Blog Post #100

This is my 100th posted blog.
It shall be a list.
Because I love lists and would be mildly dysfunctional without them.
A list of 100 things I am thankful for.
(as they come to my mind, not in any particular order)

1. the Internet.
2. A car I got a good deal on and that has lasted over 7 years. Only 300 more miles to 200,000!
3. Music.
4. The ability and desire to paint.
5. A mom that taught me to sew.
6. My sewing machine.
7. A friend that taught me to crochet and now making money from it.
8. Jesus. (yikes, it took me 8 things to get to Jesus, like I said, no particular order)
9. Family.
10. Friends that are like family.
11. Friends that will come and go like the wind and maybe never be seen again.
12. People who teach me things.
13. Baking.
14. Chocolate.
15. Running water in my house.
16. A warm and comfortable place to sleep and live.
17. A dad that taught me to drive a stick shift.
18. Sisters.
19. Creating things.
20. Volunteer opportunities.
21. Vegetables.
22. Fruit.
23. Warm beverages on a cold day.
24. Skirts that twirl.
25. Traveling!
26. Planes, trains, and automobiles.
27. My big comfy second hand reading chair.
28. Greenville, SC in general.
29. Fun colors of nail polish.
30. Grace Church.
31. Contra dancing. Dancing in general.
32. Grandparents.
33. Cousins.
34. Running. (I never would have said that this time last year)
35. Aunts and uncles.
36. Fire.
37. Scarves and gloves and hats.
38. Sunshine.
39. Books.
40. Used book stores.
41. Used books that have a note to the previous owner.
42. Art.
43. Sunrise.
44. Sunset.
45. Rain.
46. Snow. (This cold winter in SC without any snow is just plain silly)
47. A washer and dryer in my house.
48. Shoes.
49. Water bottles.
50. Being an aunt.
51. Gilmore Girls.
52. People who stand up for what they believe in.
53. People who sacrifice for others.
54. People who make me laugh.
55. People willing to go to the ends of the earth to show people the joy that they possess.
56. Cameras.
57. Blurry pictures of a good memory.
58. Switchfoot.
59. Multitudes of entertainment options.
60. Hiking.
61. Kindred spirits.
62. Birthdays.
63. Having a job.
64. Mentors.
65. Interstate highways.
66. Shelves.
67. Taste buds that like to try new things.
68. Paying off all my debt and staying debt free (so far).
69. Monday night dinners with the framilies.
70. Napping.
71. The first green of spring.
72. State parks.
73. Waterfalls.
74. Mountain lakes and streams.
75. Back roads that wind around.
76. The view of the mountains.
77. Good health.
78. Kelly's comfy orange couch that has been in my possession for the past 3 years.
79. My computer.
80. Not wanting for any basic needs.
81. The various small groups I have had the opportunity to be a part of.
82. Atlases and maps.
83. Car radios.
84. The ability to read and write and the freedom to do so.
85. New opportunities.
86. Old routines.
87. The opportunity to encourage.
88. Being encouraged.
89. The gifts and talents I have been given.
90. Free stuff.
91. Backpacks.
92. Bare feet in soft grass.
93. Easily accessible grocery stores.
94. Constructive criticism.
95. People who know me well and still like me.
96. Rain coats.
97. Slowly learning how to be an adult.
98. Developing disciplines.
99. Creativity.
100. That this is number 100. (oh, and lists)

There are plenty more things I am thankful for, but these were close in proximity or mind and easily written.

100 blogs posted, here's to 100 more. (which will take me another 8 years at my current rate)

A Brief Update

Not having consistent Internet in my house really does slow down the blogging.

Also, not having much free time in which I feel motivated to accomplish things slows a lot of things down. And traveling for another two weeks straight didn’t really help much either.

I have a few more blogs on the trip to England that I would like to write, but for now I will give a brief life update.

In the past 7 Christmases living away from home I have always had a job that gives us a Christmas break.  So, as usual, I was able to go home for the full week around Christmas and enjoy the usual family traditions. Things like cookie baking and decorating, driving around to see the lights, family gatherings, watching movies, playing games, eating, getting on each others nerves, etc.

For New Years this year I ventured to the small and adorable mountain town of Highlands, where I had never been, with a collection of people of which I hadn’t really spent that much time. And it was a blast! We played games, all sorts and just enjoyed the company of friends that we do not get to see as often as we would like.

Since then I have been trying to get my life back into some sort of routine and order. So far, I haven’t done very well at this.

I have been without running water at my house since Saturday (with the exception of a few hours on Monday) Living in a double wide with exposed pipes in freezing temperatures that shares a water line with another trailer that sprung a leak has led to a preemptive water turn off strike in hopes that my double wide does not spring a leak. But no worries, I have a plethora of water bottles and a large jug that I can refill and at least 50 showers to choose from around camp if I see that as a need and a new appreciation for the wonderful person who thought piping water into a home was a good idea.

This Saturday I run my first official half marathon. I have not sufficiently trained for this, but I am told adrenaline gets you through a good part of it, so here’s hoping for a finish! (By no means do I hope to finish in a timely manner, just to finish.)

The 30 by 30 list is going to look a lot different in completion than it did at creation, but I’m ok with that. This week I came up with the brilliant idea to read juvenile biographies in order to reach my book reading goal, because I must have forgotten how to read the months of Oct-Dec and put myself about 8 books off track. So far I have much enjoyed the biographies. I may start reading juvenile non-fiction regularly.

I think that is all I have to update on for now. Hopefully back to the England blogs soon!