Counting your blessings

This past weekend, LML and I celebrated “Geek Thanksgiving”.  This tradition started a couple of years ago with LML and his friends.  Sometimes, some of the people in their circle of friends wouldn’t get to celebrate Thanksgiving with their family, so the amazing friends stepped up.  I get it; it’s why the Geek will inherit the earth!  Typically our friends host the event and we show up with pies and buns and booze.  This year, LML and I offered to host in our home.  Our place is pretty big and built for entertaining.  LML has been doing some amazing things in the kitchen, so we knew he could pull off this meal.  Logistically, if people either drop off, or join in at last minute we can handle it, so it just made sense.

The gifts were at home for part of Saturday, so I put them to work helping clean, then the eldest went to a friends for a sleepover, so it was just the lil’est gift and the geeks.  He was awesome, hung out for dinner, ate without complaining, helped clean up, then took off upstairs to bed early as he was tired, allowing the adults to chat and watch wildly child inappropriate movies … like Deadpool!

The reason I bring this up is it reminds me to count my blessings and remember what I’m grateful for.

1.       LML, he’s truly my soul mate and perfect match.  I always knew love could be like this, and I’m so grateful I found him.

2.       The gifts, they’re amazing.  Sweet kids, who are kind and helpful, funny and slightly crazy, I couldn’t be more proud of these guys

3.       My friends!  Even though my family no longer does Thanksgiving (or isn’t inviting us) and LML’s mother usually travels south for Canadian Thanksgiving, it’s nice to still be able to have the big turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

4.       As much as I complain about the gender discrimination at work, I really do have a good job, they pay me well and recognize my contributions.

5.       I have my health.  I say this as one of my closest friends is under palliative care for terminal breast cancer.  I’m not the picture of health, but my issues are managed and I’ve managed to lose some weight.

6.       I am not American facing a horrific election next week … dude, this one is pretty HUGE!

7.       We’re comfortable, not rich, but not struggling.

8.       We have Honda’s!  Yay Honda!

9.       I really have some of the best friends anyone could have.  From my original band mates from my tween to teen years that are still there, to the GWM’s who are my rock, sanity and often saving grace, to Michael and Michaela, both coming into my life in the strangest ways, and staying because they’re amazing. 

I could do this all day, but I’d like to keep #4 and not lose it for blogging all day.  Our theme this year at work is an attitude of gratitude and I’m very lucky to be grateful for so many blessings.  I hope this helps me continue forward with a continued attitude of gratitude and kindness.

Gratitude.

Ok, enough complaining for one day, time to change focus!  At our sales conference this year, our President focused his speech on the importance of Gratitude.  Wow, that was like a lightning bolt to me.  I’d written a very short speech (as I’d received the leadership award for the second year in a row) and my theme, as well, was gratitude.  I was grateful to my leadership team for allowing me the opportunities to grow, discover, fail and succeed.  I was grateful for all the team members that I had the opportunity to work with through company integrations, product launches, product discover and design and all the little details that make a company run.

Hmmmm

That sounds much more like where I’d like to focus.  Today a friend called me her hero.  I was gobsmacked.  Another friend is having issues in her marriage and we’re on a private board to talk her through it.  It’s a group of on-line friends (some of us have met in person) and we’ve been “together” for about 10 years.  Some married, some divorced, all moms who love their kids and are trying to do their best.  As this one friend is having issues, the other divorced mom and I jump sharing our experiences, in an effort to help and support.  I told the other divorced mom I was so proud of everything she’d accomplished on her own and raising an epic young man.  She turned around and told me I was her hero, younger, hot husband, two great kids, kicking ass at work … wow.  Sometimes you’re so mired in the muck of the forest, you forget about the beauty and wonder around you and it takes a friend to point it out.

So ya, I am grateful for having this job that pays me well and does recognize my efforts (9 awards in less than 5 years).  I am grateful for having a husband who loves me for me, makes me feel like the center of the universe, spoils me with his love, time and attention, and often the most thoughtful gifts in the world.  I’m really grateful to have two awesome sons who are kind, respectful, loving, strong and all around good people.  I’m grateful to have the most amazing group of women who live inside my iPhone and laptop, who I can reach out to that will lift me up, make me laugh, or offer to help hide the bodies when I need them. 

I’m really very lucky, and I’m so very grateful for it.

Move over Letterman ... I can do a top ten list too!

Ok, so I’ve been feeling pretty down about myself lately.  Two years ago I was hitting the gym for 2-3 hours a day, EVERY DAY and I was in GREAT shape.  I wasn’t skinny, I wouldn’t even say lean, but I was really happy about how I looked.  Then, again, life got in the way.  Custody schedules, travel, work … a thousand excuses but I’m back to my original shape … round.  Realistically, what really bothers me is how out of shape I am.  I’d love to take a bike ride with the boys, or go play soccer at the park, but I’m afraid I’d need an Ambulance on standby for anything more than a flight of stairs.

So, LML tasked me to write a list of 10 things I like about myself.  This is much like the #100HappyDays it’s an exercise to focus on the positive … really, did I just say exercise?  Oy.  He’s also pointed out that it can’t be compliments to him or the boys aka “I love how happy you make me LML” or “I love how awesome the boys are” (although I made them so it’s kinda me ;-) but here goes.

1.    I love my hands.  I love how long and thin my fingers are.  I love the way I take care of them with manicures, colour, moisturizer, etc.  They’re very pretty and I love that I can wear HUGE funky rings and they look awesome on me.

2.     I love my not only willingness but excitement to wear an EXTREME variety of footwear.  Everything from flip flops and ballet flats to 7” spiked stilettos in bubble gum pink!  I am this generation’s Amelda!

3.      I like that I’m always jumping to Yes instead of No when I’m asked for something.  I really like helping friends out and doing things for them.

4.      I’ve got stupid sexy calves (even with the scar down one shin) that look AMAZING in those ridiculously high heels.

5.     I have a great smile and I use it liberally

6.     I’m reliable.  While that sounds kind of boring, it means people can count on me.  If I say I’m going to do something, I do it.  I can commit to events, tasks and being there for friends.

7.     I don’t sweat the small stuff and I don’t over think things.  I had an incident with the eldest gift this past weekend.  I stood my ground, and then compromised.  I wasn’t sure if I’d compromised or caved, but after telling LML what happen he agreed I’d done the right thing in that situation and I wasn’t just being a spineless marshmallow.

8.     I laugh, A LOT!  With enthusiasm and a joyous lust for life.

9.     I like to make people happy.  Whether it’s to compliment a coworker on a great outfit, or give someone a neat promo pen I have, I like to make people smile.

10.  I’m not only the friend that will help you move, I’ll help you move a body.  For my good friends I’ll do everything in my power to help them out.

Wow, that was a lot harder than it looked.    I’m having a bit of a Sally Fields moment … they like me, they really like me ... but more importantly I like me.    Best part is while I was writing this out, I realized most of my closest friends (Shawn, Michael, Michaela, the Working Moms) have many of these same traits too.  Apparently I do attract what I try to put out.