Thankful...

I got the idea for this post from Lindsey. Thanks Lindsey!

With Christmas right around the corner, it is so easy to focus on what I want. It is far too easy to look at what everyone else is doing and think "I wish..." I wish I had more money to spend on gifts. I wish my house looked like so and so's. I wish... I wish, I wish. I lose the joy that should be in the season.

After reading Lindsey's post this morning, I was reminded of all that I have to be thankful for in my life and of all the reasons I have to be joyful. (And I do have so many) Some of them are deep and thoughtful; others are just things that make me happy each day.

* 2 healthy children
* a loving husband
* a warm house
* a mess in my living room, that says my kids play happily here
* being able to stay home with my boys
* cooking dinner each night and realizing, I pretty much have the life I imagined growing up
* the time Matt and I have together after the boys go to bed
* the piles of laundry that say we have enough to wear
* dirty dishes that say we have enough to eat
* my entire family (every last one of them)
* a hot shower on a cold morning
* caramel macchiato flavored creamer in my coffee each morning
* pulling up to my house and seeing the Christmas lights on the tree through the blinds
* still rocking Ben to sleep each night
* Will asking me to tuck him into bed
* my king bed, flannel sheets and down comforter
* Will's excitement about the true meaning of Christmas

These are just a few of the things I am thankful for and the bring me joy each day. There are many, many more. I hope that as Christmas draws near, you are able to take just a minute and think about all that you have been blessed with.