Thankful November: The First Ten Days

I am thankful! Yes, I am very thankful even though I am behind in posting my gratitude. The last nine days I have been busy with work and getting ready for a long weekend in Kansas. I am in Kansas now and I have time to reflect on the blessings I have experienced over the last nine days. 

The first blessing is the return of my friend and coworker. Earlier this year she unexpectedly joined the peace corps and left for Africa in February. Everyone was heartbroken at work and we have missed her greatly. The first week of November I was in Starbucks and was thinking about how I needed to buy some more coffee to send to her. Later on that day I ran into her at work. My friend and coworker had just as unexpectedly returned from Africa. I am so incredibly grateful to have my friend back at work. 

The next blessing is waking up to the sunrise every morning. I don't particularly enjoy waking up early, especially when I first wake up and it is still dark, but seeing the sunrise makes waking up early  seem better. The recent time change has made waking up easier because the sun has just started rising  and it doesn't feel like I should still be sleeping. 

The last blessing is being in Kansas. I have wanted to take this trip to Kansas for awhile now, but it has never happened. Last month my dad told my grandpa that I was planning on coming and on my grandpa's birthday I looked up flights to Kansas. The flights were surprisingly affordable and I booked the flight immediately. Today I spent the day traveling from California to Kansas and I arrived just as the sun set. Kansas is so much different than California and I am enjoying the small town. I grew up in a small town and have watched as it has grown so much in the last few years. It is nice to be in a quiet town with little to no traffic. I am looking forward to the next few days of quiet rest that being in a small town brings. 

What are you thankful for? Leave your gratitude in the comments below as well as any prayer requests. 

November Challenge: Day 29

November is almost over and I am reminded that Christmas is fastly approaching. This year Advent starts in November with a reminder that there are only 3 Sundays until Christmas. I actually have a challenge with Advent in mind, but I have it starting December first. I will be sharing more information about this tomorrow. Since Christmas is right around the corner, I am grateful today for coupons/sales, life returning to normal, and a surge in DIY ideas to create a personalized season of giving. 

Today I finished some more Christmas shopping and I was thrilled with the coupons I was able to use in combination with the store's sales. I was able to get one order for half-off with both coupons and existing sales, which meant that I ended up purchasing more items for less money. I didn't need the extra items per say, but I was able to get these items I wanted virtually for free. There was also free, two day shipping on another order I placed, which left me excited for Tuesday when it arrives. This order was for a faux suede jacket for my puppy and I can't wait to see how cute she looks in the jacket. I know there are people who would think this was wasteful, but before I get too much criticism, my puppy is a breed of dog that is sensitive to the cold. She is so sensitive in fact that some days she is even shivering in my house and I have to put her in sweaters before wrapping her in blankets. The sweaters I have made her warm her sufficiently, but are not enough for when she has to leave the house. I am thankful that I will be able to get her jacket soon and that I also was able to purchase it for a good price.

The last few days have shown an increase in my mom's energy and a transfer in responsibilities. Life is slowly returning to normal. I no longer am solely responsible for another's household. This was the first weekend I didn't have to rush to the grocery store to make sure there was food. This is partly because there was so much leftover from last week. I did go to grocery shopping today, but with my mom. She wrote her own grocery list and did the grocery shopping, but I was there for support. I was also able to help her by carrying in and putting away the groceries because there are still some tasks that are challenging. Even with this need for support, life is returning to normal and I am able to concentrate on my own life again. This shift in focus has meant a surge in DIY ideas and more creative projects being completed. DIY is an important aspect of who I am and being able to create items is truly wonderful.

What are you thankful for today?