Grateful

There are so many things that I am grateful for:

I am grateful that the bear cub is not only accepted at school, but welcomed and celebrated (at least so far).  When we go, everyone knows her.  She is in the pre-K class and yet everyone, teachers and students all the way up to 5th grade know her and greet her as we go through the halls.  It's great to me to hear teachers making 'sh' sounds at their kids as they yell out to her.

I am grateful that Target and Toys R Us price match amazon.com.  I don't have a smart phone so it makes it a little more difficult for me, but it's great nonetheless.

I am grateful for having such a huge and wonderful family.

I am grateful for old photographs.  I can't tell you how it thrills me to see pictures of my grandmother and her brother when they were younger or all of my mom's many brothers and sisters.

I'm grateful for having developed self-acceptance.  I'm glad to not be too conscious of how I much intrude or stick out and just go with things without worrying so much.  I only hope that my nerdletl comes to this sooner and I am glad that the bear cub and Darth Baby do not struggle with this.

I am grateful that while Q is most definitely a cat person that he accepts my desire for dogs and even helps me care for them - even if it is the middle of the night and requires a trudge downstairs to let them out and in again.

I am grateful for so many beginning reading books that rhyme.  I had a really hard time giving up picture books and moving on to chapter books when I was in elementary school (well after I was reading at a 12th grade level) and I constantly remember why this was as I read to my girls.

I am grateful that my younger sister is moving closer, although I know she is not.  I miss her terribly sometimes, and I imagine that I will drive the 10 hours each way a number of times a year to see her and her family.

I am grateful that we have a huge bookstore within walking distance.  I hear/read that many places not only do not have this but also are lacking a bookstore anywhere in their community.

I am grateful for my minivan.  I love our dinged up eyesore.  (I never claimed to be cool).

I am grateful for all the people that refuse to shop on Thanksgiving.  If everyone were to refuse, they wouldn't try it again.  I know that this is unrealistic in what seems like a culture of consumerism, but I am hopeful anyway.