Thankful on a Thursday

It's been a while since I've done a Thankful on a Thursday post. It's not for a lack of things to be thankful for. Trust me!

So, I thought I'd start by saying that everyday I see all of the beautiful leaves on the ground and in the trees. I think of how glad I am that I can celebrate the seasons of the year and the seasons of life.

Who can't stop and say thank you for these days? As I write this post it's sunny and bright and going to be a gloriously wonderful warm day in Virginia!

I snapped these pics the other day as we were finishing up our ride. I couldn't believe how we had completed a ride and NOT taken any pics...so, I started snapping away!

In the woods it seems as though things are more beautiful. Maybe it's just because we're in the middle of it all and can't help but notice it. The scenery is untouched and it's so quiet (except for me grunting and complaining at times while biking)! It's glorious in there! But, you don't have to bike or hike to enjoy the beautiful Virginia fall. Just open your eyes while you're sitting outside eating your lunch or while you're driving to work. Beauty is all around us!

I'm thankful for this blog because if I weren't taking pics to share with you all, my family, friends, and others, I might not have taken the time to document or reflect upon the beauty in everyday. So, enjoy the Fall. It's going to be Winter before we know it!

Thankful on a Rainy Thursday

This was the beautiful sky the other night when we had to make a quick run to Walgreens to get NyQuil...

The sky was so awesome! I tried really hard to get a good pic with the camera phone! It was glorious! We were in awe! I only wish I had my real camera and could have taken a better pic to share with you. But, it was in that moment that Dynamo and I both stopped and realized just how beautiful the night sky was!

And, then, this morning on my way to work I fought severe downpours. The sky looked like this...

WOW! What a change! But, instead of being dreary and sad about the rain we've been getting since yesterday morning, I'm grateful. It's been such a hot, dry summer here. The crops were poor, the flowers stopped blooming early, water restrictions are on, and my Nannie's well is pulling sand. This rain is a blessing. Often, it comes "a day late and a dollar short," as they say, but it comes in its own time.

Rainy days are good days. They are days when we're forced to stay inside and cuddle up together. Last night that's just what we did...Dynamo, the Steed, and I...together. Rainy days give us time to stop and talk to one another, to eat at home, to watch t.v. together, and to go to bed early! They, like snow days, help us to reconnect to one another and be grateful for another day together, even if it is us having to be inside.

So, in my list of thankful things for the week, I include...

21. RAIN!!!! RAIN! RAIN!
22. the after rain effects - After the rain everything looks so crisp and clean...ready to start fresh.
23. my umbrella
24. the door already being unlocked when I got to work so I didn't have to fumble with keys, etc. in the rain.
25. rainy days

So, take advantage of the rainy days and enjoy one another!

Thankful on a Thursday

Last week I received my very first note to my email inbox after my Thankful on a Thursday post. Even though it was from a friend who probably felt obligated to read my blog, it was still really special when I read it. At the end of last week's post I asked what "YOU" were thankful for. I thought I'd share what my friend emailed me...

"I like it….

I am thankful for:

Oak trees that cover my commute on the way in

A beautiful hotel to work in each day

An ocean outside my building

A river and marsh down the road"

So, when thinking about what to post for this week, I went back to my email inbox and re-read her note to me. I'm sure that not everything I post on here everyone can relate to. I'm sure that some days you read my blog and stop before looking at the entire post because it's not for you. That's ok. I'll forgive you. But, I was so pleased when I actually got an email from someone saying she liked what I wrote about and then shared what made her thankful. That made me grin from ear to ear.

If you blog then you understand what I'm saying. Most days I wonder who is really reading this stuff. I occasionally hear that my friends and family read what I post. But, sometimes I wonder who's out there. I love to get comments on my posts. It's so exciting to see what people think about something you've put out there. It's really nice to get an email saying that what you said really made someone stop and think about what they were thankful for today.

On another note I want to thank my followers. It's so much fun to get a "follower" officially. It's so cool when a new image appears in the sidebar. I called my friend recently and said "I got a new follower and the best part is that I don't even know who they are." It sounds so bizarre, but it's really cool when someone "follows" you and it isn't someone that is your family or friend already. It's really cool to have new friends in blogland. After months of writing it's really awesome to finally see that you're getting more page hits each day and have new followers that you don't know!

So, these Thursday posts are not just the chance for me to share what I'm thankful for, but for you to stop and take a moment to thank God for your blessings, great or small. So, thanks for reading, for your comments, and for your emails.

This week I'm thankful for...

16. YOU...thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for your comments. Thank you for taking the time to venture into my world.
17. new followers! You rock! Thanks for thinking this stuff is good enough to come back to!
18. vitamin C...Dynamo's a little under the weather, and I think I may be coming down with something, but for the longest time we've been pretty healthy and I owe it to exercise and Vitamin C!
19. birthdays! Monday night our girls' nite group celebrated another birthday! (more pics and details on the cake next week) I look at birthdays as a positive!
20. bug spray! I'm not sure what I would do without that stuff! I've gotten chiggers once this summer, but that's enough to teach you not to forget your spray. Those critters are brutal.

