Thankful

Every November I take part in a Facebook tradition of listing daily what I am Thankful for. I suppose it's good to be reminded around Thanksgiving of all our blessings and what we have...but I like to check in to all that I have to be thankful for all of the time. We all get so caught up in things in life and sometimes the stresses of every day life make us forget about all the good things we have.  I like to take a moment every single day to relish in what this day brought me...every day I wake up is a new opportunity to live this amazing life of mine. Today, I have put a little extra thought into what I am most thankful for every day.
I am thankful for my health. There was a time not so long ago that I didn't think I'd ever be okay and healthy. I was scared daily about my heart exploding or my blood pressure bottoming out and going through another surgery or worse, not going through anything ever again. I am so thankful to be better, to be healthy and to be active. I am thankful for my doctors and modern medicine and to my dad and John for quite literally forcing me to stay in the hospital and take care of myself.
This brings me to my Dad. My best friend. He has always been there for me and has always been a voice of reason for me. Even if I didn't want to hear it, he always guided me with truth and honesty. My entire family is something to be thankful for. My mom and I have seen our share of bumps and turmoil but she has never given up on trying to make things better. My niece Alexis is the silver lining to every cloud in the sky. She is so smart and driven, funny and witty, and pretty as a picture...just ask her. Her confidence and strength is admirable and I am so proud of her every day. My sister and I have also gone down a rocky road, but sometimes we find these smooth patches and I am thankful for them.
Despite 2000 miles of space between us...I am so thankful that my best friend Dana and I still talk every single day. We are there for one another even from so far away. She and I have "been to hell and back again, but through it all, you're always my best friend..." (a line from one of our Bon Jovi favorites)  She really is my soul mate and I swear I'd be lost in this life without her.  She is raising 2 beautiful little ladies to be kind, compassionate and loving women just like she is. She really is a hero.
I am thankful for my doggie daughter Harlow. I can't even believe how much I could love someone like I love this dog.  I know it seems ridiculous to some, but that's only cause you have never experienced it. She is my baby and I tend to her as such.  She can communicate, she feels sympathy and she is loyal. There has never been a greater dog. She might be a little human...or I might be a little dog...puzzling...
Finally I am beyond words thankful for love. Real love. True love. Love I never knew existed until John came into my life. The kind of love that changes you. Makes you better. Makes you put someone else before yourself even though you never really have to because you are partners and he is doing the same for you. He really brought life, reality, drive and hope into my heart and every day is a dream come true. I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with the person who made me whole and helps me find the missing pieces of the puzzle of me. I am thankful for his laugh, the way he makes me breakfast on Saturday mornings, his amazing cheeseburgers and how he can go up 5 octaves during a Dave Matthews song. I love his bushy beard, the way he makes animals out of hair after he shaves, even the way he leaves his clothes everywhere but the hamper and carves faces into bars of soap while in the shower and uses all the hot water. I love the way he looks at me and the way he tickles me every time he hugs me.
I am thankful for the simple things...sun showers, mountain views, the smell of Fall, the sunshine on my face, glittery snow falling on a cold starry night, cheese, hot baths, wine, the burn in my legs during a long hike, the way John's beard feels on my cheeks when he kisses me hello, the taste of a cold beer, the sound of water, the way ya feel when ya finally fit in a dress you love, the greatest songs coming on the radio, and the list goes on.  Every day presents you with a gift...a reason to be thankful.  May the spirit of Thanks find you this November and every day!