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Across the Fence:  Work on Gratitude badge together...  |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 06:20:36 AM
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I have attempted the Beginners Gratitude badge many times but have yet to complete it. It seems like one of the easiest badges to work on but usually about 3-4 days into it I forget to write a daily note and start over and so on. I thought maybe we could work on it together. If you are needing this badge join me here daily for the next 30 days. I will be working on this until February 29 but if you get started later just continue on until your month is done.
Here are the requirements for this badge:
9. Farmgirl Gratitude
Beginner Level
• Write a gratitude journal every day for a month. Don’t
repeat the same gratitude more than once to qualify for this
merit badge.
• Read, The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha, one entry, once a
day, to help you appreciate the simple things.
I got The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha for my kindle through Amazon. I'll be writing my daily gratitude and then I'll do a virtual reading outloud to you of a section of the book. You can read what ever section you want in your book. I'll just be going in order of the book, not picking out any special passage. You can use whatever format you wish for your posting just be sure to post everyday and include your gratitude and the title of your reading passage. If you joined in on the virtual reading outloud just list the title of the passage or you could put "listened outloud". This will be an honor system. Nobody is going to go back and check that you posted daily. This is your badge, so if you don't mind others knowing what you are thankful for join me here daily for a dose of gratitude. What do you say? How about a couple hundred of us apply for the Beginner level Farmgirl Gratitude badge on March 01, 2012.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
Edited by - EastTXFarmgirl on Jan 28 2012 06:45:33 AM |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 06:29:48 AM
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January 28, 2012
I am so grateful for mornings that don't start with an alarm. When you wake up from the warm glow of the bright morning sun peeping through the bedside window.
Today's read: Intergenerational dancing
Have you ever felt too old or too young on the dance floor? Maybe you and your husband signed up for a Saturday morning ballroom dancing class and noticed everyone else arriving on a shuttle bus from the old folks’ home. Or maybe you surprised your wife with a romantic date night on your tenth wedding anniversary and accidentally stumbled into a local college hotspot full of white baseball caps, bead necklaces, and Jell-O shooters. Or maybe you just found out the hard way that All-Ages usually means All-Underagers. I mean, if you’ve ever found yourself saying “Man, I feel old here,” or “Does anyone else smell Ben-Gay?” then you know what I’m talking about. It’s not that people of different age groups don’t socialize, it’s just that they don’t often groove to the same beats is all. I think that’s why wedding dance floors are a real sight. They’re a breeding ground for that amazing intergenerational dancing that’s just so rare and beautiful to see. You’ve got grandmas slow-dancing with their five-year-old grandchildren to “What a Wonderful World,” old men crowd-surfing over a pack of sweaty teenagers, snaking conga lines of all shapes and sizes, and circles forming around anyone who happens to be doing something interesting— whether that’s a father-and-daughter team waltzing in circles or a slightly inebriated bridesmaid shaking her booty with a ninety-year-old great-grandpa in a wheelchair. Yes, intergenerational dancing is a rare and wonderful thing. It’s a magical moment where boundaries are broken and the thumping power of music sort of sweeps us all together into a tiny little place where everything’s just cast aside in favor of living for the moment. AWESOME!
Pasricha, Neil (2011-03-01). The Book of Awesome (pp. 11-12). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
Edited by - EastTXFarmgirl on Jan 29 2012 05:56:05 AM |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 06:48:52 AM
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Thanks for doing this Victoria - great idea.
I'll participate and would love to get my gratitude badge. I have a gratitude journal and am also somewhat sporatic in keeping up with it. This is a perfect motivator for me. Thanks again.
I love today's reading. Its so true and it made me smile.
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 06:58:18 AM
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Great Lorraine, just post your daily gratitude at some point today and then daily for the next month and let's get this done. I'll be back tomorrow.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
Edited by - EastTXFarmgirl on Jan 28 2012 06:59:20 AM |
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ceejay48
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm/Sharpshooter
13668 Posts
CeeJay (CJ)
Dolores
Colorado
USA
13668 Posts |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2012 : 05:55:20 AM
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Thank you CJ. I just needed a little time away to get things into perspective. Being a newbie to a farm of my own was (and at times still is) a little overwhelming and was not going as smoothly as I imagined it would. I think we are getting the hang of this now. The East Texas drought almost wiped us out this past year. The crops were just dying in the fields and there was nothing we could do about it. It has started raining and things are looking up.
