The Odd and Ordinary Giving of Thanks

I asked one of my classes, 'What does it mean to be 'thankful?' Most of the children, around age five, could tell me what they were thankful for, but not what the word meant.

Then a little girl said it very well. She said, "It means to be happy for something that you have."

I agreed.

And so, over coffee this morning, we discussed the things we were thankful for, beyond the obvious big hitters like our health, our home, our beautiful children, our marriage, and our job.

I am thankful for:

-a heating pad (worth it's weight in gold)
-really hot water for long, steaming showers
-exceptionally beautiful, heavy grandma-type quilts (sensing a pattern yet?)
-cups of coffee several times a week with my very best friend, made by him just for me, the way I like it.
-the little toy from Blue's Clues that sits in the top of the shower, reminding me of when the older boys were young.
-a comfortable pillow
-the emails I get signed simply 'ily'
-hummus and cauliflower
-my lap cat, Frumpy, as well as my other pets, even Hazel
-long gotees
-a sink full of hot water and bubbles
-that my friends', family's, and neighbors' children will come play with me - and enjoy it as much as I do.
-organic soap
-the smell and feel of clean linens on beds
-notebooks full of my writings and notes
-sitting in the dead of night by my teenage son's bed to pray
-a call from my friends for no reason at all
-Seinfeld dvd's in bed at night
-laptops
-crusty bread with butter and jelly each morning
-the way Jon's wedding band sounds as it grazes the strings on his guitar
-couscous
-long, funky socks
-my go-to shirts
-opening the rag drawer to do dishes and seeing my favorite dish rag
-the shoulder I sleep on and the man it belongs to
-kissing my boys when they sleep because they don't let me do it when they're awake
-the deer that walk through my yard
-the drums that echo throughout the entire house and the rhythm they bring
-swedish fish, caramel creams, and Cella's chocolate covered cherries
-the smell of shampoo on my boys' heads
-tucking my feet up under me and laughing with my friends

Long list, I know.
But sometimes, it's just good to stop and take notice.