Days of Thanksgiving: Fourteen

14. I am thankful for repair people. After putting my car into oncoming traffic and having my dishwasher deemed kaput, our dryer stopped tumbling. I knew I never should have put, "What in the world could happen next?" in print. I know one should never put all of their laundry off until the weekend, but that often happens in our house. I have a hard time staying up late enough during the week to get something washed, dryed, folded, and put away. 


The incident was on Friday afternoon of course and there was no hope of repair help before Monday. We spent the weekend digging DEEP into our closets and even made an emergency run to Target for socks and underwear at one point. Monday over his lunch hour, Nevin was told all we needed was a new dryer belt. While that is $100 I would have preferred to spend elsewhere, at least we didn't need another trip to Lowe's! 


I am thankful for people whose expertise is different from mine. I don't know how to fix a dryer (obviously) and when my dishwasher overflowed the best I knew how to do was turn it off and lay down towels! When my computer malfunctions, I yell for my husband, mom or brothers. If I want advice about resume writing, I have a friend in the wings. More information on current events, a great history teacher friend.  Parenting, an abundance of friends and family (both online and off). I can't do it all. None of us can. It's not a weakness to ask for help but instead a strength. 


May I know when to ask for help, but also when to offer it.

Days of Thanksgiving: Thirteen

13. I am thankful for Pinterest and Etsy. They're both a great source of inspiration and a great waste of time!

Days of Thanksgiving: Twelve

12. I am thankful for Baby Tylenol and Orajel. Poor baby boy is struggling to get at least two new teeth if not more. I held him while he cried and patted at his mouth for over an hour in the middle of last night. Today his spirits are up and I'm hoping those buggers break through his gums soon.

Days of Thanksgiving: Eleven

11. I am thankful for old friends. I was able to go out to dinner with three of my oldest friends this weekend and it was food for my soul. I miss our late night conversations and plentiful time to sit and share. I miss the days when getting together was effortless and frequent. While we all promised nothing would ever interfere with our relationship, life always does. It's one of the hard truths of growing up. Whether it be the responsibility of taking care of our children, demanding jobs, or family obligations, we just don't get to see each other as much as we would like.

This weekend though, while enjoying a delicious meal and plenty of drinks, we laughed and talked. We reminisced and shared our new lives with each other. It was beautiful.

Days of Thanksgiving: Ten

10. I am thankful for dishwashers. I didn't realize how much I took mine for granted until last Saturday when it started leaking into my basement bathroom. We heave been sans dishwasher for almost a week now and I HATE DOING DISHES. My kitchen if finally clean for the week and I don't want to mess it up! I am contemplating ordering a pizza tonight and eating it directly out of the box so I don't have to wash anything. 

It's true that when it rains it pours. What in the world could happen next?

Days of Thanksgiving: Nine

9. I am thankful for snow. Yes, I am one of those. I love the icy, white gift from the sky. I don't particularly like driving in it, but since my commute is down to less than ten minutes from the just over an hour one, that doesn't even hold me back as much. 


In my thankfulness for snow, I am able to see so many other things for which I am thankful. I am thankful for the money to be able to clothe my son in weather appropriate items. The poor bundle was swept away to daycare today in a hat, winter coat and mittens with boots and snow pants on the side. I think if they wrap him up in all of that gear, he'll melt and won't be able to move!


I am thankful for my garage. Not having to scrape my windows makes the snow that much prettier.


I am thankful for my husband. While we didn't have enough snow to warrant it this time, I know that he will take care of scooping the snow this winter. He's a pretty cool dude.


I am thankful for the never ending hot tea supply I have built up. Since my "I am thankful for coffee post", I have tried to cut back. I've been so tired lately I'm wondering if it's an overabundance of caffeine that my body is now immune to. I am sleeping. I am not pregnant. I am no more stressed out than any working mom. There is no explanation for this tiredness!


I am thankful for the (new-ish) parking ramp on campus. While it's still a small trek to my office, it is nothing compared to walking from the back of the Gilchrist parking lot like I did in the past. 


I am thankful for reliable vehicles a reliable vehicle to get me and my family around.

Days of Thanksgiving: Eight

8. I am thankful for libraries. During the semester I don't have a lot of time for fun reading, and getting to the library is basically nonexistent. As I look forward to my Thanksgiving break however, I am super stoked to take Louis for story time at the Cedar Falls Public Library again. We were going at least once a week over the summer but haven't been since then.

Since I was a little kid, the library has always been one of my favorite places to be. I remember going to the Remsen Public Library almost every day during the summer. Not only did I have my own library card number memorized, but most of the librarians did too from the frequent checkouts! It was the place I memorized Roger Hargreaves Mr. Men and Little Miss series, worked my way through the American Girl books, read every one of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps and Fear Street books, checked out the biggest biographies I could find, flipped through my first bridal magazine, and started my young fascination with romance novels (I took Zoya to my fourth grade silent sustained reading time).

I took my younger siblings to the Whittemore Public Library for story time every Saturday when I got a little older and not only did we consume many of their books but their movie rentals also came in very handy.

In college I worked at the UNI Rod Library and I would go back to work there in a second if I had the opportunity. I would probably want to move up from student building monitor and book shelver, but I remember that job fondly!

In my mind, libraries are a magical place!