Day 12: Mom (my mother's mother) 9/28/08

1. i am thankful for Mom because she cried after i got my first tattoo (many, many moons ago.) In her head people would think bad of me & treat me with disrespect - which scared her.
   
2. i am thankful that even though she & i both know that i am NOT a Christian she still sends me bibles for my birthday - still trying to save my soul.
   
3. i am thankful for Mom because she laughs when she get frustrated or mad - she feels that crying and yelling aren't very productive.
   
4. i am thankful that even at the age of 70-ish she travels around the world, is active in her community and local school system, and takes classes to "occupy [her] time."
5. i am thankful for Mom because even though she is always trying to change me - she still can honestly smile & tell me that she is proud that i am her granddaughter.
   

Day 11: The Past (Memories - take one)

1. i am grateful for growing up with such great siblings. We supported each other as we learned to play, dream, hope, and start to shape ourselves into who we are today. There were bumps and bruises and fights along the way but in the end we knew that we could count on one another.
   
2. i am thankful for past loves who helped to teach me what i wanted from life/love and for myself.
3. i am grateful for my parents and their push for me to be smarter, kinder and better than a sometimes-lazy kid wanted to be.
4. i am thankful for the vast supply of books that that helped to feed my imagination and build upon my creative soul.
5. i am grateful for the fact that i worked hard for what i wanted but was never without things that i needed.
   

Day 10: Party Moments (in honor of Joe's bday & Pete's party)

1. i am thankful for the friend who calls me at 3 a.m. to come get them instead of driving after they've had too much to drink.
   
2. i am thankful for the ability to lead my drunk friends home by carrying a hotdog down the sidewalk for them. (And i am grateful that they appreciate the fact that i did this for them even though i have been a vegetarian for almost 17 years now.)
3. i am thankful to the friend who climbed over the bathroom stall to rescue another friend who had passed out at a club.
4. i am thankful for the hours spent dancing, laughing, and drinking with my very close friends.
5. i am thankful that we are all still around to reminisce about all the foolish things we did so long ago.
   

Day 9: Ani DiFranco Lyrics

1. everything i do is judged
   and they mostly get it wrong
   but oh well
   'cuz the bathroom mirror has not budged
   and the woman who lives there can tell
   the truth from the stuff that they say
   and she looks me in the eye
   and says would you prefer the easy way
   no, well o.k. then
   don't cry

2. i was a long time coming
   i'll be a long time gone
   you've got your whole life to do something
   and that's not very long
   so why don't you give me a call
   when you're willing to fight
   for what you think is real

3. i am a work in progress
   dressed in the fabric of a world unfolding
   offering me intricate patterns of questions
   rhythms that never come clean
   and strengths that you still haven't seen
   for what you think is right

4. i played the powerless
   in too many dark scenes
   and i was blessed with a birth and a death
   and i guess i just want some say in between
   

Day 8: Wedding Planning (PRT 1)

i am thankful for Billiam's patience and understanding while he listens to me shift between questioning and ranting about my decisions for our wedding. He has offered his input queitly and continuosly assured me that he was aware of my tendency towards "passionate outbursts" well before he asked me to marry him.

i am thankful for my mother being cool about letting me be ME for my wedding and for trying not to make too many demands or forbidding me to do the "little things" that seem to make me happy during this arduous process.

i am thankful for my father giving up some of his hard earned money to provide his eldest daughter with the wedding she wants and not making a big deal about the DJ costing $750.00 - even though i know it breaks his frugal heart.

i am thankful for the Leightons' willingness to help however they can - from sewing ribbons on dresses to insisting that i only have to worry about what makes me & Billiam happy. It's amazing what a little encouragement can do for a stressed out girl.

i am thankful for all of my friends who have offered their support & advice during these past months of planning. i am also grateful for their acceptance of this new facet of their friend who used to be so calm and collected and i promise to return to "normal" as of November 16th!!

Day 7: Four Seasons plus One

1. Spring: i am thankful for rainy days and the soft, green grass.
   
2. Summer: i am thankful for air-conditioning and random flashes of lightning.
   
3. Autumn: i am thankful for beautiful leaves and warm apple cider.
   
4. Winter: i am thankful for cold nights made for cuddling and hot chocolate.

i am thankful for the "Man on the Moon" who i still look for when i am outside at night and will probably continue to seek out until the end of my days.

Day 6: Fall Semester '08 - so far.

