A Month of Thankfuls

Since Thanksgiving falls in the month of November...this month has been a month full of "thankfuls" for me.  I took the challenge to write down something everyday that I was thankful for and share with everyone on the social network of Facebook.  There were several of my friends that were doing the same thing and I enjoyed reading what causes those feelings of thankfulness to surface in their lives. 

I thought that today's post would be the perfect opportunity to share with you what I have shared throughout the month.  There are way more things that I am thankful for than the thirty that will be listed because...there is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

If this is too many to read in one setting, I encourage you to read one a day...and apply what you read from my life to yours and be thankful for those things in your own life.

Day 1: Thankful that I am thankful
Day 2: Thankful God loves me and cares what happens to me even during those times I'm not so lovable!
Day 3: Thankful for Bobby Maupin who has loved me and continues to love me in every situation, we can disagree about "stuff", but his love has never changed.
Day 4: Thankful for my 3 sons, my daughter in loves and my grandchildren. Brad, Holly, Cooper, Margo, Sloan, Everett, Blythe, and Owen (on the way). Bryan, Stacy, Joseph and Jonas. Brandon, Ashley, Nora, Lawson and (baby Andrews on the way). They are all blessings that make my heart smile. Love and miss them!
Day 5: I am thankful for my 2 stepsons, Jonathan Maupin and Will Maupin and Jonathan's wife and my daughter in love Kathryn Maupin. They are definately blessings and I love them.
Day 6: I am thankful for my mom. She will turn 91 in January. In November 2011 (last year) she was fighting for her life. The day after Thanksgiving I was traveling to Missouri from Kentucky to see her because she had made a turn for the worse. My sister was on the phone with me saying the nurses were wanting us to decide what we would want to do if she were to start to slip away from us. Wow, I knew she was almost ready to hit her 90th and had lived a long eventful life, but was still not wanting to let go of her. Here we are a year later and she is now in a Nursing Home and has one leg, but is still one of the strongest people I know. Have we always agreed on everything? No. Does not agreeing change how I feel about her? Absolutely not. She is my mom and I love her more with each day and am thankful for being able to talk with her over the phone and visit with her when I can.
Day 7: I am thankful for my dad!!! He left this earth way too soon, but what he taught me in those precious years he was here are so much more than I can possibly write in this post. He was fair, honest, funny, respected, sweet, kind, strong, loving...the list could go on and on. He showed me how to live a life that is honorable in every situation. I have failed miserably in this area, but he also shared with me that God loves us through every circumstance of our lives...our successes and our failures. William T. Tollison was one in a million and I am honored to have been his baby girl and for that I am so thankful!! (He used to tell the best stories too!!)
Day 8: Thankful for my brothers, sisters and their spouses, plus the multitude (and I mean that literally) offspring...just ask mom how many grandchildren and great grandchildren and great great grandchildren she has. I love each and every one of you. Distance doesn't change the heart strings. I miss those Christmases where Dad would play the harmonica, Jim would play the banjo, Ron would play the guitar, Sondra would play the piano, Linda would play the spoons and I (believe it or not) would play the jug (which was really 16 oz Pepsi bottles with different levels of water for the pitch) The Darlings had nothing on us! :) Larry would smile and cheer us on ;) What great memories!
Day 9: I am thankful for all of my friends. Some of you I have known for many many years and some for just a few months, but each of you play an important role in my life. We have reunions for school and family...wouldn't it be awesome to have a friend reunion? I guess social media has done that in an odd sort of way. Reconnecting with friends near and far is wonderful. My favorite quote has always been, "In order to have friends, you must first be a friend." I hope I have been that for each of you. Love y'all and am thankful you are my friends!
Day 10: Thankful for everyday (even Mondays). God has blessed me to understand each day comes from Him. "From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised." ~ Psalm 113:3
Day 11: Thankful for all the Veterans that have selflessly served their country. This is my handsome dad during his time on the USS West Virginia...he was away from his family for 2 full years with the only communication being letters between he and my mom that took weeks to arrive. Thank you dad and all other veterans and those currently serving...you have not gone unnoticed...we appreciate you!
Day 12: Thankful for technology! Get to Skype with Brad-Holly Andrews tonight! Love me some Brad, Holly, Cooper, Margo, Sloan, Everett and Blythe! It is always a wonderful adventure.
Day 13: Thankful for understanding that having faith in those things unseen makes the things that are seen more enjoyable. God is so good.
Day 14 - Thankful for the abilities that God has given me. I catch on to things quickly thus making life easier.
Day 15: Thankful that I love to cook and looking forward to baking that turkey with all the fixings this time next week. Kinda makes my mouth water just thinking about it!
Day 16: Thankful for the girls that work alongside me at FOX17 - they are so sweet...inside and out! Amanda Barbera Mary Blair Johnson Rachel Smith Donnette Hawkins - Stamps Jessica Crawford Kelly Williams Love y'all bunches!
Day 17: Thankful for the beauty that I see outside my window...the various colors of the leaves on our tree in the front yard with the sun shining through is amazing (God's just showing out...LOL)
Day 18: Thankful for those that have studied their trade and know more than I do about a variety of subjects...such as medicine. Mom is back in the hospital in Missouri and I am thankful that she will be well taken care of by those that can get her medicine regulated.
Day 19: Thankful for memories...they help us grow into who we are becoming.
Day 20 - Thankful for transportation. We are down to one vehicle, but I know that provision to get the other one fixed is inevitable ;) God has always been faithful...I just trust that faithfulness and He provides.
Day 21: Thankful for our home. 1 1/2 years ago...We were able to purchase our first home together because of the blessings too many to count. I have changed in many ways over the years. I have learned to be content with what I have...big homes and fancy cars can bring short term happiness, but unless they are filled with love...who cares how big and fancy they are? Our home that we have been blessed with isn't fancy or big...but it is awesome and we hope that all who enter will feel loved.
Day 22: Thankful for being reminded how much I have to be thankful for each and every day. Taking the time this month to share just a few of those things has pushed my appreciation to a new level. Happy Thanksgiving y'all ...you are loved!
Day 23: Thankful for the meal we will have today with Will, Jonathan and Kathryn. My mom was a great cook and I learned by watching her cook for big crowds of company. She was always in the kitchen while most everyone else was visiting. To give you an idea about the size of the crowd...the potato salad would be in a big ole punch bowl (a punch bowl people LOL)
Day 24: Thankful for a lazy morning with a cup of coffee and conversation...ahhh!
Day 25: Thankful for important discussions about eternal things with people we love.
Day 26: Thankful for hugs...they give you an awesome feeling of being loved.
Day 27: Thankful for the friends in my life. No matter what I've done or haven't done, you have remained faithful in my life. You know who you are and just know on this day in 2012...I love you and am so thankful you have been and are a part of my life
Day 28: Thankful for the freedom and opportunity to share things in this medium. Not everyone has this freedom...I don't want to ever take it for granted.
Day 29: Thankful for coffee with peppermint mocha creamer...it's a real "eye opener" ;-) Do ya'll know that typing what you are thankful for everyday actually opens your eyes in a different way? ... It helps you see that there are so many things to be thankful for...even the seemingly little things. Be thankful in all things!
Day 30: Thankful for the peace and quiet moments in my day. Don't get me wrong, I love people and being around "most" people, but it does me good to be able to relax with no questions. Relax without anyone needing ANYTHING. Ahhh...yes, this is good!
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