Thankfulness

Thanksgiving is over, but I am still reflecting on the feeling of gratitude. 
We always say what we are thankful for before we eat our dinner. Usually as we are filling our plates with stuffing and cranberries. I will never forget the year my young niece said she was thankful for pickles. Dinner was running late and pickles were the only thing my Mom would let her have before the feast.
This year, like many others, I said I was thankful for my health and my family. I also mentioned I was thankful for my new table and that you can cook a turkey in a crock pot. 
But, those are fairly generic things to be grateful for. It is like saying your New Year's resolution is to go on a diet. Not that they are bad things to be grateful for, but, with more time and consideration, I realize there are many other things I would add to the list. 
I am thankful for my family. To be able to join together for a meal that we all helped prepare and share laughter is the best thing ever. Only briefly did I worry that next year Lou might not be home for the holiday. We can always Skype. I am lucky to have a clan that calls each other Greg.
I am also thankful for my health. I really don't have any issues and that is a great feeling. I never get sick (knock on wood) and my aches and pains really are minimal, even if I do a ton of whining.
I am thankful for my relationship. I am always striving to be a better person and the partner my darling C deserves. She is my future.
I am thankful for my job. Wow, I never thought I would say that. But I really don't mind it. I am still not a big fan of having to be somewhere at a certain time for someone else's profit, but it could be worse. It was worse for about 4 years. At least now I don't feel my soul being sucked from my body as I cross the parking lot.
I am thankful for all of the little things that bring me pleasure throughout the day and remind me of how rich my life is. Coffee in the morning, a wonderful bowl of oatmeal, the warm feeling of cat snuggles against my legs when I wake up, and greetings from the pups when I come home. Money can't buy those things and I am thankful that I am able to appreciate what they add to my life. 
I am thankful for the time I am able to spend knitting and reading. It feeds my soul. I have been able to make some wonderful gifts of love this year. The novels I have read helped shaped who I am today, the words soaking in and molding my view of the world. It has been time well-spent.
I am thankful for my dog. Maybe she should go in the family section? I think she is in a category of her own. She makes me smile everyday. I have more pictures of her on my Facebook than the kids... I think that might be because she is more tolerant of my photography, though. She is the bestest. 
I am thankful for the wonderful furniture that has come into my life this year. I have coveted the Brasilia line from Broyhill for ages. Never did I imagine that my home would one day be full of it. Living room, dining room, and bedroom are adorned with pieces that make my eyes happy. I feel so lucky that we were able to work things out to have such treasures. I am excited to create the memories that this furniture will witness. 
I am thankful for the recipes that I have found and prepared for my family. I love to try new things and see my skills grow. I appreciate the new pans I got for my birthday and use them with respect for the cook they previously belonged to. It is exciting to taste new flavors and grow our own food. I look forward to doing more of that with C in the Spring.
I am thankful for having the time to live my life. I am thankful for every day and try to make each one count. I am thankful for the laughter that has been the music of my days. 
There are a million other things I could list, but right now I want to be thankful for my bed and the rest I get there.