I’ll be 45 years old tomorrow and here’s a few things I’m grateful for today.

1.  The gift of being a parent to Sebastian later in life.  I am so incredibly thankful for his straw color hair, his little ET teeth, and his good-natured personality.  He gives the best hugs.

2.  The gift of being a parent to Lauren who is so strong and so beautiful and gifted and authentic and such a wonder to behold, even when circumstances were stacked against us – She makes me feel proud!

3.  The gift of a loving and attentive husband who constantly tries to live with me in harmony and joy even if our individual definitions are a bit unique.

4.  The presence of thoughtful parents who, despite the odds being against them, did the best they could with what they had to work with.

5.  The joy of expectation with my brother and sister-in-law’s upcoming baby (a girl).  I still think pixie mcp is the name!

6.  An aunt who is like a second mother and is the only one who can understand that side.

7.  Another aunt who is like a girlfriend and is the only one who will EVER understand that side.

8.  My cousin Monique because there’s no one in the world like her.  No one.

9.  Our health.  We walk around in relative health and become increasingly aware that is not so for many.

10.  Our relationship with God, the church, our church friends, and the way that relationship continues to grow and reveal in our lives what we need to change.

11.  Our jobs.  They’re frustrating as hell at times, but they help provide us with a vehicle to make a meaningful contribution to society.

12.  My friend Donna.  I can trust her and that is rare.

13.  My friend Cheryl.  I can relate to/with her and that is rare.

14.  The fact that President-elect Obama takes office in a mere few milliseconds and we can hardly hold our breaths.

15.  The wonder of living in our Nation’s Capital.

16.  When the cars start each morning.  The way the Mac works – amazing!

17.  Thankful for the Sunday edition of the New York Times.

18.  Thankful for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream – I’ve not tasted any flavors I don’t like.

19.  Grateful for what I figure to be nearly 30 years of drinking Coca-Cola, tomorrow is my very last day ever.

20.  Grateful for drinkable tap water which is sadly also becoming increasingly rare.

21.  Thankful for the little baby bike seat that let us take Sebastian on bike rides this autumn.

22.  Long-term friendships like the one I have with Joy.

23.  Time to draw, think, write, read, look at art, study artists, and the incredible journey my interest in art has provided.

24.  Great writing, great books, great authors, great ideas.  I am particularly thankful for Cormac McCarthy’s The Road which literally changed my life.  

25.  A peaceful home with happiness and expressed love in it.

26.  The grace the policeman showed us in Delaware.

27.  The grace the IRS showed us during a very difficult tax-filing year.

28.  The grace the school showed us during a very difficult college financing situation.

29.  The Civil Rights Act of 1964.

30.  Access to schools, libraries, medical options, transportation, cultural events.

31. That the fire we had didn’t keep us down.

32. That WHT didn’t keep me down. May WHT’s karma come back around.

33. That the desert didn’t bleed us dry.

34.That angels and helpers and good and kind people appear in the least expected ways at the least expected times.

35. That I’m getting older, I actually kind of enjoy it.  I am grateful for the knowledge of how to age gracefully.

36. That I learned how to play pool and mastered 8 and 9 ball, even if I did stay a skill level 2.

37. That we took some art gambles, and they paid off both in time, money, and people we met.

38. That I am blessed to have Alexander, Erin, Christian, Matthew, Philip in our life circle.  And may I always remember the joyful times with Jordan, Regan, Wil and Kristopher, and may Victor & Isolde & Monica know they are loved.

39. That the price of gas has gone down.

40.  That Sebastian is drinking whole milk and no longer formula, that Alex drinks .55 coffee “refills” each morning, and that I will NEVER again drink a coffee product from Starbucks (except tea), and that Lauren didn’t turn to alcohol when she had every reason to.  

41. That Alex encourages me to take a daily vitamin which makes a big difference in how I feel, look, and act.

42.  For the ability to swim, which it always amazes me to learn how many people can’t, and for the fun we had at the pool with Pavle from Bulgaria this year.

43. For the ability to participate in the Route 127 Longest Yard Sale through Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Tennessee with Lauren this summer and for the cool stay we had at the Golden Lion. 

44. For the drive I have to succeed, see others succeed, and for the ingrained work ethic I picked up along the way.

45.  For the smiles I get when I come home.  :)