Hello, my fine, feather-tailed friends, thanks for stopping by for this month’s Where Bloggers Live 11.2023. With Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) just a few short weeks away, my WBL buddies are sharing the top 10 things for which we are most grateful. My first bit of gratitude goes out to Bettye for narrowing this post to a list of 10, otherwise I could potentially be writing this post right up to turkey day….I have so much for which to be thankful.
I have a graphic tee that reads ‘let thanks & giving be more than just a season.’ Just dusted off the tee last week for its first wear of the season. Need to remember to wear this tee shirt in March, June, and September!
Where Bloggers Live
You probably remember from where the ideas for this colorful series originate. Bettye, Bettye, she’s our gal!! Many of them come from the creative genius of our fearless leader Bettye, who has recently embarked on the adventure of a lifetime…a move to South Korea!! If you aren’t already doing so, you might want to follow Bettye on Instagram as her posts and reels are delightful glimpses into this new chapter of life. Several weeks ago on a night when she should have been studying, Bettye put together the list of prompts for WBL that would see us through 12.2024!! That’s some planning.
You are also cordially invited to check out the posts this month of my co-hostesses. That is, with the exception of our dear Iris, who is taking what I hope will just be a very temporary hiatus from blogging. I have to admit, I have toyed with the idea of giving this blogging business up at the end of the year. But the Where Bloggers Live posts really are enjoyable for me so maybe I’m not ready to throw in the towel yet.
Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Sally at Within a World of My Own
Leslie at Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After
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Where Bloggers Live 11.2023
If you and I have been friends for some length of time, I bet you could just about write this post for me!! I hope that through the sharing I do here, my blogging buds have been able to determine what is most important in my life, and for what I am most grateful. Wish there were some way to make this interactive so that you could list your guesses of my top 10 ‘thankfuls’ and then we could compare your guesses with my list. And then you could share your top 10 with me. That would make this even more fun.
This year for my Sentence a Day month-in-review posts, I have included ‘one good thing’ or OGT with each day’s entry. I tallied up my OGTs for October and here are the things I was most thankful for and the number of times I gave thanks for them during the month:
- PC and a variety of things we did together (7)
- my grandbabies, seeing them (in person or Facetime) and doing things with the El Paso girls (5)
- having a quiet, peaceful day (4)
- our home, having a clean house, being home (3)
- exercising (2)
- enjoying hobbies (2)
- having the money to pay bills, buy groceries (2)
That’s a pretty fair representation, I think. But let’s look at my official top 10.
Top 10 Things for Which I’m Most Grateful
Most nights, I complete an entry in my gratitude journal before going to bed. It’s a nice way to finish the day. But I have to admit there are days when I refuse to write in my journal. Probably on the very days that I need to most. Those days when LIFE has worn me out and beaten me up. I know that there are always multiple blessings in each of my days. But sometimes I am just too stubborn or grumpy to reflect on them because I am busy wallowing in self-pity.
This is the gratitude journal I am currently using – when I am not being childish. Which is only hurting myself. Do you keep a gratitude journal?
And now, here are my top 10 ‘gratefuls.’
I am exceedingly thankful for:
- Paul, my PC: for the life we have built together, for the provider he is, the patriot, the husband, stepfather and PaPaul/Campa he is
- Brennyn and Lauren, my daughters: for the hard years, the easy years we have had together, for the love they show me, their work ethic and devotion to family
- my grandbabies, Cadence Ellie, Lucia Carolina, Camila Jean and Declan Ashraf: for the joy and love they bring to my life every day, and my sons-in-law who love my daughters and my grandchildren so well
- Valerie, my sister, and Kevin, my brother and my parents: I am grateful for the way my parents raised the 3 of us, the childhood home they provided for us, the education they afforded us and the close relationship Kevin, Valerie and I have now that our parents are gone
- our home: first, for my little house that was the childhood home for my daughters, it was filled with love; and for the home PC and I have together; it is comfortable, more than we need but my favorite place in the world to be
And
- good health: I always feel blessed when I am asked, at 65 years old, to list all of the medications I take, and that list is one item long; sure, I have aches and pains but I am thankful for the body that works as well as mine does, allows me to do all the things I enjoy doing most; grateful for the health of those I love
- having a relationship with God and Mother Nature: I am grateful that God is on my side, lighting my way in this sometimes very dark world; and that being in nature can be so exhilarating and restorative
- having worked in a career that I loved as long as I did, and now the experiences, exercise, hobbies, creative outlets, opportunities that enrich my life in retirement
- friends: those I have worked with, the children in the schools where I’ve taught; friends I have met along my way to include my lifelong friend Sharon, and the special ladies who volunteered in the last library where I worked; and animals: these crazy kitties with whom we share our home now, and the parade of animals that have blessed me with love all my life
- living in the United States: I get so frustrated some days with our country, with our government, with a number of our recent policies (or lack thereof) but I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else; and as my friend Lorena reminded me today, we are blessed to live in a country where we can express our frustration with the government
Plus:
I am always thankful for having the means to pay our bills and more. For opportunities like substitute teaching or my Rover.com drop-in visits that provide a little extra income. And after a pretty dad gum crazy life, I am thankful for peaceful days.
Where’s Your Treasure?
I would say that those things on my list above are where my treasure is and likewise my heart. Plus, clothes. I like having pretty clothes and some of my treasure goes to buying more clothes than I could ever possibly need. Where is your treasure?