I am grateful for eggs. That sounds silly but eggs have kept our family fed and healthy in many cases. When I was in college we did not have money to buy groceries but we were too embarassed to let anyone know. My parents had a small farm and everytime we went to visit a few dozen eggs were sent home with us. We ate eggs 3 meals a day for 2 years (and honestly never tired of them). On morning when I'm running a little behind a couple of scambled eggs smashed between a couple slices of toast can be had in less than 5 minutes. I still get a thrill when I go gather the eggs. Its like little gifts your hens leave for you. And since we free range its kind of like an Easter egg hunt every day.
Today's read: Seeing a cop on the side of the road and realizing you’re going the speed limit anyway Stress level goes up. Stress level goes down. AWESOME!
Pasricha, Neil (2011-03-01). The Book of Awesome (p. 17). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
Edited by - EastTXFarmgirl on Jan 29 2012 10:10:44 AM |
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sjmjgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
566 Posts
Stephanie
Mt. Vernon
Iowa
USA
566 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2012 : 09:29:38 AM
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Thanks for this post. Ive been trying to figure out which badge to start with and I think Im gonna swtart with the Gratitude badge. Ive been feeling a little emotionally drained lately and I think this will help. Ive got The Book Of Awesome on iBooks and I also downlaoded a journal app for iPad. Im all set!
Farmgirl Sister # 3810
Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
- Dalai Lama |
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ceejay48
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm/Sharpshooter
13668 Posts
CeeJay (CJ)
Dolores
Colorado
USA
13668 Posts |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2012 : 10:02:57 AM
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Victoria - I didn't get back here until this morning. I didn't "get it" that we were going to all utilize this thread as our gratitude journal. This is an even better idea than I originally thought. :o) I write in my gratitude journal at night - but this is easy for me to do. I will start today listing one thing I am grateful for.
Today is easy peasy for me... Its my husband's birthday. I am so grateful to have this wonderful man in my life. We have been married 22 years and I'm still madly in love with him. He is intelligent, compassionate, funny, handsome and hard-working. I have been so blessed to love him and have the love returned. I am truly thankful.
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
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CountryKim
True Blue Farmgirl
66 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
66 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2012 : 10:11:21 AM
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I'd love to join!
Today I am grateful for: The excellent care my mother in law is given. Even though we would love to have her home from the hospital we are thankful for the doctors who are making it possible for her to come home soon!
Kim
Forever farmgirl
http://throughethelseyes.blogspot.com/ |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2012 : 10:19:07 AM
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Lorraine you can complete your journal however is most comfortable for you. Don't feel you have to post your journal on the thread. I just know for me if I don't do this "outloud" I will never complete it. It's not that I am not thankful and it's not that I don't realize all of the good I have before me. It's that I usually don't stop to write it down. I'll be out in the field and think oh look at that deer playing around the pond. I'm going to use that in my journal tonight. Then tonight rolls around and I am exhausted, I make dinner and plop into bed never giving that journal a second thought as I drift into dream land to prepare for another day. I also thought the daily posting would help others remember to write in their journal.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2012 : 3:54:47 PM
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Victoria - I agree completely. I start every day by giving thanks for another day - but I sometimes forget to write things in my journal. This is a great reminder. Outloud will work wonderfully. Thanks again. Looking forward to tomorrow's reading. :o)
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2012 : 05:44:59 AM
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Good morning ladies. Welcome Kim. I try to be a good mother in law. I think of Jennifer as my little girl. I think it is wonderful when the wife cares for their mother in law. So many women are jealous and don't get along. That is so hard on the son/husband. So Kim you inspired my gratitude for the day.
I am grateful that I have a daughter-in-law that is kind and caring to my son and to me. We have never had a crossed word and we both think my son is just about it. I love her and I feel she truly loves me.
