Thankful

After a whirlwind of Halloween festivities, we are now ramping up into the holiday season, woo hoo!

Just a friendly check in at Chez Survive, Live, Thrive to share some random positive happenings and why we are feeling thankful:

• Big sister made it onto her tennis team at her new school and won her very first “official” match for her team.  Yay!
• Little sis has proudly shared with me that she has another “wiggly” tooth.
• An impromptu bbq for a friend who returned home after a two year sojourn overseas, including home-made delicious food, wine, children friendly snacks and games, children running all over the house laughing, complete with our host performing magic card tricks and a spontaneous karaoke party! 
• A giant double rainbow appearing over the sky when we came home from work/school the other day.
• The mid-term election brought in a wave of change for the United States, and to those who say there was no blue hurricane, I say, it’s evolution not revolution, and we are at least heading into the right direction.  Keep up the faith!
• I went surfing for the first time since being hit by a Ford Explorer!  And while I still have pain, catching those waves was an amazing, healing balm to the soul, and I can’t wait to get back into the water!
• I’m finally fully staffed at work, with our newest hire starting nearly two weeks ago, and things are looking great.
• Hubby’s family is flying into town on Friday, and I’ll be hosting our Thanksgiving feast next week and couldn’t be happier to celebrate by cooking my mom’s and grandmother’s recipes!  Can’t wait for the step-cousins to have cousin time!
• Hubby has been texting me mushy love texts all day, lol, so I am thankful for being loved!
• Over this past holiday week end, little sis has been waking up and jumping in my bed for what we used to call “cuddles,” which we now renamed “wiggles,” because she wiggles around so much and we just end up laughing—sometimes, you just need to lie around and wiggle and giggle and be lazy in the morning.
• Feeling strong and confident in that my love for my girls will protect them.
• Knowing that the holidays can be both celebratory and at the same time, difficult and challenging for many (including myself).  I’m thankful for having the ability to accept both of these sides and also that I can offer a safe place through friendship, support, and love.
• Lately, I’ve been reconnecting with friends and loved ones that I haven’t seen for a while, and it’s like we just pick up where we left off—either trick-or-treating together, or hanging out with the kids playing while we’re talking story, or just “being” together.  The world can sometimes be our playground. And I’m so thankful for that.

What are the things that you are thankful for?  Or what are things that can be challenging?  I would love to hear and share!

p.s. we are thankful for the ocean