Your Turn
For a few years, every Thanksgiving I would have my girls and their significant others – boyfriends or husbands, and PC, of course, fill out tags for my Thankfulness Tree. We would write things we were thankful for on leaf-shaped tags and hang them from the wrought iron tree, then read them on Thanksgiving. But the last time I tried to propose this activity to the fam, I was met with grumbling. So, I set it aside. Maybe I will pull out that tree, make some new tags then reinstate this tradition this year.
In a comment won’t you share the top 10 things for which you are most grateful? I’m sure your thoughts will prompt me to find even more goodness in my own life.
Thank you for spending a few minutes here with me today. Have a very special weekend.
Hugs and kisses,
Hi Leslie – I think gratitude might be one of the top three qualities that makes for a good human. Counting our blessings, remembering all the good in our life, loving the people who are important to us, and caring for those around us. I think you list summed all that up – and journalling it reinforces the good doesn’t it?
It’s so important to remember to count our blessings. You have a lot to be grateful for!
I can totally relate to those days where you feel a little beaten up.
But I think you’re exactly right and that those of the days we need to remind ourselves of how blessed we are.
There’s no one that gets through life without the ups and downs, right? I think that’s why I love my older friends in that we have all been through so many experiences and can help each other out.
Fearless is wonderful and that it’s about mostly people which goes to show we need good people in our life.
Xoxo
Jodie.
What a lovely post. Its important to be grateful and not take things for granted. I’m grateful for the smallest things, because life is so amazing. Even the bad things, because we can learn from that.
What a lovely post Leslie! I love the tee shirt, and yes, we should count blessings each day and reflect on what we are thankful, what we are grateful for. I love your list, and I see a theme, family is the most important in the world! I don’t take my health for granted either, as going through illness, has been tough, but I forge ahead and set goals! I love that you made your house a comfortable place to be as well.
I hope to visit beforehand, but if not, have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family. We are driving to Pittsburgh, so it will be a great time at my mom’s house.
Have a great weekend,
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
I think this is such a timely post. It’s good to remind ourselves of all the good things in our life instead of focusing on the negatives!
These are wonderful reasons to be thankful! Top of my list would definitely be my husband, my boys, my family, his family/my in -laws, and our beautiful home… even the area in which we live despite our miserable winters.
You are abundantly blessed, Leslie! I know we all have those days where we are grumbling like you said, but I always feel better after a full night of sleep! I do agree that health is one of those blessings you just can’t take for granted. PC, your daughters, grandchildren, your sister and brother are all wonderful blessings too! The thankfulness tree sounds like a great idea, but yeah… your family sounds like how mine would react if I asked them to do such a thing. Maybe just going around the table and saying one thing they are thankful for on Thanksgiving would be enough. 😉 Hope your new kitty is doing well!
Carrie
crulycraftymom.com
What a sweet post! Its always so helpful to me to remember all the many blessings in life.
“Wish there were some way to make this interactive so that you could list your guesses of my top 10 ‘thankfuls’ and then we could compare…” Ha ha like Blogger Feud! Oh, that would be fun (Bettye procrastinating on studying to try and come up with a way to do this…).
“But sometimes I am just too stubborn or grumpy to reflect on them because I am busy wallowing in self-pity.” One of my favorite pasttimes. You are anot alone, Leslie!!!
“Do you keep a gratitude journal?” I have, periodically. Usually I contribute to them a few weeks…and then something big happens to throw me off my daily routine…and then it’s just out of mind. I’ve even tried to incorporate the practice into my weekly blog posts but…OH WELL.
“Cadence Ellie, Lucia Carolina, Camila Jean and Declan Ashraf” what great names!!!
“In a comment won’t you share the top 10 things for which you are most grateful? I’m sure your thoughts will prompt me to find even more goodness in my own life.” What a lovely invitation!!!
A couple of years ago, Mike and I would end the night with sharing three things we were grateful for. We’ve gotten away from that, and I think it shows. I do believe I’m going to start it up again tomorrow night!
God is good, isn’t He? We may not know His plan, but it’s always for what’s best for us.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
I am happy to report that I DO read your posts frequently enough to have guessed many of the things for which you would be thankful (and clearly, we mutually endeavored to NOT end that sentence/title/phrase with a preposition).
Your love of all that is family would absolutely top your list, and like me, I think that is where you are most fulfilled. I greatly appreciate the special relationships you have with each member and that you have shared enough glimpses of them that I have a sense of them as individuals, not just your collective. I love hearing about your grands and the special times you have with them.
BTW, that you even have a gratitude journal is pretty inspiring, as are your many active ways to build and strengthen your relationship with The Big Guy. I definitely need to up my game in that department.
Also the nod to your health! YES!!! I am feeling each of the almost 62 years in my bones this week. But am grateful to be able to scale the ladders, lift the wood, dig the dirt, and paint the walls…with the aid of Tylenol, of course.
Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving with your family, lovely Leslie!
After publishing my post on Friday, I realized that I didn’t mention our active military, veterans and their families. Especially with the conflict in the Middle East and the turbulence in our own country, I am grateful for the constant watch and protection offered to all of us because of their (and your) sacrifice. It was a thoughtless omission on my part, though it reflects the security it gives me and my family while not acknowledging the source. My VERY bad!