Thankful Thursday!

"I am thankful for every moment." - Al Green

This week has flown by and Thankful Thursday has passed me by except in California....  which is where I shall pretend I am right now.  (Note:  There is no where else I'd rather be than Liverpool.)   I have not thought about this as much as I have the last two as I have been busy enjoying life but if I had to pick five things I am grateful for at this moment they would be... 

My Mother - Probably one of the biggest cliches out there but I don't care.  My mom is like an old song on the radio. It doesn't matter what type of mood I am in or the day I am having, her words are always what I need to hear even before I know I need to hear them.  I honestly wouldn't be here without her. Of course, I wouldn't be alive without her. But, I mean I  wouldn't be in Liverpool without her either.  In fact, she is the one who introduced me to John Lennon and The Beatles.  So that alone is enough to be forever in her debt!  But that is just the start of it.  She's raised me, fed me, helped me with homework, cleaned up all types of my messes, never missed a single thing for any of her children (I think she has a few clones out there). Let's not forget countless hours in countless hospital rooms she's spent just sitting by my side when I was younger.  The reason I am alive is because of this woman.  Whenever any doctor told her I wouldn't survive, she kept faith in me.  She's amazing.  I can only hope to be a fraction of the mom she is to my currently non-existent children! She's so awesome that she doesn't care that I have a Top Ten list of things that she does that drive me insane (and it's way beyond ten).  She will go to the ends of the earth for us and most likely get lost along the way because she knows a shortcut (that is on the list too). 

Patience - I have always been a patient person. I guess that comes from sort of having to wait around for someone to help with something.  As I get older, I realize just how much having patience has helped me along the way.  I know a bunch of people that could use some patience in life and I am happy that I have that going for me.  There are some things that truly try my patience.  However, for the most part I am pretty good in that department. 

Skype - I mentioned technology in my first post but I really am grateful for the invention of Skype.  I am so happy that this free service enables me to speak with my friends and family back home.  It is a great thing to be able to be picked on 3,500 miles away when that is exactly what will cheer me up at 6:17 in the morning. And with Skype, it's like there is no distance at all.  Thank you, Skype.

My Flatmates -   I am so happy that the six girls are awesome.  They are extremely helpful and hysterical.  They each remind me of a person back home and I laugh in my head when they say or do something that one of my friends back home would do. They always translate a word to American terms for me so I don't make a complete fool out of myself.  Also, B does a find job of making food for me when I say "B, do you want to help me with this?" She knows already that by help I mean please just cook it.  They laugh at my lack of cooking skills. So do I.  I am grateful that we haven't end up with a bad bunch of girls.  That would have made for a long year. 

Laughter -  I mean, for real, what is a better sound that someone laughing?  When I hear someone laughing (or wheezing when I am in the States) I start to laugh 99% of the time and smile for sure.  What Grinch wouldn't be grateful for something so simple that makes someone smile?  Not this one.   A baby's belly laugh is especially contagious. I am thankful for every laugh I hear throughout the day as I know that someone else will begin to smile because of it?

What are you grateful for?

I obviously should have included California in this one!