What an amazing day today was!!

Today I Am Grateful:

1) For the job interview I went ahead with today – it resulted in me basically being hired at that location if the place from Wednesday does not (I’ll know tomorrow).

2) That I may actually have the opportunity to work part time for both locations – if schedules could be figured out just right between the two I might go from not having worked in almost 7 years to working 2 jobs in one week!!

3) For how happy I’m feeling knowing I have work no matter what!! It’s such a relief to know I’ll finally be able to help contribute to us getting caught up on rent & bills!

4) That the boys both hugged me, happy and excited for me, when I came home and told all 3 of my boys that Mommy came home with a job today!

5) That I never gave up on any of this – even now when the going is a bit rougher till I gain my stamina again – I’m not walking away from it! I worked to hard in school to be done before I ever even truly begin. I finally believed in myself with something and went after it, it is slowly beginning to grow the positive results I knew would come out of it.

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. ~ Confucius

To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness. ~ John Dewey

Tried to give myself the day off to rest after all the action the past few and it backfired on me :-( I’m hurting more now than I was this AM so it’s making me think about things in a whole different way.

Today I Am Grateful:

1) that it’s the last day of school for my boys until Tuesday, they have a four day weekend now between teacher institute and MLK Day Monday – lots of time to play a few games and spend some non-computer time together :-)

2) even though I’m hurting for it – I’m grateful for the time spent relaxing today, mentally I needed it.

3) for yesterday’s interview still – that’s how good I feel about it.

4) for an oldie but a goodie – books! Can never get enough of them!

5) for discovering I can tame my sweet tooth! 1/4 of a regular Hershey’s bar hit the spot for me tonight :-)

The thoughts we choose to think are the tools we use to paint the canvas of our lives. ~ Louise Hay

Today is my best friend’s birthday! Happy Birthday Vic!! Love You Sis!

Today I Am Grateful:

1) For best friends that become family – they are a true blessing indeed ♥

2) That today’s interview was a complete 180 from yesterday’s – much nicer people, a small diamond in the rough place that has a loyal client base and a good capacity to expand further. It’s run by a couple who have worked hard at making this place what it is today and it would be an honor to work there.

3) For little surprises that truly make me smile because of the beautiful, kind gesture they came from. Thank You Jamie & Rolando!

4) That I set up yet another interview that stemmed from my resume drop offs on Monday – it’s for a nice place on Friday in the AM.

5) That, even though I am sore right now, I also feel so good from the inside out from the interview today. I left that place feeling so good about myself, better than I have for awhile. That’s the peaceful type of place it is ♥

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are. ~ Chinese proverb

Doing something positive will help turn your mood around. When you smile, your body relaxes. When you experience human touch and interaction, it eases tension in your body. ~ Simone Elkeles, “Return to Paradise”

I’ve been off a day all day, not sure why. Kept thinking it was Wednesday. Woke up a little tired, that never really went away.

Today I Am Grateful:

1) for quiet mornings spent reading & relaxing

2) for job experience – even though today’s interview didn’t quite go the way I thought it would, it was still experience.

3) for the next job interview tomorrow that I am really excited about!

4) that the day is done, I can let go of the ick from today and while I sleep ask my angels to finish wiping away the remnants of today so I can be fresh and ready for tomorrow.

5) for my angels – more and more lately I have been feeling their presence, their protection, their gentle guidance. I am grateful for them and for listening to them via my intuition. Thank You God for giving us angels to help us, guard us and guide us.

Angels have no philosophy but love. ~ Terri Guillemets

Love is how you earn your wings. ~ Karen Goldman

God not only sends special angels into our lives, but sometimes He even sends them back again if we forget to take notes the first time! ~ Eileen Elias Freeman

What a busy day today was! It was a slow, ice covered start, but once the ice melted off my truck I was off!!

Today I Am Grateful:

1) For my Dad – once again I went to his gym with him and walked. I know it’s helping make a difference in how my body is handling the weather now that it’s finally turning colder here in Chi-Town. I’m also grateful for my Dad because he not only took the boys to school this AM (while my truck was still thawing out) but he picked up both of them after school too. This gave me time to do some things I needed to do and it also gave my hubby time to come home, take some cold medicine and get some much-needed sleep to try to get better.

2) That I went out and did some job hunting today since my Dad took care of the boys. Silly me went to one place that I forgot was closed on Mondays and it reminded me that another place I wanted to go is also closed on Mondays. The final place I stopped at today resulted in an interview set up for Wednesday at 3 PM!!

3) For the interview I already have set up for tomorrow at 1 PM!

4)That I still have a few places to drop off my resume most likely Thursday or Friday at this point. I want to focus on the interviews the next two days first.

5) For coming so close to having 10,000 steps today!! As of right now, Zip (my awesome little pedometer from fitbit – http://www.fitbit.com/home) reads 9,234 steps – the most I’ve had in a very long time! I’m proud of myself for it too – I’ve walked 4 miles in all today!!

6) For pampering my feet – a hand massage rubbing on/in my China-Gel (think similar to Icy Hot), slip into my favorite fluffy fuzzy socks, and then another massage with my mini-massage ball to top it all off. Have to treat them good after all they did for me today!

7) That I will be pampering my hands the same way very soon too – as soon as I’m done on the laptop :-)

Teach a child to read, and you unlock the world. Inspire a child to love reading, and you give them the power to imagine worlds yet to be. ~ M Todd Gallowglas

Enjoyed a low-key, mostly quiet, sleepy Sunday today after all the fun and excitement of yesterday. The boys & I were blessed enough to sleep in, hubby had to get up for work but even that is still a blessing because it’s been helping us get caught up slowly.  (I just realized that this is my 50th list! Looking forward to 50 more!)