Today's read: Illegal naps
You know what’s even better than lying on a hammock in the backyard on a sunny Saturday afternoon? Better than catching a few winks after classes before a long night out at the bars? Better than falling asleep on the couch with the baseball game on the radio? You know what’s even better than all that? I’ll tell you what: illegal naps, my friend. Sneaking them in when you ain’t supposed to. Napping any time you know you shouldn’t be napping has a bit of an edgy, dangerous feel to it, like sneaking into a movie, sharing a free-refill soda at a family restaurant, or coming through customs without declaring the new sweater you’re wearing. I’m talking about driving away from work at lunchtime, parking in a nearby parking lot, tilting back your driver’s seat, and sneaking in a little siesta before an afternoon full of meetings. I’m talking about waking up groggily at 11 a.m. after a long night, chomping on handfuls of cold popcorn while surfing the Internet for an hour, then going back to the bedroom to crash all afternoon, building toward that exotic and sinful Day o’ Naps. Yes, I’m talking about the naps you pull off in the bathroom stall at work, the ones at the back of the bus just before your stop, and the naps you take in the middle of a big bout of procrastination before a deadline, when you convince yourself that a quick snooze will give you more energy to finish that big paper due in a few hours. So come on! If you’re with me, then you agree life’s just too short not to sleep when you feel like it. So lower those blinds, unplug that alarm clock, and nap strong, nap long, and nap proud, my friends. AWESOME!
Pasricha, Neil (2011-03-01). The Book of Awesome (pp. 18-19). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.
I really like those Day O' Naps. I get to pull one off about every 6 months.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
Edited by - EastTXFarmgirl on Jan 30 2012 05:57:08 AM |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2012 : 08:27:10 AM
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Today I am grateful for my "old" job and the flexibility I have working out of my home and setting my own schedule (more or less). This company has been so good to me. They pay me well and allow me the freedom to pursue my dreams of the tea biz - and yet still have this financial safety net. I will also be extremely grateful when this project is over in August and I'll be able to "retire" from this company - but for now, I give thanks for all the good that comes to me through this job.
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2012 : 08:35:18 AM
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Lorraine I don't know why your forum name did not clue me in earlier but today is the first time I have looked at your website. My dream has been to open a tearoom when I retire. I have 5 more years to pay off my house and then I plan to make that step. I'm like you the job I have now is very flexible and the pay is awesome! Can't give it up now but I order alot of tea. My son, my husband and myself are heavy tea drinkers. Still trying to convert my daughter-in-law. I just ordered, in December, a large amount of tea so I won't reorder until about March but I will definately visit your site. I am off of my away from home job today to do some things on the farm and really am having a hard time getting going but I'm off to the greenhouse for the rest of the day. Have a great day and I'll stay in touch.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2012 : 2:43:27 PM
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Victoria - I sent you an email. So glad to hear you're a tea drinker! I do not own a tearoom - I just sell tea and accessories. I was in a lovely tearoom but they decided to eliminate consignors and change tea vendors to save money. I was disappointed, but it worked out ok. I sell my tea in three places - one being a little coffee house and she serves my tea as well. I also sell at a local farmer's market. Its been very slow growing - but I love it. My tea biz is something I am very grateful for - even though I don't make much money...
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
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CountryKim
True Blue Farmgirl
66 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
66 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2012 : 4:36:38 PM
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We are leaving shortly to visit mom at the hospital. They want to release her today, but we are not sure if she is ready to come home yet?
I am grateful for you all here, keeping me on track helping me with my journey!
Forever farmgirl
http://throughethelseyes.blogspot.com/ |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2012 : 4:55:47 PM
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My prayers are with you and your family Kim. I face it everyday with mom's and dad's being sent home earlier than they really need to be. I am a nurse and I hate to say it but hospitals are under the thumb of the new healthcare/insurance guidelines. We are seeing too many being sent home too soon. Many times they are right back that night or within a few days. A good home health agency can be a life saver. If she has medicare she should not have any problem getting home health. Prayers.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2012 : 5:01:29 PM
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Lorraine got your email. You will be hearing from me come tea ordering time. I am always on the look out for a good tea. My son is very partical to Earl Grey. I'm more of a herbal kinda girl. Anything with orange or mint. I saw the tea strainers you sell. I really like those. I will most likely order one pretty soon.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
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debbies journey
True Blue Farmgirl
635 Posts
debbie
anchorage
ak
USA
635 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2012 : 10:20:44 PM
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My neighbor came over for help this morning, I'm very grateful I could help.
