Gratitude Journal November 10, 2007

1. Wow! What another fantastic day. The majority of the day I worked with Mike and Steve wiring a new hotel for phones and cabel TV. Mike is my husband, and Steve is a social worker with a degree in Christian Counseling. We were paying him $10 an hour to feed wire, but he gave us a LOT more. I really benefitted from having so much uninterrupted time to talk with him, and I'm very grateful.

2. I got a full physical workout. With Steve there to feed wire, my job was to run it to each room. Between that and climbing up and down out of the attic 1,000+ times to communicate with Mike (I lent Steve my cell phone), muscles that haven't been used in a very long time got used. I'm stiff and sore, but in a very good way...not the fibromyalgia kind of pain.

3. At this morning's yardsales, I found a gently used wooden rocking horse from Pottery Barn to give Olivia for Christmas. I don't know where we will keep it, but it sure will look nice Christmas morning in front of the tree. I also found a few stocking stuffers for Heather and Philip.

4. I really enjoy working with Mike. We met working together for a department store. I worked in the lay-away department, and he helped me to get the heavier boxes stacked in their proper places in the storage attic of the store even though he worked the children's toy department. Working with him in that attic today reminds me of the good times and the romantic moments we stole away in that department store. I remember how it was to fall in love with him 20 years ago...nice memories.

5. We are having a family slumber party. For years we used to all sleep downstairs in the living room during the Summers when we didn't have air conditioning upstairs. I was missing it so on a whim, I told everyone that I was throwing a slumber party and they were all invited. I had picked up a movie at a yardsale for fifty cents that I thought we'd all like...and they were wanting to watch a special episode of Hannah Montanna. I made popcorn. Mike made salsa, and we broke out the chips. So, we had a fun and relaxing evening. I also gave Mike a back and body massage. He needed it after crawling in the rafters for 8 hours, and is very appreciative.