Today I Am Grateful:

1) For sleep – it does so much for our bodies when we truly get the right amount in the right way – meaning comfortable bed, room at the right temperature, music or other white noise. Our bodies heal, regenerate, recharge and prepare to carry us through another day.

2) For medicine – we are so blessed in this day and age that there is practically a medicine for everything and anything. Hubby’s been taking some cold medicine the past day or two because he’s not feeling well and while we’re not sure it’s doing much, we’re also being positive that it’s keeping him from getting worse.

3) For relaxing, lazy days spent in pajamas playing games, reading books, watching silly cartoons. A great way to unwind after all the fun of Wy’s birthday yesterday.

4) For getting back to the simple things I like doing – leisure reading, drawing, just being. I enjoyed being in school a lot, but it also feels good to not have the pressure at the moment.  But, I’m also looking forward to going back to class when I’m able to start working on my Continuing Education classes :-)

5) For giving myself goals to reach for – whether it’s keeping up with my streaks (here, SparkPeople, Daily Challenge, etc), going to the gym with my dad to walk and make myself stronger again, or heading out to drop off some resumes despite an interview on Tuesday – it feels good to work toward them and complete them.

Nothing goes to waste on the journey of life, every trouble you learn from, fuels the journey forwards. ~ Unknown

What a day filled with sweetness as our youngest turned 6 today ♥

Today I Am Grateful:

1) For 6 years of seeing Wyatt grow and to watch his personality come out and shine – he is such a sweet, kind, generous, loving kid and I pray he stays that way!

2) That his older brother, who is 8, has slowly been more of a best friend than just a brother in the past year or so. As each boy’s personality settles into place, they find their own rhythm with each other, and yes, that includes fighting still! LOL

3) For all of his grandparents – each got to spend time with the birthday boy today and though both sets only got him one present each, they both picked the perfect present for him ♥ Thank You to Nama, Papa, Oma & Opa ♥

4) For silly trick candles on the birthday cake! Wyatt almost couldn’t blow them out the 3rd or 4th times because he was just giggling so hard at how the just kept relighting! It was priceless!

5) For a simple and yummy birthday dinner of chicken, rice and gravy. Thanks for cooking Daddy!

6) That I was able to start and finish a ZenTangle today! I haven’t drawn one in way too long and it felt amazing to finally do again. I am going to commit myself to drawing at least one per week just to keep my creativity flowing. Want to see it? I hope this link will work to show you:  SparkPeople ZenTangle Challenge – Complete

Your only limitations are those you set up in your mind, or permit others to set up for you. ~ Og Mandino

I cannot do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail to do the something that I can do. ~ Helen Keller

Today has been one of those days where things were going along nicely, time going by just right, then suddenly the rest of the day just flies by!! LOL

Today I Am Grateful:

1) That it’s Friday – the boys had a good first week back and I’m proud of them both

2) For a peaceful morning – hubby was at his parents and the boys were at school

3) For a surprise invitation to lunch for my youngest & I to join my parents at McD’s

4) For time spent back at the college library tonight so I could print up fresh resumes and cover letters to go do some job hunting Monday

5) That I am finally home in my comfy bed, just about ready to snuggle in for a good night of sleep!

One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself. ~ Lucille Ball

What a day! Made it back to the gym with my Dad and had a much better time on the treadmill (Part 1 of Tread Thursday). I’m a little sore now, but that’s because I ended up out the rest of the day without any of my pain meds. Not long after we were done at the gym my Dad, my Husband, the youngest and myself ended up going out and doing some shopping around for tires for the truck (Part 2 of Tread Thursday! LOL) It’s been a long, good, productive day.

Today I Am Grateful:

1) That I had a much better experience with the treadmill today – it felt so good to be back at it and feeling stronger after instead of weaker

2) To have my one RA Rx back in my system – it is really helping make the difference

3) For my Dad – not only is he helping me by bringing me along as his guest to his gym, he has been letting me use my brother’s old truck for the past few years now because we needed a second vehicle, today he bought new tires for said truck and now the boys and I are even safer when we go out in it. The tires that were on the truck were so bald and even starting to fall apart in some places they were so old and worn. Thank You Dad!!!!

4) For a big slumber party in my bed tonight – hubby is spending the night out at his parents to help them with some things tomorrow so the boys and I are all crashed in my bed (I really dislike sleeping alone)

5) For friends that truly love and care about one another – they are rare to find but such a huge blessing when you do find them

Yeah. I’m WEIRD. (W)onderful, (E)xciting, (I)nteresting, (R)eal, (D)ifferent. (Copied from my friend Darrell L. C. on facebook)

Today was a much better day – I have my Rx back that I was missing for nearly 2 weeks, everything I’ve had to eat & drink has stayed down, I even managed to get my boys to and from school today all on my own – it hurt like heck till I got my Rx, but I did it!

Today I Am Grateful:

1) To be feeling better – not 100% but a lot closer to it than I was yesterday

2) That my boys are continuing to have a good week at school and be in good moods every day – I pray they stay like this every day of 2013!!

3) For good books – and not for myself this time! My oldest has found at least one book series that he really enjoys and it gets him reading without much prompting. Today he brought home a new series to try – I hope he enjoys it just as much!

4) For soup – really, is there anything better when you’re feeling sick??

5) For the bed warmer my hubby insisted on buying a few years back – little did we know how much of a help it would be now with my RA. It is such a blessing every night to snuggle into a warm bed that helps keep me relaxed and loose. Thank You Baby!!

Dreams are the touchstones of our character. ~ Henry David Thoreau

I cannot do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail to do the something that I can do. ~ Helen Keller