11: Brave.

It's easy to have something to be thankful for today.  The soldiers, sailors and servicemembers of our military have my deepest gratitude, respect and admiration today (and all days).

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." - Elmer Davis (award winning journalist & Franklin College alumnus)

10: Thursday nights.

Today I'm thankful for Thursday nights.  I've been taking a yoga class on Thursday evenings and it has quickly become something I look forward to all week.  I get 60ish minutes in a warm studio, all to myself, to do something I enjoy.  There are no outside distractions: no cell phones, TVs, kids crying/whining/yelling, dogs barking, horns honking...nada.  It's amazing.

9: The home stretch.

I'm SO thankful today to be in the final stretch before homecoming.  I can't share the details on dates (due to operational security) but I can say Paul will be home SOON!!  The past 6 months have been long and we are so very anxious to be back in Virginia, with our entire family together under one roof!!

8: Lunchtime.

Today I'm thankful for lunchtime -- a time when both kids (generally) are in good moods, ready to eat whatever gourmet meal I set before them (HA!) and we unwind before naptime. 

And every child needs at least a few pictures of a messy spaghetti face, right?  Amelia calls it "sta-tetti" and I die of cuteness.

7: A bright new day!

This morning I feel like a brand new person!!  It's amazing what a solid night of sleep can do for you.  Today I'm grateful for Daylight Savings Time, and the smooth adjustment my kids made to the new time.  Given my under-the-weatherness on Saturday night, I sort of forgot about the extra hour of sleep (probably because I didn't get any) and am happy to report both kids woke up at a semi-normal time for them, under the time change.  So yay for that!  I woke up this morning and it was light outside...and that?  Is wonderful.

I have a feeling it's going to be a great week!

6: The bad days.

Who was next on the list for Mr. Flu?  Me.  I feel horrible for Amelia, only because now I know exactly how she felt on Thursday night while she was sick.  I have never felt so awful in my entire life.

So today, I'm thankful for the bad days, which serve as a reminder that the good days far outnumber the bad.

5: Weekends.

I have always loved the weekends -- a time for resting, relaxing, shopping and spending lots of time together as a family.  Of course, now that we're missing an extremely important part of our family, weekends are a bit bittersweet.  Paul and I are putting together a family bucket list, made up of all sorts of activities we want to enjoy as a family once he's back.  Lucky for us, the holidays will be in full swing when he's home, so there will be many opportunities to get out of the house and enjoy our time together.  And, with over 2 weeks of leave (vacation), it will be lots of "weekend" time when he's home!!