful that what has been going wrong today has been annoyances. Nothing major, and several things have gone right.
September 29: I am grateful for _Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs_, and the library since we borrowed it. So. Funny.
[editor's note: he got his own copy as a Christmas gift!]
September 30: I am grateful for zofran. And that's really all I wanna say about that.
--October--
October 1: I am grateful for rest days, showers, Drew's tackle-kisses, and Ian's snuggling in to sleep cuddled on mama.
October 2: I'm grateful to be back in the office, feeling better and getting stuff done!
Extra: 3-year-old versions: "Little pig, little pig, let me in!" "Nooooo waaay!"
October 3: I am grateful for filters being replaced, that really needed to be. It's bad when it's slowing the water flow to a trickle....
October 4: I'm grateful to Drew for requesting a read of _Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs_ while friends were here. Reactions: priceless.
October 5: I'm grateful for tie dye. Also for things finished well, good health, and wish lists.
October 6: I am grateful for good soap, afternoon naps, good local parks, weekends, and crock pots.
October 7: I am grateful for the Portland Children's Museum for a fun start to the afternoon. I'm also grateful the weekend ends soon.
I'm also grateful I checked online & found out today was $2 admission day at @OMSI so we didn't go there! Imagine it was crowded.
October 8: I am grateful for sewing machines, rice, sales, hugs, microwaves, and frozen dinners. Oh, and big fuzzy cats who snuggle.
October 9: I am grateful for progress, cleaner rooms, dishwashers, laundry machines, timers, and cars. Oh, and candy. Shhhh.
Extra: Scott this morning, offering Drew a chance to taste flavored hot chocolate: "Would you like to try a spoonful?" Drew: "A cupful!"
October 10: I am grateful for productive days, sweetly sleeping boys, baby snuggles, and a picked up family room.
October 11: I am grateful for kind and patient friends, card games, children's creativity, and good soap.
October 12: I am grateful for the promise of rain, for a glorious sunrise, for a rainbow through pink-glow clouds, and for cameras.
I'm also grateful I didn't have a whole lot that had to be done today...since it wasn't....
October 13: I am grateful to have a husband who takes me to the Japanese Garden in spite of myself. Also grateful @PDXJapaneseGdn exists.
October 14: I am grateful for good decisions, joy and laughter and play, and both boys playing in the nursery at church.
October 15: I am grateful for brakes, Costco, gift boxes full of goodies, the sound of heavy rain, and giggles.
October 16: Just walked outside to a mostly clear dusky blue predawn sky with high soft clouds and cool air. Mind clear, heart joyful.
I am grateful to have known and worked with Dennis Miller. So very sad to learn of his passing.
October 17: I am grateful for the Rage of Bahamut game; for cuddly boys; for my wonderful husband; for cars and computers; and for socks
I am also grateful that the semi that rolled onto its side at 5 am did so in the southbound, rather than northbound, I5 lanes.
October 18: I am grateful for successful shopping trips with a baby, a big boy at the park, rotisserie chicken, and instant messenger.
October 19: I'm grateful for planning, candy, grocery stores, baby hugs, wish lists, and blankets. And sleep.
October 20: I'm grateful Ian's fever overnight didn't last too long and no other symptoms of anything worse than a cold.
October 21: I'm grateful for matching Christmas pajamas for the boys, for colds with no ear infection, for jumper cables, and for showers.
I am also grateful for the chance to help others.
EXTRA: Ian STOOD. Not "tried to stand" or "pushed up and wobbled" or "forgot to fall down when he let go of a support" - stood up and looked at me. No wobbles, just standing, for probably 5 seconds; then he sat down, but it wasn't *wobbly*.
October 22: I am grateful for first steps.
Extra: Ian was standing braced on me, let go and stepped back, turned, and stepped forward to grab the rocking chair!
October 23: I am grateful for candy, healthy cuddly kids, pumpkins, thought, soap, and sleep.
Extra: "I'm much wider awake than Ian, because I have much bigger eyes!" #bedtime
October 24: I am grateful for efficiency? Day care needs a resupply of Ian's: diapers, wet wipes, spare clothes, 2x snacks (MumMums & puffs).
October 25: I am grateful for little boys who are NOT dinosaurs but are CROCODILES and went SNAP SNAP and snapped fingers off (his words!).
