Thursday, November 22, 2012

The Little Things

Of course I'm thankful for the normal things. A God who loves me. A family who supports me. Children who are happy. Health. Food in the cupboards. Heat (aka blankets, hoodies, wool socks, a standing body temp of 98.6). Friends and community that give us a sense of belonging.

These things are easy to list. They are the thanks that I wake up with, and that are on my lips as I go to sleep.

But...what about the little things that get me through the day? The bothersome and ever-present impatient side of me needs something else to remember. A little bit of thankful when the children are writing hieroglyphics on the walls with Sharpie, spilling my favorite red nail polish on the carpet, and conspiring together to run away to Gramma and Papas house while taking the TV with them. A little bit of thankful when I can never remember to change the laundry before it turns to putrid mush, touch the handle of the cast iron pot with my bare hands, and leave the toast popped up from the toaster so long that the butter won't promptly melt when applied.

So this is my little list of thankful.


1. Hot baths. 105 degrees or hotter. They are relaxing, the perfect place to read a book, and essentially free. The best way to attack a bath is by cleaning oneself first, as to avoid the stewing in one's own filth. Because, in a bath that hot, you are a stew.

2. Lukewarm coffee. Barely warmer than room temperature. I love the taste of coffee, so why, pray tell, would I want to burn my tongue and lose the flavor for the rest of the cup? This strikes me as logical, however I am the only on in this blessed world who drinks lukewarm coffee, so I have resigned myself to the fact that I am the unique one.

3. Crappy furniture. There will be a time in my life where we can have nice things, but until then I am enjoying my tiny Supermen, Fighter Pilots, Gymnasts, Wilderness Explorers, Puppeteers, and Lightning McQueens.

4. The ability to sew. Can't tell you how much money I have saved our family with a needle and thread.

5. A Big Love who cooks. And not just little "c" cook, but Cook. Baking is something I have no problem taking care of, but Cooking is something I only partake in for survival purposes. Someone once told me that one needs to feed their children. So feed them, I do. Big Love, however, turns every meal into a journey of color, palate, and whimsy. Books will be written about this. Probably by me.

4. Apple products. Sure, Steve Jobs was probably a major prick. But have you ever held an iPhone? Have you ever carried an iMac to your car? Have you ever had your 2 yr old play on an iPad? Seriously.

5. An HD tv. Sure, it's tiny. Sure, we only have 6 HD channels. Sure, it's covered in fingerprints and I'm constantly dusting it. Sure, it took me almost three years to pay off. But it is something that implies that my family lives in the current decade.


6. Children who are not afraid of people. There are some major cons to having boundary-less children, but, as one who grew as a wee hermit, the ability to relate to people is a huge hurdle that my kids will not have to worry about jumping.

7. Children who eat fruits and vegetables. Enough said.

8. 2 cars. There were a couple years where we had only one car, and that was awful. There have been many years where I have been entirely dependent on public transportation, and that was terribly inconvenient. 2 cars are expensive, especially when your cars are old and prone to breaking down, but worth it.

9. A family that gets along. On both Mom and Dads side of the family, people are very friendly. This makes holidays and family get togethers not only tolerable, but downright lovely.

10. Cribbage.

11. Wall decor that consists of paper snowflakes, computer paper covered in the same stamp 400 times, and crayon drawings of our family, both real and imaginary. This means that my children are both excited about art and proud of their accomplishments.

12. The love of window shopping. I have lived my whole life on a budget, often a very tight budget, and I get equal enjoyment, if not more, when I window shop as opposed to buy. My home only contains the things I need, and I love always being in a point in life where I can enjoy a good daydream of what the future could hold.

13. Pinterest. Resourceful Me loves knowing about all the other resourceful people in the world and their ideas. It is a constant reminder that I am not alone.

14. Rain. Rain = Green. And takes a bunch of dust and gross out of my air.

15. Decent skin. I have never had a major problem with acne, dry skin, dandruff, excema, etc. Awesome.


There are many more little things. This is my abbreviated list. New things I am thankful for reveal themselves every day, and I really should keep a running tab.

What little things are you thankful for?

2 comments:

  1. Lovin' so many of these...really good picks. Here are a few of my littles (or not so littles):

    1. I am thankful for cousins, an auntie and a soon-to-be uncle. All the ones I inherited by birth are no longer in my life (and that's a good thing), but all the ones I received by marriage are true blessings. And, no, I'm not just saying that to be nice!

    2. Thrift stores and estate sales - #1 because they help me earn my living, and #2 because they've made me a more creative and frugal person.

    3. Disneyland! Okay, now why would I say that, and how is it a little thing? Just because it's a very special place to me and even when I am broke and cannot visit I can remember the times when I have and it makes me happy.

    4. YouTube. Sure, there's a lot of garbage on YouTube, but there is also a TON of awesome (free!) music to be enjoyed. And videos of Disneyland...please refer to thankful item #3.

    5. Creativity and passion for learning. These rather go hand-in-hand for me.

    6. Nature--which is by no means low on my list even if entered here in the #6 spot. The unending rejuvenation and enrichment of walking through the woods, gazing at a river or sitting by the ocean cannot be measured in dollars or words.

    Good post--I'm so enjoying your blog! oxo



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    1. I am totally thankful for a Cousin as wonderful and funny as you!

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