Grateful

I stumbled across the Spohrs' blog yesterday. If you have never checked it out, you should. I sat for hours yesterday reading about their daughter Maddie - the rough pregnancy, the early birth and their sudden loss.

Reading this made me sit back and say, "huh". For you know, it's not what we didn't get done at the end of the day, it's about what we did. It made me realize all the wonderful blessings in my life. It opened my eyes to the fact that while I may be going through something difficult, there are people out there wondering how they're going to take the next step in their lives.

So, to honor that, I'd like to share with you 10 things I'm grateful for.

1. Mr. PottsThe person who gets me. Someone who will be goofy with me. Someone who loves me unconditionally.

2. My familyEven though we may have our issues - we're family and we love each other. This is one of my favorite pictures from our wedding. My niece wanted to dance with me and Mr. Potts so badly. She had been practicing for ages & thoroughly enjoyed our wedding. So much so that she didn't want to leave.
3. My friendsThose who love us. Those who laugh with us. Those who will cry with us. Those who will dance with us! To 80's hairband, most likely. Or maybe a little Journey - "Don't Stop Believin"

4. My health. Thankfully, I haven't had any major problems over the years. Sure, I'm getting old. My ankles pop as I go down the stairs. I've got some fine crow's feet at my eyes. I've had to had 2 gum surgeries (grafting - ouch!!!). I also managed to catch a bacterial stomach infection on my honeymoon. One that was tracked by the CDC. But I recovered! God has kept me healthy. I've got to step up on my part of the bargain.

5. My education. I do not have an Ivy League education, I have student loans & it took me longer than 4 years. Yet, I have my degree - which has been worth every minute. Plus, my loans are locked in at a 4% interest rate. That doesn't hurt. Plus, it's tax deductible.

6. Being Southern. I'm not putting down anyone who is not, but I celebrate the fact that I'm Southern. I love visiting other places & I love other cities (NY, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Fran, San Diego, Vegas, Seattle, etc) but I always feel a thrill when I come home. I love the charm of the South. I love the friendliness of the South. I love the weather of the South - I'm also not so far south that we don't have seasons.

7. The ability to nap. I can nap on command. 15 minutes - 3 hours. I love naps. Isn't this picture adorable? I snapped it at a wedding - one of the flower girls was worn out!

8. My job. Even though I worry about losing it, I still love what I do, who I work for & those I work with.

9. I'm thankful for my ability to see the positive. Sometimes it's hard and sometimes people may not appreciate it as much, but it is a great thing to see your glass as overflowing, versus half empty.

10. God. Last and certainly not least, I'm thankful that he has made everything possible for me.

What are you thankful for?