There are so many things in life for which to be thankful and appreciate. I have reached a place in my life where I can look at who I’ve become and smile. I have been far, far, far from perfect, and yet God has blessed me in spite of my failure.

I am grateful that I have learned to count the little things that are blessings:

1. Fresh baked bread
2. Tire swings
3. The ability to pull from memory the sound of my two girls’ laughter
4. A grandchild’s drawings tucked inside my purse
5. Silliness with my husband about one gang, two gang, three gang, four gang…(electrical boxes, for those of you who thought I was talking crips and bloods – I was in your camp a few days ago, but now I am electrically educated)
6. January sunrises and sunsets, the most beautiful, take-my-breath-away sights
7. Sweet memories and the fading of unpleasant ones
8. Lacey’s engagement pictures that made me cry this morning
9. The sound of silence
10. Hearing my Dad’s laughter
11. Living close enough to watch my niece play basketball
12. Funny pictures of grandchildren that I have access to again
13. Candlelight
14. The crackle of a fire on a cold night
15. Crawling into a cold bed but waking up in a warm one
16. Sitting in the car in the parking lot for a few extra minutes just to enjoy the squirrel antics
17. A kind butcher in the meat department and grocery clerk, both of whom recognize me
18. The kindness of a friend and her intuition that she just needed to send an email to lift my spirits
19. The beauty of sunlight through crystal
20. Simple pleasures of listening to doctors and scientists who have awesome accents on the other end of the phone
21. The first smell after a match is lit
22. Dennis
23. And the happiness sound of an empty wrapping paper roll or paper towel roll bonking on someone’s head

½ a century down. Next section in this book of life begins. I love to tell the story…of God’s grace and favor that covers me.