todays reading: Intergenerational dancing
Debbie |
Edited by - debbies journey on Feb 01 2012 11:25:57 AM |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2012 : 05:38:53 AM
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Good morning, I have to get an early start this morning I have alot I have to get done today. Debbie it is wonderful to have a neighbor you can go to but even better if that neighbor responds. Good for you!
I am thankful for my wonderful husband. It took me 3 tries but I have found one that I can imagine spending the rest of my life with. He is thoughtful, kind, smart, strong and laughs. We are like two peas in a pod. We have been together 12 years and I enjoy spending time with him now as much as I did when we first met. He also had 2 previous failed marriages and we were both hesitant to try again. We were 'just friends' for about 4 years. I am glad we were both willing to give marriage another try. I didn't want to be alone for the rest of my life but I sure didn't want to go through the heartache I had previously experienced. And to make it even better he and my son get along very well. My son is my only child and being with someone that treats him good was very important to me. (That was the reason my 2nd did not work). I am blessed in so many ways.
Today's read: When you get the milk-to-cereal ratio just right
Things could go a few different ways near the bottom of that cereal bowl: 1. Drowning in white. You poured too fast and over-filled the bowl. Now after you spoon up the soggy O’s, you’re left with an inch of sloshy, super-saturated, sandy-colored syrup at the bottom. Well, the damage is done, so I say bottoms up to that. Just tilt your head, tilt your bowl, and say hello to a peppy morning full of jitters and fast talking. 2. Cornflake beach. Here’s where you end up with too much cereal and not enough milk. You first notice it when you’re halfway through your bowl and those flakes seem a bit too crunchy for their own good. So you look down and notice you’re swimming in the wading pool, my friend. Assuming you’re out of milk or are very lazy, you have to frantically start rationing, aiming for just enough milk in each spoonful to get by. Let’s hope you make it and don’t end up with a fat lump of slightly damp cornflakes sitting pathetically on the side of your bowl. 3. Cereal Bowl Bliss. Oh mama, this here’s the perfect milk-to-cereal jackpot. Maybe you’re like my friend Mu, who has lifted the art of obtaining Cereal Bowl Bliss into a noble, decades-long search for perfection. Yes, he has studied milk absorption for years and knows that a bowl of Froot Loops and a bowl of Frosted Flakes have nothing in common other than a mascot who lives in the jungle. See, Mu points out that those Froot Loops float high and dry while Frosted Flakes are like crispy sponges that require a lot more milk to make it through. And then there’s the bowl itself. Sure, a big, deep bowl may look great when you pull it out of the cupboard, but watch out for the illusion of size. You may end up drowning in white if you’re not careful. Lastly, if you’re ready for Advanced Milking , you may be interested in the patient art of The Sit, which involves letting your beautiful bowl of cereal lie on the counter for a good minute or two before eating. This allows your cereal to soak up a consistent amount of milk and prevents those dreaded bone-dry first bites of crunchiness that offset your whole ratio. Remember: This is Advanced Milking, folks. Not for the faint of heart or extremely hungry. Anyway, when you get the milk-and-cereal ratio just right at breakfast, you’re all aces, my friend. And when you hit it, you hit it, and you know you hit it, because that last spoonful goes down smooth without a hint of drowning in white or surfing up onto cornflake beach. Mm-mm-mm-mm-mmmmmm. AWESOME!
Pasricha, Neil (2011-03-01). The Book of Awesome (pp. 20-22). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
Edited by - EastTXFarmgirl on Jan 31 2012 05:46:07 AM |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2012 : 11:27:49 AM
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Today I am thankful for a wonderful walk in the prairie with my faithful, canine companions, Hector & Maggie. We are fortunate to live across the road from a lovely state park - a tall grass prairie - with several trails. I frequently head over there in the mornings with my dogs. We generally walk ~ 1.5 miles - although that is dependent on how much time I have and/or the weather. I always leave the park feeling so much better than when I got there. It is a true blessing. Life is good.
