Ten Things of Thankful

It has been a good week, and being able to recognize those things that make us happy, that make us feel blessed in some way, that make us feel that life is worth it, etc. are things to consider on a regular basis. Every week has some ups and downs, but being able to concentrate on the good more than the bad is a healthy thing to do.

1.  When a couple of friends stopped by to see me this week, I learned about an app that I can use on my iPad so I can listen to podcasts.  (There are many things that I haven't learned at the speed of lightning as you will soon see.) I didn't realize that I could download a podcast and add it to the app while I still had internet service in the house and then take my iPad with me when I go some place in the car and be able to listen to the podcast while I am driving.  This was a lightbulb moment for me!

2.  After a recent yearly follow-up with my doctor to see how my CPAP has been working for me, I learned that it would be a good idea to get a new CPAP machine.  I had the same machine over six years.  I was wondering if that was really necessary to get a new one, but after getting the newer model I realize that it is a wonderful improvement.  It turns on automatically when I put the mask on, and IT IS QUIETER!  That is a good thing for both myself and my husband.  The mask also fits differently, so there is nothing pressing on the bridge of my nose.  I'm really not trying to sell CPAPs here, but I am very excited about this new machine.

3.  There are lots of "thankfuls" in this #3.  I had been looking forward to going to the temple this last week.  I was going to meet a friend at her house and she planned to drive.  When I went out to get in my car, I discovered that there was a lot of ice on the windows, so by the time I'd scraped off the ice, that put me a couple minutes late.  When I got to her house, she didn't realize it was as late as it was, so she hurried to get out of the house, and accidentally locked her keys inside her house.  I said it was no problem, I would drive.  I'd filled the car up with gas the previous night.  We drove to a nearby Park /N Ride to pick up another friend.  That friend realized she'd left something at home, but decided she could get by without it, otherwise we wouldn't make it to the temple at the time we had planned.

We head up the freeway slower than usual because of the heavy fog.  We'd gone about six miles, when the friend we had picked up remarked that she didn't think she locked her vehicle and leaving it unlocked at a Park /N Ride probably wasn't a good idea.  I said I'd just take the next exit and loop back and maybe the fog would start to lift.  On the way there we unitedly agreed that she could just drive her vehicle back to her house and get the item she'd forgotten and we would meet her at her house.

Finally we were on our way again.  We decided that we would just plan on getting to the temple an hour later than our original plan and we wouldn't even have to hurry.  However, that fog was not lifting very quickly and the freeway traffic was heavy and driving was very slow the entire way.  We passed two different places where there had been wrecks, and we think that there was another wreck beyond our destination.  Between the fog and the wrecks and the traffic it was a slow drive but at least for us we had safe travel.  All those monkey wrenches in our original schedule was probably for the best for us!

4.  My husband loves taking photos of eagles and had been looking forward to seeing the documentary, The Eagle Huntress.  We finally went to see it this past week and totally enjoyed this movie.  The setting is Mongolia and is about a 13-year-old girl who captures and trains an eagle to hunt.  In the past only men were allowed to become  eagle hunters.

5.  One of the times I went to visit my Mom this past week, my husband went with me.  Mom was especially talkative that day and seem more with it.  My departures went smoother  this past week, meaning she didn't cry.

6.  Feeling the sense of unity of many of the people here and in other countries who are not happy with many of the decisions that have been made by our current president.  Hopefully reason will reign.

7.  Places where I can feel peaceful. Click here to see some photos that are calming places to me.

8.  A body that still allows me to do some work and enjoy life.

9.  A family that I feel close to in heart and mind, though none of them are physically near.

10. Fourteen deer in the yard!  I was at the temple at the time, but my husband took the count.  Let me tell you, I'd rather we have 14 deer than five cougars like they recently did in La Pine, OR.

I'm not even going to give this one a number, because it is just too immense.  My husband has been so supportive of my blogging attempts.  I say attempts, because I know that I am very much a novice in comparison to many of you who are very accomplished writers and authors.  With that I know that even all of you had to have a starting point, and that you no doubt had someone who encouraged your attempts.  Thank you to my husband and each of you who read my blog.