1.) Psychology - i am grateful for the people i have met in this class and knowledge that is slowly but surely sinking in.
2.) Math - i am grateful for the confidence my instructor has in my ability to grasp these concepts and i hope for patience in learning/retaining them.
3.)Biology - i am grateful for the enthusiasm displayed by my professor - i may not be getting what he is trying to convey but at least i am enjoying the show.
4.) Yoga - i am grateful for the lessons of heart as well as mind and body. i hope to learn balance, patience and peace...or at least learn how to grow towards these things daily.
5.) Brit Lit - i am grateful for the strong desire my professor has for all of his students to succeed and enjoy the literature he so evidently loves. i hope to one day project that kind of excitement and empathy if i should ever become a teacher.

Day 5: My Five Senses

1. Sight - i am grateful for the beauty i find in what others might consider ordinary.
2. Hearing - i am grateful for the soft purr in my ears that lulls me to sleep in the early morning hours.
   
3. Touch- i am grateful for the feeling of safety i get when my fingers are entwined with those of the man i love.
   
4. Smell - i am grateful for the smell of apples and Old Spice which remind me of my grandfather - even though i have no idea why.
   
5. Taste - i am grateful for the tangy, acidic taste of steamed spinach.
   

Day 4: Why i am thankful for Sundays...

1. On the rare Sunday i get to lay on the couch with Billiam & watch dvds, read & talk. No running around doing errands and no obsessive researching & studying.
2. i don't have to cook. i don't like to cook all that much but i seem to be the one who cooks the most around here - normally because of my school schedule versus his work schedule - so the break is nice.
   
3. ice cream waffles for breakfast ... need i say more?
4. Visiting family. i don't know why exactly but Sundays seem to be the best day of the week to visit parents. We get to share news, eat good food, and laugh a lot.
   
5. Laundry. It piles up all week and takes most of the day to complete. By Sunday night it is finally all folded & put away. (And the dryer sheet smell still hangs around in the hallway.)
   

Day 3: For September 19th, 2008

Top 5 best things to happen this week:

• Today (19th) is Little Jenny's birthday. She has been with my older brother for over 5 years (with brief stints in Brazil - which is where she's originally from.) We call her Little Jenny because i am jenni & it gets kinda confusing when we hang out together...that and she's tiny.
• i made a 95 on my math test - i did not think i was going to get a good grade because i am not normally good in math AND i tend to not test well but - there ya go.
  
• My Uncle Larry called to inform me that he & my Aunt Trish WILL be attending my wedding in November - which is supercool!
• My appointment with the wedding venue director was pushed back until next Tuesday - which is good because now Billiam can go with me & i was so busy with my school work this past week that i had not filled out their paperwork yet.
• Tuesday - i got to spend some extra time with Billiam. With my new semester schedule and the 50-ish hours a week he works we don't get to spend as much time together as we are used to/like , Tuesday however; we ate breakfast and attempted to play Raquet Ball. (AND neither of us got hurt!)
  

Day 2 : Friendly & Furry Faces

1. i am thankful for Magpie - she's an anomaly in the land of orange tabby cats and a pain in...whatever part of my body she decides to use as a spring-board at 3 a.m. every morning and i love her immensely.
2. i am thankful for Artemis - she's a good listener, welcome company when i am home alone, and a pretty, well-behaved puppy.
3. i am thankful for Porter because he's the best at giving people the stink-eye (& it's hysterical!) and he likes to tunnel under whatever excess cloth i may be wearing or using.
4. i am thankful for Buddy because he has people-face & stoner-kitty eyes and because he gives me a daily reminder of when he's to be fed...for about an hour.
   
5. i am thankful for Napoleon & Pavlov (even though they have been gone for awhile) because they were the perfect pets in their own unique ways. They played, they learned, and they made everyone who knew them feel special and loved.
   

Day 1: The first 5 "usual suspects"

i am grateful for the following:

1. My amazing fiance who may not always understand me but accepts & loves me for/because of the crazy-lady that i am.
2. My brother & sister who are always there for me & are good for a laugh.
3. My friends who i don't get to see as often as i'd like but i appreciate the time i do get to spend with them more because of it.
4. My parents who are slowly learning to just smile, nod & tell me that they love me for my uniqueness - even if none of us actually buys it.
5. My almost family-in-law who always have a smile & a hug even though not all of them seem to know what to do with me yet.