Day Twenty-Nine & Thirty: Thankful for Fun Days Out, and Having So Muchto Be Thankful For

                           

I didn't get to my blog, yesterday, because I was too busy working on homework.  One thing I'm very thankful for is the fact that I only have a week left of the class I'm currently taking, because I am sooo D-O-N-E with this class.  It's driving me nuts, and I'll be very glad when I no longer have to deal with it.  Yesterday, I spent over 8 hours putting together a video about web apps and a mobile app.  Sounds simple enough, right? Yeah, I thought so too, until I actually started working on it.  The sad part is, I had been working on it before yesterday, too.

So, yesterday was an extremely frustrating and stressful day, so there wasn't much time for me to share my thanks...even though I should have made time just to make myself feel a little better.

Today is my last day for the Thirty Days of Thankful.  Meaning that tomorrow is the first day of December!  I always love doing a whole month of thankful posts, but I am thankful that I get to go back to my regular scheduled programming tomorrow.  It's nice to be able to post about whatever I want, and I'm sure there'll be lots to share with Christmas fast approaching.

If I had posted yesterday, I would have posted about my thankfulness in being able to take my kids out for some Christmas fun.  Even though that's what we're doing today.  We're going to Silver Dollar City today with a group of people I work with so that we can see the Christmas lights.  We really lucked out, because the weather is supposed to be around 70 degrees today, which means we'll be able to ride the rides, too.  It won't be so warm on the way home, as the temperature is supposed to drastically drop this evening, and tomorrow's high is only 33 degrees.  I see an indoor recess in my near future.  

But I'm not worrying about that now.  All I care about today is the fact that I get to spend some time with my kiddos and my friends, and enjoy a Christmas outing.  I'd like to add this outing on to the list of Christmas traditions, because I think it'll be nice to take a trip to Branson around this time each year to check out the Christmas scene.  

What I'm also thankful for today, on this last day of November, is the fact that I have sooooo much to be thankful for.  Looking back on this past month, I'm amazed and humbled by how many blessings I have in my life and how much I truly have to be thankful for.  I have awesome kids, an amazing Hubby, the best job on the planet, supportive and caring co-workers, a loving P-Momma, a beautiful home, a great extended family, lovable fur-babies, and everything else I've blogged about this month.  There's also so much more I didn't even get to.  I have my health, financial stability, I have overcome some really tough times in order for it all to happen.  What an amazing life I have, and I owe it all to the people in my life that have stuck by me, supported me, and helped me through the tough times.  

Last night, Peanut and I went out and did a little shopping for an angel tree participant that my grade level team selected.  Peanut suggested last year that we should start participating in buying for the angel tree, because it's a great way to give back.  I remember the days, not too many years ago, when my own children's information was hanging from a tree.  I remember the couple of Christmases that I depended on other people to help make Christmas good for my kids.  I remember saving any extra dollars I could so that I could buy them a little something, even if the gifts came from the Dollar Store.  So, Peanut is right.  Buying for a child on the angel tree is a great way to give back.  It felt really nice buy for a child I will probably never meet, but still know I've done something to make their Christmas a little better.  It has become a new tradition, and one that I plan on continuing.  My hope is that next year, I can select a couple of kids off that tree to buy for.

My life isn't always perfect.  I have ups and downs, like everybody.  Things happen that cause minor hardships and set backs.  But, when I get to spend a whole month thinking about how much I've been blessed and how truly wonderful my life has turned out, and continues to get better with each passing year, it puts everything in to perspective.  I can't take it for granted, I must stop and spend some time being thankful.  Even though it's just November when I really put it all out there, I am thankful 365 days of the year.  

Fifteen years ago when I was a pregnant teen, I was alone, scared, and sure that my life would be a constant uphill battle.  Thirteen years ago, when I was still alone, scared, and trying my best to care for two babies, I just knew that my life was going to be spent living in poverty, trying to make ends meet, and worrying about whether I'd have enough money to feed my little family.  Ten years ago, when I met a man that showed some genuine interest in me, I just knew that he'd run and I'd once again be left alone to pick up the pieces.  Eight years ago, I just knew that no matter how much I wanted it, college just wasn't going to be something I could make happen, and becoming a teacher just wasn't going to work out for me.

Look how much I "knew", right?

But, one thing I do know now, for sure, is that it hasn't been easy but I DID IT!! I pulled myself through, I beat the odds, and I never stopped fighting.  I have everything I have right now because I worked hard and never gave up.  And for all the people that told me I couldn't ever do it, I'd just like to say...

"Naa ne na nee boo boo, stick your head in doo-doo!"

HA!!

I am truly thankful for every single moment of my life, and I will continue to be thankful as each minute continues to pass.  Life is good, and it's better to jump on the rollercoaster that is life than sit and watch it go by.

Have an awesome Sunday, everyone!