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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

The ABC's of Gratitude

I am participating in the Gratitude Challenge & today is Day 2: Use the alphabet as a fun and quick format for making a list of things for which you feel grateful. Share this list with your social network through email, a blog post or a Facebook or MySpace page.

the gratitude challenge 

And here we go...my ABC's of Gratitude...some of these came easily to me & others did not... it was great because i had to think a lot about all the things that i am thankful for. Some letters challenged me because i had a hard time coming up with something & others challenged me because i couldn't pick just one!

Mel's ABC's of Gratitude
{A} is for Airplanes.
Laugh if you like, but really? Would i have driven to Canada to be in my friend's wedding? I doubt it. Though we did drive to Washington DC once, so i guess anything is possible. I also went on a missions trip to Panama & am pretty sure i wouldn't have gone if there were no airplanes! L.A. too! Think of all the travel we'd miss out on!!Yep, i think airplanes deserve to be thanked. Or maybe it's the pilot. Or maybe this list isn't starting out too well. (Honestly, i had a hard time thinking of something for A. And then Kelly put America. REALLY, Melissa?!?! You couldn't come up with AMERICA?!?! (For the record, i am very very thankful for America. Even more so than Airplanes.) 

{B} is for Blogger.
Yes. I'm going there. It's amazing. I love it. I have met some really amazing people through blogger & i just think about how they wouldn't be in my life at all if it wasn't for blogger! Is that a little psycho? No, seriously. I consider Laura one of my very best friends & yes, we met on MySpace, but maybe our friendship would not have grown if it wasn't for Blogger. And Patti, Nicole, Rebekah, Katie, Krystal - i love each of them! As you can see, i've met a lot of great gals through this site & i am VERY THANKFUL! Not to mention that i get to write out my thoughts, feelings, & memories! Blogger rocks.

{C} is for Cheese. 
I like cheese. A lot. Mozzerella, Romano, American, Swiss, Cheddar, it doesn't really matter. I love them all. 
First Runner Up: Cello. I am obsessed with the sound of the cello. I am not sure how picking cheese over the cello makes me look.
Second Runner Up: Coffee. 

{D} is for Dogs. 
I love dogs. LOVE. I love mine most, of course. But i also love Fani, Bali & Molly (the dogs of my in-laws, my sister & my mom). And really, i love dogs in general. They are so sweet & affectionate & FUNNY. And cute! I love them! Fievel makes me laugh & he cheers me up when i am sad. On purpose. I am not kidding. 

{E} is for Egrets. 
Another one you may laugh at. But let me explain. I love to walk the LSU Lakes. Everytime we go, there are a zillion egrets there. I think they are beautiful. I am always trying to get a good pic of them. I am kind of obsessed with them. So, no, i wasn't having trouble coming up with E. I also love eggs & email. But Egrets have recently stolen my heart. :) 

{F} is for Family. 
I love my family. I think they are the best. I am thankful for my parents, my sister, and all of my extended family. There is a certain comfort & joy being with your family. The ones who know how you are & love you anyway. I am very thankful for my family! 
Ahahaha - circa 1994? I'm guessing here... 

{G} is for Girlfriends.
I am so thankful for my girls!! What would i do without them? Aimie, Amanda, Becca, Sarah, Shana...this one is for you! Thank you for everything! Thank you for being here for me. I love y'all!

{H} is for HOOBIE!
 Er, husband. I love him. He is seriously the BEST guy a girl could ask for. So cliche, but true. He is my best friend & i'm not sure how we managed without each other for 11 whole years! He always supports me, always makes me laugh & makes me feel beautiful. I love you, Brad!
he is also handsome, which doesn't hurt. :) 

{I} is for In-laws. 
I have the absolute GREATEST in-laws. Brad comes from a great family. I absolutely love them & am so thankful for them. I often will tell Brad, "I miss your parents. Will you call them & tell them to come over?" HA! (I have phone shyness.) But really... i adore them. I seriously lucked out in the in-laws department. 
sweetest, kindest, most hilarious in-laws ever! 

{J} is for JESUS. 
I love Him. I love having a relationship with Him. I do not know where i would be without Him in my life. He has rescued me from depression, fear, & of course, sin. He has saved me. He has redeemed me. He is my Hero. And He is why i have so many other things to be thankful for! :)

{K} is for Keys. 
As in, piano keys. I could listen to Brad play those keys all day. I love piano music!
First runner-up: Keys, as in house keys & car keys. Because i am not happy when i can't find them. :)
Second runner-up: Ketchup. I really like ketchup. 

{L} is for LOVE
I mean, duh. There's nothing better. It's the best.thing.ever.

{M} is for Marriage.
Marriage is awesome. Yes, it's work but that doesn't mean it's not awesome. I love love love being married to Brad. He is easy to live with. He makes life enjoyable. He brightens my bad days. It is so wonderful & fulfilling to have someone to share your life with. Someone who loves you the most. Someone who is your #1 & you are theirs. I love that. 

