My 30 Days of Thanks

This year, I participated in the 30 Days of Thanks, which took place from November 1st through November 30th. This is my list:


11.01.2011 - I am thankful for the opportunity to take my advocate training. The ability to help others makes me feel all warm and fuzzy

11.02.2011 - I am thankful for my husband's willingness to get up in the morning and start my car for me, to make sure I'm not encased in ice and am somewhat warm when I take off for work. ♥

11.03.2011 - Today I am thankful for cosmetics. I can attempt to look like a human being when I feel like a zombie! =)

11.03.2011 - I’m going to do an extra - what are you gonna do about it?!? I am thankful for my kids - they are dorks and goobers and oh-so-entertaining and they sometimes make me smile and crack me up. I love them so much!

11.04.2011 - On this cold morning, I am thankful for the heat in my home. Old and drafty as it may be, I know there are those out there that don't have such a luxury.

‎11.05.2011 - I am thankful for my puppy. He loves me unconditionally and I'm his favorite human. It makes me feel special ♥

‎11.06.2011 - Today I am thankful for our boys. They came into my life and increased the love and devotion in my world. They've been quite the learning adventure and I love them so very much! ♥

11.07.2011 - Today I am thankful for my friends. But there are two in particular, Jonnie Styles and Melinda Mitchell, that I want to call out for their awesomeness. These two are my perpetually positive people. They are amazingly perky and their mere presence lifts my spirits and brings me smiles. If I feel emotionally or mentally spent, these two are there to say a word of encouragement or tell me a joke or do some little thing to make my world a better place. Around them, I am a better person. I strive to be more like them every day. (I fail miserably, but I keep trying! hehe) Thank you ladies. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! ♥

‎11.08.2011 - Today I am thankful for technology. Without which, I might not have the wonderful folks in my life that I have been blessed with and without which I wouldn't be in communication with my far-away family.

‎11.09.2011 - Today I am thankful for my "safe places" - those two particular places that I can go to be who I am and say what I need to in order to prevent any violent implosions. I never have to be afraid in those places. The other residents allow me to be me and I know that I'm safe. Thank you to the creators of those safe places. I love you!

‎11.10.2011 - I am thankful for my weekends and holidays. I don't have to work (usually) and I get that time to decompress and center myself (or try to anyway). And this is my time to be with my loved ones. Weekends and holidays rock!

‎11.11.2011 - Today (and everyday really) I am thankful to our men and women who serve in our armed forces. I can't even begin to adequately express my appreciation and gratitude for all that you do and that you're willing to do for your country.

‎11.12.2011 - Today I am thankful for the fabulous mother-in-law that I have been blessed with. She is so sweet, kind, caring, thoughtful and wise. I love it when she comes to visit or when we get a call to chat. (If only she hadn't defected to England! I miss her muchly!)

‎11.13.2011 - Today I am extra thankful for my wise husband. If he catches me as the rage starts, he has a chance to curb that rage and prevent me from waging war. This morning was one of those days. He talked me into taking the quiet course of action. While the warrior in me still has that blood lust, he is absolutely right. It's just one of the very many reasons that I love him so much! ♥

‎11.14.2011 - Today I am thankful for all that time that I spent in therapy. While I'm not perfect, it has helped tremendously when dealing with certain situations. It is the primary reason I'm not curled in a ball, crying my eyes out today LOL

11.15.2011 - I am thankful for all of the friends and loved ones that have entered my life and played a part in my world. Sometimes circumstances take them away. Sometimes I am so blessed to have them return. I have had some pretty awesome people in my life, and I'm truly blessed for that.

‎11.16.2011 - I am thankful for the country in which I live. The people are afforded the right to protest, complain, and try to bring about change. We are all allowed our opinions, even if others don't like it. We are free to make choices and take actions, with some obvious exceptions such as committing violence or stealing, etc. While this country has it's problems, and we all know it does, the people in it are given such freedoms and opportunities that so very many other lack.

‎11.17.2011 - I am thankful that my children have chosen partners that I like. Their partners treat them with respect and kindness and they treat their partners the same. Thank you to Kylie Stallard for being so good to Mark, thank you Sabrina Nicole Manring for being so good to Aaron and thank you Devon Fitzsimmons for being so good to Shandi. It's one less thing in the world that I need to worry about. I know that they are safe, respected and loved.

‎11.18.2011 - Today I am thankful for laundry. Not because I like putting it away. I hate that part! But because it means that I actually have clothes to wear. And to add to the blessing, they are weather and season appropriate. I'm thankful for that.

