Count Your Blessings, Name them one by one...Day One

The past few years, I have taken time in November to post things that I am grateful for as my status on Facebook. However, in all fairness, I try to do that all the time, so I won't be known as a Debbie Downer to all my Facebook friends! It's so easy to get caught up in the everyday disappointments and discouragements that bombard us, but if we do take just those five extra minutes out of our day to reflect on what is good, it truly does restore a broken spirit. So, shout out to Brooke for giving me the idea to blog it instead of just post a status! Yay for friends!!! :)

I got the title for this series of posts from one of my favorite songs we sing at church. It is one of the very first hymns I can remember singing and it always makes me feel peaceful inside. I know that I am blessed beyond anything that I deserve and I am truly thankful to God for all that he has given me. So, with that being said...

Day 1
Today, I had to take Ty to the doctor for a follow up visit regarding his concussion. By the time we actually got to the doctor, I was in a pretty foul mood due to a series of incidents, which truly, in the grand scheme of things, weren't that big of a deal. I just chose to let them bother me.  I was a little grouchy when we ate lunch at Chili's where even the Cajun Shrimp didn't lighten my mood, and then...

...we made a brief, unplanned side trip Home Depot.

We walked in and my first sight was the plethora of artificial Christmas trees on display, along with all the yard and other types of holiday decorations for sale. I literally felt my soul smile. It was my first (of many, I am sure) Chevy Chase seasonal moments. Ya know, the one in Christmas Vacation where he had worked so hard putting up the lights and was too goofy to realize the power source was in the garage. So he finally gets the lights to work on the house and the choir sings "hallelujuah" & tears of joy stream down his face.

In a sense, that is what happened to me.

My disposition changed immediately and I began to be glad that I was enjoying a beautiful day with my healthy, "concussed" child instead of being separated from him while we were at school. I pondered on the fact that four christmases from now, he will be one semester away from leaving me for good! I also thought how we should never take a day for granted because there are many people that are no longer in my life that I would give anything to just spend five minutes with again. So, I sucked it up & ultimately found the cutest musical Ferris wheel with all these adorably tiny little animals on it that plays about eight different Christmas tunes. Of course I purchased it and it is now proudly on display amongst the Fall decor -- I am seriously considering busting out the Christmas for my room and the bathroom like -- this weekend!! I never think that we have enough time to enjoy the Christmas decorations as it is.

So, for day one, I am thankful for the fact that stores are so anxious to capitalize on any monetary gain, that they don't even wait for Halloween to end before they bust out all the holiday decorations. Granted I have been perusing the aisles at Wal-Mart for a few weeks now, but today was different. Looking at the decor, smelling the winter scented candles and listening to my iTunes created cd's of Christmas cheer on the way home did me some good -- on a day when I really needed it.

Here is a snapshot of my musical Ferris wheel -- it is my new favorite decoration!!