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
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CountryKim
True Blue Farmgirl
66 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
66 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2012 : 4:31:47 PM
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Victoria, Thank you for that. In my rush yesterday I didn't to say thank you! My grandmother took care of her father in law, when he was ill. My great grandfather lived with them until he passed. It always just seems to me that it is what is done. But I know that everyone who wants to take care of their parents, can't. I am an only child and both sets of may parents are healthy. If everyone became infirm, we'd have to get a bigger house!
I am grateful for my husband as well. It can sound clique, but after 2 previous relationships (one divorce, one long term live-in) I sought out my high school sweetheart.
When he found out his mom was in the hospital, he flew back to Pennsylvania and stayed at his mom's bedside as much as he could, cleaned her house for return, and brought her here to Texas after 46 days away 9she was hospitalized for about 30 days). People comment on how I am such a strong person to let him do that and I just don't get it. It's his mom. How could I even think to say no? We are blessed in that we were able to it, yes. Not many people can afford to let one spouse leave for an extended period of time.
I am really enjoying this thread. It's making me think deeper about what I am grateful for!
Forever farmgirl
http://throughethelseyes.blogspot.com/ |
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debbies journey
True Blue Farmgirl
635 Posts
debbie
anchorage
ak
USA
635 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2012 : 4:49:29 PM
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I'm grateful for that first cup of coffee in the morning,
it's always the best!
todays reading: milk to cereal ratio
Debbie |
Edited by - debbies journey on Feb 03 2012 9:53:09 PM |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2012 : 6:51:36 PM
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Lorraine I am so jealous. There are several packs of wild dogs running these parts right now so I don't let Pud go out in the back pastures unless my husband is with us so we are confined to walking the drive. Granted it is a quarter mile long we still have to walk it 4 round trips to get our walk in. Not much change in the scenery.
Kim you hang in there. You are doing the right thing. And you will be blessed more than you can imagine.
Debbie girl you are so right. The smell it's self is intoxicating. I'm drooling just thinking about it.
You ladies have a good night. I work tomorrow so I'll be posting very early. Have a great day tomorrow and be thankful for every minute.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2012 : 04:00:44 AM
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Good morning all.
I am thankful for life. Several years ago our family was hit with the big cancer scare. My son had advanced stage of lymphoma. It was 2 grooling years of chemo, vomit, and prayers. The one thing we did as a family was practice laugh therapy. Nobody was allowed to cry. If visitors came to the house they were asked to leave if crying or any negative feeling evolved. He is a miracle. He often says he laughed himself alive. In times such as that the gift of life is so precious and up front. But, when things are going good we somethings forget how precious just waking up breathing really is. I figure if I wake up and I'm breathing I've got the day half beat.
Today's read: When you’re awkwardly standing by yourself with a full cafeteria tray of food and then suddenly spot your friend waving at you
The dreaded Cafeteria Standalone. Blue plastic tray wobbling in both hands, carrying a big rolling glass of iced tea and a heavy ceramic plate loaded with steaming roast beef, wet mashed potatoes, and bland baby carrots, you exit the cafeteria line and glance at the full crowd in front of you. It’s the high school cafeteria, the workplace lunchroom, or the food court at the mall. Everybody is laughing, at you maybe, while you stand and stare out at the kaleidoscopic sea of smiling faces. As the seconds tick by you feel more and more out of place. Maybe you quickly glance around the room while pretending to get ketchup. Maybe you walk in a couple different directions so you aren’t clogging up the lanes or looking too obvious. Or maybe you just get really anxious and wonder if you’re going to have to sit by yourself. But just as you’re beginning to lose hope you eventually see them. It’s your friends in the distance. And they’re waving. AWESOME!
Pasricha, Neil (2011-03-01). The Book of Awesome (pp. 24-25). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
Edited by - EastTXFarmgirl on Feb 01 2012 04:03:05 AM |
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Across the Fence: Work on Gratitude badge together... |
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Work on Gratitude badge together...
