1. Having Christmas $ set aside and ready to go this year. Last year Josh didn't get a bonus and we didn't know that until Christmas was nearly upon us. A sweet angel friend helped us out last year, which I will ALWAYS be thankful for...but this year we have been setting aside our excess financial aid awards for college and have a nice little amount ready to go!
2. My Biology grade, which is roughly a 103. I have made 100's on both lecture exams and 105's on both of my lab exams. '
3. The balance we seem to have struck in this crazy life of ours.
4. KayTar potty training herself.
5. BubTar getting so many badges at his scouts award ceremony.
6. Being able to be at his award ceremony, even though it meant sneaking out of Bio lab early.
7. New "winter" coats!
8. I waited to write the rough draft for my Comp II research paper until the last day and I churned that thing OUT. It was extremely satisfying to put it off for so long and then rock its face off. My professor gave me really great remarks on it, too. I'm thankful that I can procrastinate to the LAST SECOND and still put out good work.
9. The super fun girls weekend KayTar and I had a couple of weeks ago.
10. The way KayTar does the robot to Safety Dance.
11. The fact that my security badge at the hospital now WORKS for everything I need. No more asking, "Can you badge me in?" 500 times a shift. It is amazing.
12. The kids' school. I'm really enjoying it a lot. I'm pretty involved and I've made some friends there.
13. My H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.
14. BubTar, my little bookworm. That kid can a finish a book in no time flat.
15. The fun weekend the kids and I had while Josh was hunting this weekend. We saw Santa, spent time with my parents and niece and nephew, and even helped decorate my mom and dad's tree.
16. KayTar's year. It has been a big one for her. She is a totally different (yet equally awesome) kid than she was a year ago. This has been a year of major growth for the littlest 'Tar, both physically and developmentally. I never thought she would accomplish much of what she has this past year.
17. Insurance for the kids. We were able to renew their coverage without a major crisis this time, though Josh had to ask his boss NOT to give him a raise this year.
18. The way BubTar set a goal for his popcorn sales and reached it. He's already upped the ante for next year!
19. My husband. Though we are very different, we really enjoy each other and have a ton of fun together, even when we are doing nothing.
20. Television. I'm a television addict and it is my favorite way to relax. I'm actually thinking of writing a post about this one soon.
21. The opportunity to follow my (very expensive and time-consuming) dreams.
22. The end of my semester being VERY near! The month of break will be heavenly!
23. That our Christmas tree is up and decorated!
24. That I am done shopping for the kids! It isn't even December yet!
25. My van. I'm so glad we found it for such a reasonable price. I spend a ton of time in there and it is perfect for us.
26. Extended family. My parents spend a lot of time with the kids and are wonderful and involved grandparents. Josh's parents have always been a great support to us, too. I'm thankful that I happen to be best friends with my sister-in-laws, we've been friends for a very long time.
27. Black Friday. I know some people don't go for it, but I LOVE it. It is the one thing that my parents and I do together, just us, every year. It is fun to wake up super early (they picked me up at 3:30am this year) and go shopping together. This year I didn't HAVE to go for anything major, I mostly purchased board games for significantly reduced prices, but I just really enjoy it.
28. Hand-me-downs. KayTar and BubTar have pretty great wardrobes and most of it has been provided by friends and family with kids a bit older than mine. I really only buy a few filler pieces through the year. We either pass the clothes on to someone else we know who can use them or we donate them to local shelters and such, once they outgrow them.
29. Hot colored index cards, my preferred study aid. This year I'm using pink and orange for Biology and yellow and green for Chemistry. The cards are arranged so they alternate in color (pink/orange/pink or green/yellow/green), then they receive a single hole punch and are put on a ring. Josh thinks I'm nuts, but I love my index cards.
30. Our faith and the way the kids are learning about it. KayTar, her school librarian, and I had a crazy deep conversation about Jesus the other day. You don't realize how much they are absorbing and then it just comes out of nowhere. I'm especially thankful for our faith and our Savior around the holidays.