full of thanks.

i have been such a hateful mess lately. really, i have. it's awful. i can feel the rage just a-swirlin' inside of my gut. it's not a good feeling, i tell ya. it's actually quite ridiculous because i have so much to be thankful for. but, seeing as how i'm an eternal pessimist, getting me to "look on the bright side" is no easy feat.

with that being said, i suppose it is time for the obligatory "what i'm thankful for" post. granted, it's a wee bit early considering thanksgiving isn't until next week, but we all shouldn't be thankful for things just once a year, right??

so, here goes nothing...

• i am thankful for my health & for the health of my friends and family. i'm especially grateful that breast cancer did not take my mother away from me...it only showed me just how strong of a woman she is & how much more special i am because i have a survivor for a mother.
• i am thankful for my husband...even though he irritates me to no end sometimes {especially when i have to go up to the bar to pay for his tab and get him home because he's a little too inebriated. yes, it happens sometimes.} but, he's a good man. he's a good father. and, he's good to me {even though i don't always recognize it}.
• i am thankful for my children...even though they irritate me to no end sometimes, too. but, what child doesn't, right? my children are beautiful & bright & bring me endless amounts of joy. my life is all the better because of them.
• i am thankful for having a job...even though my job irritates me to no end sometimes. {oh, boy, i see a pattern forming...blame that on the pessimist in me!} i feel guilty when i complain because i have very close friends who are unemployed. i feel selfish when i bitch & moan about work. well, sometimes. but, you know what i mean.
• i am thankful for having a roof over my head. my house may be small & modest, but it's a home. a home that's filled with love.
• i am thankful for my vehicle. it's dirty as hell. it squeaks. the paint is scratched. but, it's mine...all mine. not the bank's. not nissan's. nope, that bad girl is all mine. {so i'm very thankful for not having a car payment.}
• i am thankful for wine. every friday it's wine o'clock with my lovely friend, katie. she's pretty damn awesome. and, if katie & i are really lucky, our friend, maria, joins us, too. maria is busy with school, though. but, i am thankful for the nights that the three of us can get together & decompress.
• i am thankful for this blog. without this blog, i would probably be a paranoid schizophrenic by now. i'm not making jokes about mental illness, really, i'm not. in all seriousness, if i didn't have an outlet for my random thoughts & emotions i would probably be a complete {train} wreck by now. i'm just sayin'...
• i am thankful for my bloggin' friends...you guys are all like my sistas from other mistas!
• i am thankful for my fur babies...even though they irritate me to no end sometimes {yes, i went there, again!}. having three cats & one dog in the house means i vacuum a lot. i also spend a lot on food, toys & other pet-related items. i also spend a lot of time cleaning my carpet and furniture. oh, and i pick up a lot of poo, too. ew.

there's a lot more that i'm thankful for...a whole lot more. but, that will come at a later time. this is a good start for now.

what are you thankful for?