Monday, December 2, 2013

Still Thankful, Just Late

I'm a Kerr. Sure you have to go three generations back to get there, but I am still a Kerr. The family motto: Sero sed serio. Translation: late but in earnest. No really. It's right on the family crest.


So like my Kerr ancestors before me, I am late, but in earnest. Without further ado I give you the rest of my November thankfuls.

19. My husband. His order in this list in no way indicates his importance in my life. I am thankful that he heads off to a dull job every day to support our family. He's the most faithful man on the planet and he loves me, grumpy, frumpy me. I had planned to write a whole post on my gratitude for my husband, but procrastination killed that idea, for the moment anyhow.

20. I'm thankful for my cats. I love them. I love how they are not pushovers and I can't just waltz into their lives after ignoring them for ages and have a relationship with them. They are like real people. You nurture the relationship and it's healthy; neglect it and it's not. Plus they are cute and furry, and they purr.

21. Running water, flush toilets and a water heater. I try to camp at least once every year so that I remain grateful for this most basic and awesome gift of modern life.

22. Books. Oh my heavens! My sanity. Right between two covers. Or on my kindle. Or on my computer screen. I love the knowledge, the characters, the worlds. And they are mine all mine. I love books. More than most people, to be frank. I could also write a whole blog post on the joys of reading. Alas, gratefuls twenty-three through thirty await.

23. Amazon Prime. (Kinda-sorta related to books.) All my stuff comes to me with free two-day shipping. When I keep forgetting to pick something up at the store, I buy it at amazon and it just shows up. I love the unlimited movie streaming. I love the whole darn thing. I don't even care that they know every iota of my life; I'm just so grateful for the incredible convenience and value of the membership.

24. My pomegranate tree. It gives me pomegranates. Need I say more?

25. Friends. Old friends. New friends. They've made me laugh, made me cry, made me dance. I like to think that in the eternities all friendships are renewed and receive their paradisiacal glory. 

26. Gardens. I'd like them even better if they watered and weeded themselves. Even as they are they give me a lovely connection to the earth and teach me lots of object lessons.

27.  I'm thankful for my mom, for the emphasis she placed on education, for her example of perseverance. I'm thankful for the opportunity I had to care for her at the end of her life.

28. I'm thankful for the internet, for the wealth of information it contains, for the friends I've met online, for the massive recipe index that it is, for the genealogical tools it houses, for being able to shop without having to leave the house, for movies on demand, for educational games. OK, I'll stop now. I think you get the picture. 

29.  Comfy shoes. Since I have cruddy rheumatoid arthritis feet, comfy shoes pretty much make the difference between being able to walk and not being able to walk. I wear pretty much the same shoes all the time and they aren't cute, but they are comfy. Yay!

30. Christmas. I love Christmas, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to come and adore the Savior. I love the music, the food, the decorations, the kindness the season can bring out in people.

Being thankful has been a habit for November even if I did flop over into December a bit. Perhaps I can carry the habit a bit more consistently all year long. I think that might be a very good thing.