11.19.2011 - I am thankful for my nieces! I love being an Auntie. The girls are so sweet, and I love them dearly. Melina, Brooke, Shantelle and Olivia - I love you so much!

11.20.2011 - Today I am extra thankful for my understanding and accepting friends. As many know, I suffer from a few anxiety-related disorders as a result of a few specific traumatic events in my life: PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder and the obsessive portion of obsessive compulsive disorder. I know the dealing with me when I'm in an attack can be tiring or frustrating. I fret, I catastrophise, I cry, I panic. I behave in a manner that sometimes makes no sense to someone who has never suffered from any of these disorders. For the most part, the people in my life accept that I have these issues and they have learned to work with them. I can't even begin to tell you how much that means to me. You do everything you can to help me. You try to drive home that I am not a burden. You don't let me shut myself off from the world, because I'm feeling like a burden. You let me ramble. You let me share. You let me keep you up past your bed time because I'm having an episode (Thank you Sabrina - I love you!) Without your understanding and support, I would not be as functional as I am. You play such an important part in my life when these events occur, and I can not adequately express precisely how valuable you are to me and how much I sincerely appreciate having you in my life. I love you, my dear friends. ♥

‎11.21.2011 - Today I am thankful for laughter and smiles. And I just happen to be blessed enough to have several people in my world that bring me plenty of both. Whether I like it or not! Sometimes to the point that my face hurts from smiling and laughing so much. =)

‎11.22.2011 - Today I am thankful for those unexpected moments of win. When the world feels like it's crashing down on you and nothing matters - then suddenly you are able to help another human being. There is no expectation of anything in return, and they tell you how much they appreciate what you've done for them. Even though it doesn't feel like anything spectacular to you at the moment, once you hear that someone is genuinely appreciative for what you've done, it makes every horrible thing that you've dealt with over the past week seem so pathetic and unimportant.

‎11.23.2011 - Today I am thankful for long weekends. The final work day seems impossibly long, but the long weekend is closing in. I can't wait!

‎11.24.2011 - I am thankful to the men and women who serve and protect - our military personnel, firefighters, corrections officers, police officers, paramedics, hospital personnel and others that I've missed - These people give up their holidays with their families so that we can be safe and cared for. And I am thankful for their families who are missing their loved ones during these holidays, as their sacrifice is also recognized. I can never adequately express my sincerest appreciation to you all.

11.25.2011 - I am thankful to get to watch my children grow into young adults and to still have "firsts" to witness. Things like their first apartment, first paycheck, first time driving on the freeway... though the last gives me an anxiety attack LOL - I love to watch them learn and grow ♥

11.26.2011 - I am thankful for those moments where I absolutely know that I'm loved. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the negatives of my world, that I forget how much positive I have in my life. I am so thankful for those moments where I can recognize the good things that surround me. Those moments of clarity are a blessing and I hope that I can open my mind and see all the blessings before me more often.

11.27.2011 - I am thankful for entertainment. I don't have to be siting around bored to death. I can putz around on the internet, read a book, watch me some Walking Dead... being entertained and lost in other worlds for even a little while is amazing and a much needed escape from the trials and tribulations of real life =)

‎11.28.2011 - I am thankful that I'm a pretty awesome person. I'm not a bigot, a racist, a homophobe or completely closed-minded. I am an honorable person, an ethical person, an honest person and a person who loves fully and without reservation. I have sacrificed for what is right, even though doing right brought me pain, misery and enough tears to flood a small nation. Sometimes, I'm too hard on myself. Sometimes I'm down on myself. Sometimes I feel so very un-awesome it isn't funny. But today, I know otherwise. While it may be "sinful" (depending on who you ask) today I WILL recognize my own greatness and thank the powers that be that I am spectacular! =)

11.29.2011 - I am thankful for left over birthday cake! 'Nuff said :-)

‎11.30.2011 - I am thankful for family time. It's slowly changing, with the kids growing up and wandering off to live their own little lives. There are only two left at home, so I treasure those moments when we can spend time together.


I am thankful that I participated in this little event. It's helped me to see that every single day, I have something in my life to be thankful for. Despite the trials and tribulations and any amount of chaos, there is something to be thankful for. I really need to remember this when those difficult times appear. It also helps me to see that if there ever comes a time when I can't find something to be thankful for, I should immediately return to my therapist.

I hope that you're all been able to recognize those reasons in your world to be thankful. When you take a moment to appreciate those reasons, it really warms your soul.

Blessings and Love to you all,
~ D ~