October 26: I am grateful for Coursera, gratitude, glasses, my wonderful family, tea, dishwashers, soap dishes, and Halloween fun.
October 27: I'm grateful that Ian's backward arching headbutt did no permanent damage to my nose. Wow did that hurt.
I'm also grateful for friends, possibility, beautiful spaces, water, the children's museum, and balls.
October 28: I am grateful for our church: community, caring, chili, cornbread, and candy. (Harvest fest and trunk or treating.)
October 29: I am grateful for all of you reading this, and for all the other wonderful people who are around me but don't happen to see this.
I am grateful for design, fixes, questions, and help. Also grateful Drew didn't hit Scott harder with the plastic drum.
October 30: I am grateful that I am not on the east coast, and grateful that there was so much preparation for this storm.
October 31: I am grateful for Halloween, costumes, children, potlucks, design, and the lure of sleep which hopefully comes soon.
--November--
November 1: I am grateful for cars, for people, and for the affluence required to be inconvenienced by traffic.
November 2: I am grateful for cleaning sprees with positive results. Also grateful for Coursera.
November 3: I am grateful for happy healthy growing boys who keep me very very busy. Also for canned food, because some days just are.
I am also grateful for teething confirmed. Yay chompy baby.
November 4: I'm grateful for the laughter of children.
November 5: I'm grateful for class lectures to listen to on my commute. And for enuf warning before a fire alarm test to have ear plugs handy.
November 6: I am very grateful that worked. #cryptic #work
November 7: I am grateful for plumbers, and for quick fixes.
I'm grateful for Tylenol, clean water, radio without election ads, hugs, and my family and friends.
November 8: [none]
November 9: I am grateful for all those who serve to protect us: in the military, the police, fire departments, EMS, doctors/nurses, etc.
November 10: I am grateful that this appears to be the last perspective/drawing assignment in my design class. #frustration into #gratitude
November 11: I am grateful for all those who serve, or have served, in our military; and also for those who have waited at home for them.
Extra: "I don't want dinner yet." "But when you do get hungry, what do you want?" "When I get hungry, you have to feed me food." - Drew and I
November 12: I am grateful for positive feedback and climbing babies! Ian climbed the stairs all the way to the second floor by himself.
November 13: I am grateful for information, questions, fixes, debuggers, and links that work.
November 14: I am grateful for a good job, good benefits, and a quick clear easy and timely open enrollment process.
November 15: I am grateful Ian just has a miserable cold. No ear infection, bronchitis/pneumonia, etc. etc. I am also grateful for car naps.
November 16: I'm grateful for a surprise birthday party for Scott's coworker, for good food, company, and conversation.
I'm also very grateful that both the boys are feeling better.
Extra: Drew is creating Christmas trees and birthday cakes with a magic wand. Instructions to me: "Eat the cake. Don't eat the Christmas tree!"
November 17: I am grateful that Ian is half-patient about having his nose scrubbed. Practice helps? Unrelated: I'm grateful for Visio.
I am grateful for growing boys. And cute footwear. (Not the prices, but such is life.)
November 18: I am grateful for community, friends, family, and our church. I am also grateful that it is almost Monday, after a busy weekend.
November 19: I am grateful for progress, plans, holidays, gratitude, and stores that wait to start Christmas until after Thanksgiving.
November 20: I am grateful for gifts unlooked-for, things going well (or better) for friends, silly toys and silly boys.
November 21: I am grateful for a spare bedroom almost cleaned to usability. And for family, so very much for family.
November 22: I am grateful for friends, family, food, flying plush turkeys, sliding pillows, the cancan, and shared laughter.
November 23: [none]
November 24: I am grateful for family, community, prayer, kindness, and hope.
November 25: I am grateful, after a rather yell-y afternoon, for Drew giving me lots and lots of hugs and being happy.
Extra: Ian isn't easily daunted. Climby baby climbs the whole staircase to get to the playroom. I just spot him and open the gate.
With appropriate gestures: Scott: "Live long and prosper." Drew: "Peace. Out."
November 26: [none]
November 27: I am grateful for the ability to work from home and rest, and also for chicken soup, hugs, and peppermint tea.
Extra: "Hi, Drew! Is there anything I can help you with?" "Yes, but only one thing."
