It's The Simple Things

I avoided the gratitude challenge this year. I felt like I have enough going on in my life that I just didn’t want the added pressure of an eloquently written Facebook status every single night.  I have enjoyed reading other reasons for gratitude all month, but I also noticed that a lot of people didn’t mention any of the simple things in life.  So I challenged myself to think of 30 simple things in life that I wouldn't want to live without.  It was harder than I thought to keep is basic!

 

1 - Candles, but only the delicious smelling kind.

 

2 - Online shopping and shipping right to your door.  Seriously, I'd buy groceries that way if I could.

 

3 - Indoor plumbling and all that it entails, including but not limited to: hot water, Toilet paper, and daily showers.

 

4 - Mechanics to fix broken cars.

 

5 - The smell of a new book.

 

6 -  Surprises because the feeling of excitement is unbeatable.

 

7 - Pictures because I love to remember.

 

8 - Bleach, because, gross, germs.

 

9 - Cows, because, steak.

 

10 - Writing, journaling, blogging: whatever form it takes, it is my best form of personal reflection.

 

11 - Bills because it means I have a job to pay them.

 

12 - Underpants...I mean think about life without them.

 

13 - Kleenex, what a fantastic invention.

 

14 - The smell of a wood burning stove, the way it just smells cozy.

 

15 - Cream cheese, it is simply the most amazing food invented.  Well, mabye except for number 16.

 

16 - Bacon. See above.

 

17 - Headphones, so I can jam shamelessly to music I would otherwise pretend I don't listen to.

 

18 - Food storage, to get us through times when we need mechanics.

 

19 - On that note, the fact that we even need mechanics, because it means we have cars, which are so much convenient than driving a tem of jack asses across the state.  So, cars.

 

20 - Cell phones.  I mean I know something people let them consume them (I, myself, am guilty of this on occasion) but honestly, what a flipping fabulous invention to live with when my best friends and family are spread out across the country.

 

21 - Toothbrushes and toothpaste, they make chatting with people so much more enjoyable.

 

22 - Deodorant, for the same reason.

 

23 - My faith.

 

24 - Clothes, thank goodness we don't wear loin cloths anymore.

 

25 - Disposable diapers.  I don't use them because my loins have not yet begat an heir, but someday I will be happy they exist.

 

26 - Diet Coke.  Even if it is slowly killing me.

 

27 - Warm, fluffy, soft blankets.

 

28 - The gift of silence.

 

29 - Conversely, the figt of uproarious laughter.

 

30 - My husband.  You're right, he isn't such a simple thing to be grateful for, but simply put, he is the thing I am most grateful for. 

10 Things You Never Knew About ME!

I’m extending my Facebook life to my blog for the moment. I am incapable of telling things in a short, concise way. I love words too much. So I liked multiple of these “Things You Don’t Know About Me” lists, and then proceeded to ignore the numbers people gave me. I figured I would finally hop on the bandwagon though because it has been fun for me to read other people’s facts. I got all sorts of numbers from 21 to 7 to 14 to 2 so I am splitting the difference and doing 10!

1) Everyone keeps telling me that I will feel the need to have a baby as I age, but it is actually working in the opposite direction for me. The older I get, the less I want a baby. The older I get, the happier I get, the more content with my life, the closer to my husband I grow, and I know nothing of this biological clock that people speak of.

2) I have about one handful of actual, really close friends.  I have a lot of friends, but I took it to heart once when I read that it was more important to have a small, reliable circle than a large, flakey circle. Plus, my family is so huge that through my cousins, I have countless amounts of friends and support.

3) I have many, many treasured Christmas memories, but my absolute favorite holiday was last year when we decided to forgo buying gifts, cooking big dinners, and the stress of creating the perfect holiday, and instead took a vacation.  What I learned was that TIME was the absolute best gift we can give our loved ones. Time away from the world, with no cell phones, no computers, no distractions, but rather glorious sun, a beautiful ocean, constant laughter, and conversations to renew connections established so many years ago we’d forgotten them.  I would spend every holiday in my life like that one.

4) I absolutely hate how cliché this sounds, so I don’t say it often, but I didn’t know what real, true, healthy love felt like until My Douggie came into my life.

5) I love to visit.  Not in the travel and go somewhere to spend time with you sense, but in the sit down, let an entire afternoon pass us by, engage in non-stop hours of chatting kind of visit.

6) I legitimately ponder on a fairly regular basis (any time I see one) why “selfies” are the most flattering photos. Anyone?

7) I have a burning desire to learn how to crochet. Or knit. Because I don’t know the difference. But I would like to make wonderful, glorious Afghans for cozying up in.

8) I love a good scandal or conspiracy theory, but only when it doesn’t directly touch or threaten my life. I suppose it’s a shameful thing to admit! The bunker under DIA, Area 51, The Royals possibly arranging Princess Di’s car “accident,” the list goes on and on!

9) I never, ever know lyrics to songs. I think I know them, I sing them, and then I am always, always wrong.  For example, the line goes, “I love rock and roll, so put another dime and in the juke box baby.” I sing, “I love rock and roll, so shake and wiggle to the hip hop baby.” This entire statement is invalid when referring to Eminem: my guilty pleasure. I am not joking when I tell you I can rap every word right along with him.  Less than a handful of people have heard me spitting rhymes, but they are a lucky few!

10) I desperately want to move to The South.  My husband would rather die, but Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama…they’re calling my name!!!

We're Planning a Party!

My husband likes to tell people he has been in school for 6 years. I like to correct him and tell people he has been in this town for 6 years, but certainly not focused on school for that long.  He took a semester off. He took a year of only taking one class each semester. He worked full time. He paid for things on his own, and because he went that route, it took a little longer to make the progress on his education he wanted.

The first year we were married, he went part time and worked full time, and after that year we made this huge decision for him to just quit his job, go to school full time, and get finished in two years.  It was terrifying. We had reservations. How would we live on my measly income? How would we make it on our own? Would he be successful at school? Alas, after many nights of weighing pros and cons, praying heavily, and planning for the future, a letter of resignation was written and 18 credit hours were registered for.

I remember that night, feeling like two years was going to be so long.  I remember how certainly I knew that the sacrifice would be worth it in the end. I also remember how certainly I knew that these next two years would take forever.  Yet, here we are.  Those two years have passed in the blink of an eye. Not only did we survive it when we cut our income in half, we thrived.  Douglas didn’t just endure the full time schedule at school, he excelled in it. We became stronger, more educated, closer, and happier than ever before.

And here we are.  Literally a month away from graduation and our 3 year wedding anniversary, filled with joy and a sense of accomplishment that we did this. Pride that HE did this. It’s all downhill from here, folks.

Congratulations to the man I love more than anything I’ve ever loved in this world. You have 17 more days of class.  I said 17.  Remember when this felt like a lifetime away?