1. There is a chill in the air – makes me appreciate the sun’s warmth even more.
2. My son is almost fully healed after his July 7th car accident – Praise God!
3. My daughter turned 15 this week and still remains sweet and loving with no sign of a mean girl in sight.
4. My focus has returned to work after three month of care giving and my customers have waited patiently and appear to eagerly welcome me back.
5. Which means there are checks in my mailbox – Praise God!
6. The Songs of Prayer CD dropped this month (I am a featured singer) and has been well received.
7. The gift of continued health, mental and physical for my whole family.
8. The unbelievable generosity of friends and family over the last three months.
9. The power of prayer – there is nothing stronger.
10. A new blossoming relationship between my son and myself –

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude today – two weeks after my son’s horrible car accident and I brought him home from the hospital two hours ago. He is resting comfortably at home.

I’m thankful for:

• the fact that he lived through the accident
• that he will be able to walk again in a few months – the doctor said most who have his experience are paralyzed
• the nurses, doctors and surgeons who have so skillfully cared for him
• the therapists who have worked to teach him how to be sort of self sufficient
• the smile on his face when he came through the door
• the many friends, family and neighbors and customers who have reached out to help or offer up prayers
• the fact that my son sees this as the second chance of life that it is
• God – who has been there lifting me up and knitting Ben back together and providing strength to us both

1. This grand country
2. All those who have gone before, paving the way for the opportunities we have
3. All those who are serving our country and their families
4. People who aren’t afraid to go against the accepted and question the status quo
5. Betsy Ross cuz isn’t it a grand ol’ flag?
6. The wonderful patriotic songs that represent this holiday
7. The fact that I never tire of saying “oooh” and “ahhh” with fireworks
8. My children who I believe will, in  their own right, make a difference for the generations who come after them
9. My parents
10. This blog and the opportunity to share our gratitude and learn from others who share their grateful stories

• So glad my son feels he can call at 3am with his burdens
• So grateful I heard the phone
• So thankful for this new day, a clean slate, a fresh outlook
• So relieved and grateful I can turn to God with my fears for my son
• So thankful I know He will take it from here

On my knees this morning in grateful prayer.

This morning I am filled with gratitude for:

1. A woman in my circle who was there at the drop of a hat to help with a problem – no questions asked!
2. My customer who truly appreciated the woman in my circle who was there at the drop of a hat to help with a problem, no questions asked!
3. My 14 year old daughter who saw Betty White at the zoo yesterday and actually knew who she was and was appropriately star struck.
4. My 20 year old son who stopped by unannounced just to say hi.
5. The fact that the AZ fire didn’t damage my friend Kay’s home or property – she was evacuated and is now back home and just dealing with smoke – but all are safe!!!  Praise God.
6. My mom who is packed and preparing to come to visit for the summer – can’t wait.
7. New customers who sign on the dotted line and sent their check in the mail yesterday.
8. Old customers who email they miss me and want to get together.
9. The opportunity to be on a panel of speakers yesterday with two women I greatly admire. I am humbled to be included in their presence and to be on the same panel.
10. Aha moments with my business mentor yesterday – the sky opened and the angels sang a beautiful song!
11. Dinner with dear friends last night – many toasts, a fun waiter Greg, great food.

This morning my heart over flows with thanksgiving:

1. Grateful to share the wonder and glory of the Easter church service and music with my daughter, not once but at two services!
2. So blessed to have both my children around me as we share the traditional feast
3. Watching them battle it out over Mario Cart Wii and seeing my 14 year old daughter kick the pants of my 20 year old son
4. Their glee at their Easter baskets – who said the Easter Bunny was for the young?
5. Daffodils that line the streets of my town – their lion faces strong and mighty against the relenting rain
6. Staying up late to watch an exciting movie (The Town) with my son – the fact that he stayed to “hang” with his mom instead of rushing back to his new digs, an especially wonderful gift
7. Hugs – real hugs, not those “when will this be over?” lame hugs but real “I love you” hugs from my children
8. Getting the queen size box springs precariously strapped to the top of my van safely 20 miles to my son’s new home in a heavy wind storm even though it meant this old body had to climb in through the van window and drive those same 20 miles holding onto the boxspring with one arm out the window and the other hanging onto the ever slackening rope with the other while driving with my knees and praying the whole way. Talk to my son – he is the very grateful one! He was driving behind keeping watch.
9. Finishing a big customer project at 1am so I can stop dreaming about it and get some well deserved, albeit short, sleep
10. The prospect of coffee this morning with a dear friend who is soon to move very far away. Looking forward to a long gossip.

1. Easter chicks -the kind you eat. So much better when they are just a tad stale and chewy. And why is it that the blue, green and purple ones aren’t as satisfying as the yellow chicks from our youth? And the same with the bunnies who want to be the yellow chickies but just don’t quite get it.  Okay, enough with the chickies.
2. Steven Tyler. I am sorry but the man is hotter than all get out and even though he lets the F-bomb fly, we love his enthusiasm.
3. Little email messages from my daughter that tell a cafeteria story where she made a fool of herself in an effort to wish a friend happy birthday and it wasn’t the end of the world. For a 14 year old, that’s saying something.
4. My son who is so excited about moving into his first apartment this weekend. It reminds me of how excited he would get over a new box of Legos or corn dogs when he was just my little “peanut” a month (or two decades) ago.
5. My Mom who is going on a vacation all by herself to a resort that is 20 minutes from her house. Gotta love her sense of adventure! Close enough to still go to church on Easter but far enough away to….to what? The place is right by the mall she goes to every week?  I’m still laughing.
6. Figuring out how to add WordPress to my URL thanks to a very talented and most creative person in the world and you know who you are!  Her initials are CP.  Thanks darling!
7. Amazing customers who trust me and challenge me and appreciate me and pay me.  Woo hoo.
8. Finishing a project with a customer who doesn’t fit in the #7 grateful category.
9. Hot oatmeal with brown sugar.  Just cuz it is that kind of a day.
10. The birds chirping. I know I have said it before – but the sound of life outside reminds me of all of the wonderful gifts of spring.

1. The sound of the birds outside my office window
2. The new buds of life on the bushes and trees
3. The squirrels stealing the bird seed – it is amazing how they can simmy up the bird feed pole
4. My son who got up and off to work today without me here nagging him – guess he really is growing up
5. My daughter, so focused on her homework, that she asked me to stop asking her questions about her day until we could share a meal and really focus
6. My two cats – just because they make me smile
7. My two boardroom groups – Wed nite and Thurs morn whose members inspire, encourage and support me in my business
8. Teaching – love it!
9. My students -love them!
10. Breathing in and breathing out – a gift not to be taken lightly