Much Obliged Monday

Ok I always see people doing their "Thankful Thursdays" and I like the idea, but I figured since it occurred to me on a Monday, I probably will have forgotten by Thursday.  There aren't any other synonyms to thankful that start with the letter "M". So Much Obliged Monday will have to do.

I really do have much to be thankful for, and I really need to focus on the good things in life rather than worrying about the issues.  We all know what a lot of good worrying does for us, right?

I am thankful for my health, and my gym membership.  For some reason, I just work out a lot harder at the gym than I do at home.  Probably seeing all those other fit people in real life gives me that extra motivation to work harder.

I'm thankful for work.  I am so thankful I have the job I do with the wonderful free health insurance for my whole family.  As much as I gripe about the early hours and the truly hard work, I am blessed.  How many people only have to work part time, and get full benefits (medical, dental, behavioral, retirement, vacation) 100% paid for the whole family and get raises every 6 months? I'm also thankful that Ira was able to get his CDL and has a full time job.  That year and a half that he was unemployed was one of the hardest times in our lives. I don't ever want to repeat that again.

I'm thankful for my husband and how hard he is working right now to help us get ahead.  I know he makes a huge sacrifice to be gone for weeks at a time, and it's not easy to be alone and living on the road day in and day out.  I may have to deal with the kids and handle everything at home on my own, but at the end of the day, I get to sleep in my own bed, I can make myself something to eat whenever I feel like it, I can veg on the couch and watch tv for hours if I like, I can run to the store or go to the gym, or whatever I want.  He is pretty much confined to his truck 24/7.  I think I would go crazy.  I am thankful that after he gets his first year of driving in, he will have a lot more options available and be able to be home more.

I am thankful for my kids, even though they drive me crazy sometimes. 

I am thankful for my dogs, Bella and Chico, cuz they help keep me sane when the kids are driving me crazy :)  I never considered myself a dog person, but now that I have them, I can't imagine my life without them.  They just add so much, and are so full of personality.  They too, drive me crazy sometimes, but then they just give me those puppy dog eyes and nuzzle up against me and all is forgiven...I wish kids were that easy!

I am thankful my kids are back in school, I love a quiet house in the mornings.

I am thankful for my home...even though it needs a lot of work and is most definitely not my dream home, I am grateful to have it.  We came awfully close to losing it when Ira was unemployed, and that was scary.

I am thankful for the internet and cell phones and texting capabilities.  It all just makes life so much easier and more interesting.  I can't imagine Ira being an OTR trucker without having a cell phone or internet to post facebook updates.  I would be worried sick all the time. I am especially thankful for google..I love having so much information at my fingertips.  I am definitely a google freak.

I could easily get lost in google and spend hours just looking random stuff up.

I am sure I could keep going, but it's time to make dinner.  I am much obliged to have you read this! ;-)