That's all for this Thursday! I'm going to offer it up to you again this week to share with me what you're thankful for. I'd love to hear about it! I know others would too! So, if you're so inclined to take a moment in your busy day and think about some of the things you're thankful for post them in the form of a comment on this post or email me. Happy Thursday! To read more of the Thankful on a Thursday posts from other bloggers, click  here.

Thankful on a Thursday...Moo! Moo!

Recently, I noticed something that I have never paid any attention to before. I was coming into the office and heard lots of mooing...yes, moo-ing! Cows! I have worked here for over six years and never noticed the cows mooing in the morning, except on the days when they have cattle sales. Then, they're REALLY mooing (they know where they're headed). I have noticed the mooing every day now. They are bound to have been mooing all this time, but I've never been listening. I must always be distracted by the fact that I need to get into the office and what I was going to be doing that day.

Just so you know...I work for a rural locality that is on the outskirts of a very busy area of Virginia. We still have lots of farmland and wildlife. I remember the first few weeks of work here when one day I was late to work because a flock of peacocks decided they were going to take their time crossing the road. At the time I thought it was normal to encounter such holdups...and, boy was I irritated...But looking back on it and finally noticing the cows I realized that this isn't normal for other people. They might be held up by a traffic jam or road work, but it's not very often that you hear of peacocks stopping traffic. Mind you traffic means me...one car...no more.

I'm often held up by slow moving vehicles, namely tractors....green ones, blue ones, red ones, old ones, new ones, etc. I take it in stride and am grateful for those moments. Because without cows mooing and tractors we would have no food, no farmers, and no farms.

I was not looking forward to when school would start up again because my commute gets altered due to the slow buses and the school zones, but coming to work and seeing the two little boys waiting at the bus stop with the neigborhood dog lounging in the middle of the road keeping watch over them (again, another holdup because you have to wait for him to decide to move out of the way) I realized that I had missed seeing them over the summer. They wave at me and I enjoy seeing them (and the dog). For this I  am grateful because they make me smile. They are always laughing and playing while waiting at the bus stop.

So, today, here is my list...What are you thankful for today? Check out the other posts here.

11. farms, farmers, food, tractors, cows, peacocks
12. bus stops
13. dogs
14. patience
15. EARS to listen

a few things to be thankful for...

Today I am Thankful For...

6. Creatures - All of these beautiful creatures found a safe place here in our yard. Even though spiders aren't my favorite creature, God still made them and they have their own place. It's amazing to see creatures co-existing, even on one flower.
7. Our health - I'm thankful that Dynamo and I are healthy enough to do all the fun things that we want to do.
8. Good memories - My Nannie told me on Monday when she came over that she understands that we're really busy and don't have much time to visit. She said that she thinks it's great that we're out making memories so that when we're old we'll have lots of good things to think back on.
9. Gifts - God has blessed us with many wonderful talents. God wants us to use our talents.
10. Cake - I LOVE yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Oh, yummm!

Thankful on a Thursday - Week 1

So...my friend over at Walkin' In High Cotton has been participating in this Thankful on a Thursday series for several weeks now. I always admire her very lovely posts about her thankfulness. I figured that it might be a really good exercise to write down those things I am thankful for all year round versus just on Thanksgiving. So, I'll start at the beginning and add to each week.

I am thankful for...

1. My Dynamo - Always and Forever! To quote Jerry McGuire, "he completes me." Our marriage is about teamwork. We both have jobs that we drive long distances to (50 minutes or more), so it definitely takes both of us to get the grass cut, laundry done, dishes washed, dinner made, etc. I am thankful that he is ALWAYS willing to be my helper and I his. I am thankful for each moment I get with him. I LOVE YOU, hun!

2. My Mom and Dad - Mom is a supermom. She never sleeps. Never sits down. She's the energizer bunny. If you say you need it, Mom gets it for you. She is very loving, giving, forgiving, and kind. She's also brutally honest with me, which I need. Thanks for being you, mom. I LOVE YOU!

For those of you that don't know, Daddy stops by our house everyday to let the Steed out and eat peanut butter crackers with her. She loves her Grandpa. I am thankful for the crumbs on the counter, the peanut butter on the cabinet door and fridge. These are signs that he has been by the house, but also that he left a lot of love there too! Mom - don't yell at him for making a mess at our house. It's ok! Today he will be giving the Steed a bath on the patio. It's gotten to be their ritual together on Thursdays. It's also trash to the dump day! Thanks, Daddy! Thanks, God, for giving me such a special Dad!

3. My in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. C. - Even though they live far away (Florida) we talk to them regularly. When I married Dynamo my parents got a son and the Chieppas got a daughter. I've tried to be a good daughter to them. I'm so very blessed to have them. They love us and support our marriage 100%. I couldn't ask for more.

4. A home - period. So many people don't have a home to call their own. God has blessed us with a beautiful home that we built together. It's filled with love and hope and memories.

5. Today - Each day is so very special. We run around going from here to there always in a hurry. I asked Dynamo this morning as we were getting ready for work if he felt like this was deja vu. It feels like we're always thinking about what and where next. I need to stop and be more thankful for each day and each moment I have.

"There is no limit to God's love. It is without measure, and its depth cannot be sounded." - Mother Teresa