Thankful for.... gratitude ***edited***

*****edited: did you notice I left someone out?*****

(my pumpkin pie, apple pie, potato rolls, turkey brining, and wheat bread filled mind forgot to add a photo! ;)

((yes, the food fog cleared sometime during the night and I woke up to remember....))

The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; 

but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, 

as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, 

in every hour, some heavenly blessings!  

~Henry Ward Beecher

On days that seem to go wrong in so many ways, it is tempting to feel like there is not ONE thing to be thankful for.
And yes, I have days like this more often than not.
But when I do, I try to make myself think of things that I am thankful for.....
because I DO have so much to be thankful for.

Take for instance, the terrible winter storm we just had.
It snowed, it blew, it got down to -10 degrees last night....brrrr....
not much to be thankful for ....

But let's see.... (no pun intended)....

I can be thankful for the beauty of the weak winter sun reflected in my son's eyes....
and that we had a warm house and shelter for all the animals.

...and when my husband had to go out and check a downed horse at 3 AM in the FRIGID cold this morning, I can be thankful that at least he didn't have to strip down to shirt sleeves to pull a calf.....

(and that I could keep the bed warm for him until he got back home safely... hehe)

He is a good man, and I'm SO thankful for him.

.... and what about this crazy dog?   Even though she drives me crazy with her obsessions, I am thankful that she is a loyal protector .... she even raises her hackles at the tumbleweeds as they blow by.  Crazy.

...and even though she is TOOOOOO much help in the kitchen, I'm thankful she wants to help.  

I'm sure there will be a day when helping Mom bake will be SOOOO boring and a dreadful chore.

...and this au naturale cowboy?  He loves talking to his grandparents.  I'm so thankful for every square inch of his skin....even the 70 sq inches of grafted, bumpy skin.

(there.... now all is right with the world;)

...and last but not least.... even though I was late (surprise, surprise) to the first part of his pilgrim play,

I'm thankful that I was able to see part of it and taste the pumpkin bread and applesauce that his kindergarten class made.

His face radiated with pride, and my heart melted.

I love being called Mom....it' my favorite job title.

(well except when the fighting and screaming and tattling starts.... ;)

I'll leave you with a few more quotes about gratitude that I like...

Gratitude is an art of painting an adversity into a lovely picture.  ~Kak Sri

....................

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.  ~Epictetus .....................

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.  ~G.K. Chesterton

Have a "happiness doubled by wonder" Thanksgiving!!!