GRATEFUL

I am following signgurls lead with this one. There are so many things I am grateful for and I figure this would be a perfect 100th. post.

1-My family. It wasn't easy being raised by a single mother. There wasn't alot of money and out of all the aunts and uncles, we were the only ones being raised by 'MOM' only. I grew up feeling like the 'others' were looking down on us. I remember getting what I refered to as a sterio for Christmas one year. My cousins came over later that night and one of them said..."That is not a sterio. It's a record player" WTF? Maybe it was just a record player, but I payed it 24/7 and I loved it. While mom made many mistakes and had a temper like you would not believe, the day she passed away, I was able to tell her that God had given me the perfect mother and I meant it when I said it. She raised her girls to be self sufficient, which is something none of my cousins are now.

I love that Squirrel and I hang out every weekend and I don't have to spend my Saturdays alone. I love that Crab, Squirrel and I don't let a holiday go by without celebrating together and we also make it a point to have our "Sisters Day Out".

2-My job. I love my job and for no more education then I have, I make good money. God has given me a brain which allows me to perform at a higher level...At least at work. I dunno what happens to my brain once I pull out of the parking lot at work. LOL

3-My bed. Especially in the Winter when I know there are people sleeping outside. I actually thank God for my pillows, I have 4 of them, my bed and my comforter.

4-My love for the simple things in life. While I like going out and having fun, I can be just as happy watching the grass grow, the rain, the smell of Spring coming in. I'm happy I don't always have to be out spending money.

5-That I am happy eating cereal for dinner.

6-For having learned things the hard way. This has given me experience and has helped to build my character.

7-As much as I hate being stuck in traffic, I almost always turn it into; Thank you I have gas in my car, air in my tires, AC/heat, a sterio...and damn it! It is a sterio!

8-A few good friends. A precious few friends.

9-Grace. She is such a loving cat and always seems to know when I am down. When I had my toothache, she came right up and put her face right next to my mouth, then she meowed softly. I cried.

10-Memories. While not all of them are good ones, I seem to be able to forget the bad or at least shove them way in the back. The other day I was out back at my flower bed. I turned back toward the house and could see Ladd. I stood there remembering how he would walk the perimeter of my yard and then lay under the pine tree while I was sitting at the flower bed working. When I came back inside, I remembered the puddles I use to step in. When he got old and sick he would just go anywhere.

There is so much more I am grateful for. I'll save them for another day.

Happy Sunday!