Several friends on Facebook have been posting daily gratitude posts this month. I love reading and hearing about what my friends are grateful for this month. I think it is a wonderful ability to be aware of all the blessings in our life. My mom, somehow without preaching, helped me grow up to be aware of good times while we were in the good time and she also made me appreciate small moments of joy in addition to the big obvious ones.

So here is my list  in no particular order:

My family, the one I was born into as well as the family I chose.  Our shared history connects us so deeply.  I am grateful for my dad who took us to Mexico every summer so we could know our family and connect and love each other, otherwise we would have grown up strangers and what a loss that would have been.  Life is richer when we are together.  Y el bailado nadien no lo quita!

My brothers.  I have mentioned them in other posts but think I would be a ship lost at sea without them.  We don’t live near each other anymore but I know they are THERE.  Knowing they are there means everything.

Craig, I chose him to be my family and what a good choice!  We have built a wonderful family together and are raising some awesome, crazy, fun, smart, silly creatures together.  How lucky are we.  And with Craig came his family.  I wish I had had more time with his dad and had the opportunity to meet his brother Jeff but alas I did not.  I am grateful  for my mother in law, Karen.  Magically we truly love each other and don’t have to tip toe around and pretend to be nice like so many other mother in law/daughter in law relationships I know,  I am very appreciative and aware of how great this is. 🙂

My three children. They made me a mom and changed my life in amazing ways. Their love, smiles and joy makes my life worth living and man can they make me laugh!

My posse of friends. My old lifelong gang to my newer friends add such richness to my life and kept me afloat when I was drowning in despair.  They are my extended family and life would not be the same without them.  Thanks guys.

My mom, forever grateful for her and all that she taught me.  She passed me her laughter, her sunshine, her silliness, her great beauty!:), her caring soul and her compassion.  She taught me to turn a regular event into a party.  I will never forget rushing home from school to get dressed up for Josh and Reba’s wedding on Guiding Light!  We actually got dressed up to “go” to the wedding.  How awesome.

I’m grateful for recovery and time.  Even though I still have some really, really rough days, time and work have helped me step further away from grief.  I am aware, even on those rough days, how much better I am doing.  Recovery and being able to rebuild your life is an amazing thing.

Rereading my list, all but one post has to do with people and I think that is appropriate.  In the end the people who come into your life are what really matters, they are ALL that matters.

Happy Thanksgiving lovely people.