Counting my blessings, 2008

I enjoy Thanksgiving much more than most holidays—a day that revolves around food and football, what’s not to love? But perhaps more than culinary appreciation, Thanksgiving by its very definition is a cynic’s day off. And frankly, full-time cynicism is an exhausting profession.

Last year I compiled my 2007 List of Things that I am Thankful For, and as I reviewed it this year, I realize very little has changed with the two exceptions that I would have made it longer and I would include the premature gratitude for winning that $30k from Huggies...

So I humbly present my list to you, and ask, what's on your list? Post here and we'll count our blessings together.

This year I’ve stopped at 101 for the sake of time. So in no particular order with the exception of number one...


1. My family
2. Presidential term limits
3. Amy’s doctors
4. The First Amendment
5. Faith
6. Windows
7. The unexplained
8. Old friends
9. New friends
10. Future friends
11. October 30, 1990
12. Kathy Butler
13. Saturdays
14. Hope
15. A big boy that stills thinks he’s smaller
16. A little boy who thinks he’s a whole lot bigger
17. Paris Hilton’s dimming spotlight
18. A tall eggnog latte
19. Home
20. Sunsets on the Gulf
21. Baby perfume
22. Buying only one size diaper at the store
23. For what I already have
24. A good book
25. Opportunity
26. My iPhone
27. Tasha
28. Spontaneity
29. Sangria
30. Truffle oil
31. Satellite radio
32. Surprises
33. Sacraments
34. A good pair of jeans
35. Fresh flowers
36. Having my hands full
37. Real butter and whole milk
38. Sand between my toes
39. Spring
40. Mascara
41. Fresh herbs in place of dried
42. That I didn’t get that tattoo
43. Christmas
44. Beating the spread
45. A sense of humor
46. A sense of perspective
47. Belly laughs
48. Liking the same music as my kids
49. A full tank of gas (but not the price tag)
50. Vacuum marks in the carpet
51. Lingering meals
52. With delicious conversation
53. The first day of the season you get to wear a sweater
54. Down comforters
55. Homemade anything
56. Hockey
57. My jobs
58. Road trips
59. Wifedom
60. Good health
61. Family traditions
62. Karma
63. Date night
64. A messy desk
65. Followed by a clean one
66. Lindsay Lohan off of the roadways
67. Footy pajamas
68. Online shopping
69. Sunshine sneezes
70. Did I mention the eggnog lattes?
71. The Sunday paper
72. When spammers and telemarketers get prosecuted
73. Dreary Russian novels
74. Proper grammar
75. TiVo
76. Grandparents
77. Birthday candle wishes
78. Christmas cards
79. Close parking spotsValet parking
80. Something simmering on the stove
81. Motherhood
82. Doing my best
83. New car smell
84. Thoughts.
85. Jokes
86. Everyone reading this
87. Parties for no reason
88. Dressing up
89. Bedtime stories
90. Being in love…still
91. Generosity
92. Thanksgiving
93. Lumps in my throat
94. Sleeping through the night
95. Recycling
96. Digging in
97. Not having to translate Amyspeak because it is obvious!
98. Birthday lunches with the girls
99. Baby slobber
100. Puppy slobber
101. That this list is so easy


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

(This post is on the front page over on TheMotherhood.com!)