The Old Fart award goes to….

This week I turn 40 something and man lately I am feeling it. I am feeling so very thankful because to be honest I don’t have much to complain about. Now don’t get me wrong my world is not all rainbows and daisies, I wake up each morning a little stiff in the knees and wondering if the dog really does want to go on a walk, but I woke up and I was able to walk my dog. So with my birthday litterally right around the corner I thought I would list out 43 reasons why it’s so good to be alive.

• I have the freedom to worship my God. I may have to do it in the comfort of my living room right now but I still get to do it.
• My family, they are a little bit crazy, a little bit loud, but they have a whole lot of love
• This little bit of heaven right here, brownie bottom, chocolate chip cheesecake. (Recipe at end of post)
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• I have a group of friends that are more family than friends. They are nuts, they are fun, and they are so supportive and fun I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world
• I get to be a Veterinary Technician. I help pets and their families almost every single day.
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• I have a roof over my head and food in my belly.
• I have the ability and desire to work out every day, whether it is a walk with my dog or doing a workout with the FitOn app.
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• I can have s’mores in my back yard in a fire pit my husband built
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• I have a cat and a dog
• I get to start riding my motorcycle within the next week (hurry up Cycle Gear and get my helmet and jacket here!)
• Thunderstorms, I mean really, who doesn’t love a good thunderstorm.
• The smell of summer
• Fresh mowed grass
• Laundry hung outside to dry
• Homemade Kahlua, especially after a long day at work
• Family hikes on Sunday’s, listening to the kids talk to each other, while enjoying the company of my hubby
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• Getting to do special training to help owners with hospice and palliative care
• Nachos, or tacos, or basically anything that involves cheese, salsa, tortillas and chips
• Cozy days reading a book
• Shish kabobs with a family recipe marinade
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• That feeling you get when you check something off your list
• That feeling you get after finishing a race whether it’s a 5k or a 1/2 marathon
• That special song you share with your best friend.
• Since I think coffee is disgusting, I am so very thankful for my Spark in the mornings
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• Pickled Onions and then when the onions are gone drinking the liquid that is left in the jar! Yum!
• See’s Candies
• Laughing so hard you know you just completed a twenty minute ab workout
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• Getting fresh flowers from the farmers market
• Helping others find the joy in the everyday life
• Loving someone and being loved
• Flamingos! I mean really, they really do stand out from the crowd
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• Surprise drive by of friends blaring the Happy Birthday song and honking their horns
• A nice tall glass of ice cold ice tea
• A good long phone call with your sister
• The live action movie of Beauty and the Beast
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• When you get excited with a friend who is excited about something they have or did
• When someone gets excited with you
• A snuggle with my cat, on her terms of course
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• A good laugh with coworkers especially when times get stressful.
• A big bowl of ice cream
• Disneyland at Christmastime
• Intermittent fasting is hard but oh so good for my health and eating habits. So glad I started doing it
• Taking risks because you only have one life, if you are scared all of the time you will miss out on so many things. Trust in God, remember that worrying about tomorrow won’t add time onto today.

Well that is it, I did it! When I first decided to do this list I thought it would be easy. So often you forget about all the ways that you can be thankful and live a life you want to live. Some of these things are silly and some or serious but they are all important. They make me who I am. So who are you? What are some of the things in your life that you are thankful for? There is so much bad or negative in the world, why not make sure the world around you is positive. Even if you are going through hard times you can find at least one thing that brings you joy, peace even. So until next time:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things
Phillipians 4:8