{N} is for Nice People. 
I'm not kidding. Nice people are hard to come by these days. Whenever i have an extra nice client or waitress or customer service rep or grocery store clerk, i say, "aw! I love nice people!" Haha. Patience, Consideration, Kindness...these qualities are rare, which i know is sad, but it makes me extra thankful for those who make our days a little bit brighter.

{O} is for Optometry.
Yes. I admit it. I had a REALLY hard time coming up with something that starts with an O. I mean, Octopus? No. Haha. But seriously. I AM thankful for Optometry! What would i do without my contacts or eyeglasses?! I HATE not being able to see. My glasses are on before i put my feet on the floor in the morning & my contacts do not get put up until i am ready to go to sleep. And if you have perfect vision, you should not take it for granted!!
me in evan's glasses 

{P} is for Pizza
I kid you not. I love pizza. I looooove pizza. I like it more & more. Maybe i shouldn't, but either way... I do. It's the best. Mmmm. Pizza. 


{Q} is for QUIET! 
Quiet. I REALLY love quiet. I love my quiet time. Sometimes i can be loud & crazy, but most of the time i am pretty quiet. This is easy at home...we don't have kids yet, we don't watch TV much, and we are both readers. It's usually pretty quiet here. But at work? Copy machines, annoying ringing phones, & LOTS of different conversations going on...8 hours a day, 5 days a week?! Let's just say i cherish my Quiet Time!


{R} is for Reading
I love to read. Chic Lit is fun. I like nonfiction to challenge me & make me think. And i'm getting back into the Bible again (thanks to Laura!) & am so glad to be picking up the best book out there. 


{S} is for SISTERS
I always say if i have one daughter i want two. I don't know if that will happen & it's okay if it doesn't! But i love the bond that i share with my sister. We have been there for each other through thick & thin, even though we are sooo opposite! We have a great relationship & i do not know what i would do without her! 


{T} is for Teachers
I don't know what it is about teachers. I LOVE THEM! I have always had a very high love & respect for teachers. I am so thankful for the truly great teachers i have had in my own life. i have a LOT of friends who are teachers & i admire each one of them. I know they have a really tough job, but they do it & they do it well. GO, Teachers!!
Runner-up: Theatre. At first i had theatre as my top choice. After all, it is my hobby & my outlet. And i've learned SO MUCH there! But once i got teachers into my head i couldn't put it as runner-up. Teachers are AMAZING!! 

{U} is for Umbrellas. 
For obvious reasons. (It's raining cats & dogs here.)

 {V} is for Vehicles
Vehicles that work & are paid for! Fingers crossed that they keep on keepin' on! HA!
Runners Up: Vetinarians, Violins, & Veggies. 


{W} is for WEIGHTLOSS.
23 pound down, y'all. A WHOLE lot more to go. That scale sure is slow movin' but i am thankful for the weight that is gone so far! 
Runners Up: Walking & Water. All having to do with weightloss. :) 

{X} is for Xylophones
Really, xylophones? Yes. The following conversation with my musician husband just took place: 
Me - "Bebe! I need one more letter! I need you to help me!" 
Brad - "Which letter?" 
Me - "X!" 
Brad - "Xylophones." 
Me - "Am i really thankful for xylophones?" 
Brad - "Yes, you are thankful for xylophones! A xylophone provides an excellent attack with the woodwind section in an orchestra." 
Pause. 
Brad - "Well, that's why I'M thankful for xylophones!"

{Y} is for the YMCA. 
I like the Y. It has been helpful to me in my weightloss goals. I'd rather walk the lakes, but the Y was there for me when it got so hot & humid out! The trainers are super nice, the people are nice, it's very diverse & i have learned a lot there. YAY! 

{Z} is for ZOE. 
ZOE is greek for LIFE. I love my life. And i am thankful for it, most of all. 
Oooh, side note: My husband just told me that Bios is the word for Biological Life. But Zoe is something more. In the new testament, they used Zoe to refer to the life that is independent of biological processes. Biological processes can be replicated in a lab, but Zoe cannot. Zoe cannot be looked at under a microscope. Zoe is that part of you that is a bit deeper, that makes life worth living...hmm...something to ponder.

WHEW! That was not easy!!! But i am oh, so thankful & i think this journey is helping me to forget my "wishfulness". :) You should join in!!!

*all images (except my personal ones) are from we heart it.

P.S. If you are participating in the Gratitude Challenge, please link up here!


7 comments:

  1. Great list! Love the xylophones! Too funny!

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  2. Awww, this was so charming ; ) Loved it!

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  3. Great things! I'm also thankful that I "met" you on blogger, too! I love reading your blog girl!

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  4. Haha, I love the xylophone conversation! And, that dog in the picture is adorable! AND, all you need is love. :-)

    Those are the comments I came up with as I scrolled down your list.

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  5. Love it! And I love you and Brad's conversation about the xylophones. I also put xylophones as one of my x-words that I was thankful for, but I have no cool story about it! haha.
    And I love that I've met you through blogging too! :)

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  6. Love your list! Although I was surprised to see something other than "Laura" for L. hahaha. JUUUUUST Kidding! :)

    The Zoe answer is GREAT!

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Comments are my favorite.