30 Days of Thankfulness (Days 18 – 23)

Misplacing things has always been a problem of mine.  Even as a teenager, my dad would have me give him important things that I needed to be able to find quickly if I needed it because I can never remember where I put something and he does.  Also, if I ever tell myself, “This is a safe place, I’m going put to this here” I decide to find a new spot because it takes me forever to find the “safe place” that I put things.  All of this is to say that these pictures are unedited because I misplaced my camera cord yet again.  Let’s see if I have an easier time finding it at the end of this week!

Day 18: The ability to move.  I was born with clubfoot and it wasn’t until I spent some time in West Africa that I realized that not all people who are born with clubfoot have the resources to have it fixed.  There are still some movements that cause pain in my foot, but I am able to move and I am thankful for that.  (I started Zumba last week.)

Day 19: My traveling experiences.  When I was younger I did some traveling overseas and those experiences have definitely helped shape who I am today and I’m thankful for that.  I’m also thankful for the reminders of those travels that are spread around my house, like this African fabric on my nightstand.

Day 20: Easy access to clean and safe water.  When I turn on a faucet I often reflect that I am so thankful to have easy access to clean and safe drinking water because it’s such a basic need and a lot of people don’t.

Day 21: People who inspire me.  I am so thankful for the people who inspire me; both those I know and those I don’t. (The plaque in the picture is from Curly Girl.  All of you should go check out her designs.  They are so cute and full of whimsy.  I always have a hard choosing what I’d like to get when placing an order because I want everything!)

Day 22: Kind neighbors.  I have some very kind neighbors, including the neighbor who brought over a pot of hot Chai and spicy samosas.

Day 23: Family traditions.  My family doesn’t really have a lot of traditions, but we do have a few, like dad’s homemade pizza on Christmas Eve and our family chocolate birthday cake, which I baked Saturday night for my niece’s birthday.  When I arrived at my sister’s today with the cake in tow I was greeted with two questions: 1) Did you bake the right cake?  (Yes.)  2) Did you put two cans of frosting on it?  (No, but I didn’t buy the frosting and I was only given one can.)  2.5) Did you use the whole can?

Now, I don’t remember who did this, but I do remember the day when someone only put half a jar of frosting on the cake.  I learned at a young age that that is not proper protocol when preparing the family birthday cake.  (I was originally planning to take a picture of the finished cake but I loved how this turned out when I put it on instagram so I decided to use this one.)

What were you thankful for last week?