November 28: I am grateful for a healthy growing GOING baby. Ian moves from the wobbler room to toddlers at day care next week.
I am grateful for the competetiveness of small children. "Time to tickle Ian!" "No, no, time to tickle ME and Ian!"
November 29: I am grateful for games, friends, silly plans, cookies, cuddles, and children.
November 30: I am grateful for eye exams that show no changes or new problems, and for Scott, who drove me home with my very dilated eyes.
I am also grateful for sweet honeycrisp apples, and friends kind enough to gift them to us. Yum!
--December--
December 1: I am grateful that my iPhone is under warranty a few days more since they just told me the stuck button means full replacement.
December 2: I am grateful for a very nice, comfy, big new bed.
I'm grateful for my replacement phone and will be even MORE grateful when it finishes restoring from the backup!
December 3: I am grateful for giggles. And for iPhone's Siri. Ian just had a "conversation" with her. Hilarious!
Extra: Drew told me tonight about stompasaurus, a dinosaur with big stompy feet, a roary head, and a swinging tail. He says it's not nice.
December 4: I am grateful for my sweet baby boy. Happy first birthday, Ian.
December 5: I am grateful for plans, happiness, sandwiches and chips and soda, and things that work correctly.
December 6: I am grateful my kids are hard headed. They'd better be if they're going to smack them!
December 7: I am grateful for my mother-in-law, for visits, for guest bedrooms, for tacos, for hungry babies, and for cookies.
December 8: I am grateful for friends, family, first birthday parties, cupcakes, smiles, sleepy babies, happy big brothers....
Extra: Dinner at the Olive Garden. Scott's face! Ian snaked a hand out, dragged bread basket over, grabbed a breadstick, stuffed it in his mouth.
December 9: I'm grateful for visits, weekends, my mother in law, games of Apples to Apples and Epidemic, tea, hugs, and pictures.
December 10: [none]
December 11: I am grateful that neither I nor my family was near Clackamas Town Center this evening. Thoughts & prayers to those who were.
December 12: I am grateful for pears, and tea, and warmth. And babies who love pears - and oh does he!
December 13: [none]
December 14: I am grateful for my little boys, safe and sound at home, where the worst they face right now is a cold.
December 15: I am grateful for mints, silly memes, the post office, silly cats, and the fact that my 3-year-old likes tea.
December 16: I am grateful for thoughtful sermons, a warm dry home, and getting things done.
December 17: I am grateful for blocks and tiny socks and tops and randomly collected rocks; for logs and frogs and dogs; for toys, and boys.
December 18: I am grateful for possibilities, for Scott, for Christmas lights, and for tea.
December 19: I am grateful that Drew, discovering that we had coconut pineapple ice cream, wanted some of it. Instead of a banana split.
December 20: [none]
December 21: I'm grateful for really lucky timing and sudden understanding. Also for pan pizza and excellent tea.
December 22: I am grateful for Grandmas; cookies; little boys; books; tea; comfortable beds; blankets; showers; computers; and smart phones.
December 23: [none]
December 24: I am grateful for candles and carols and church. I am also grateful for learning...for example, feed kids BEFORE 5 pm service.
I am also grateful for Ian starting to point to communicate - even if the first thing (insistently) was grandma's spritz cookies.
December 25: I am grateful for Christmas, and for family, food, company, toys, and smiles. Also for Christmas jammies and sleepy babies.
December 26: I am grateful for cats. Including the one standing on my thigh as I'm lying on my side. I'm also grateful she's small.
December 27: I am grateful for laptops and cell phones, power buttons and storage bins, lasagna and baby snuggles.
December 28: I am grateful for healthy boys, rotisserie chicken, silly cats, housework done, and holidays.
December 29: [none]
December 30: [none]
December 31: I am grateful for the year just past, for the new and the familiar, and for all the changes a year brought in my children.
Things I have noted: I am not surprised by how often family, immediate and extended, appears in my gratitudes. I'm especially not surprised at how often my joy at my boys' growing up appears. I am a little surprised at how often food appears. I am surprised - and shouldn't be - at how often references to warmth, and relatedly to tea, appear.
I need to remember that making my home and days warm and cozy, when I can easily do so, will yield a resultant joy. So obvious, and so easily skipped, overlooked, or deferred.
