Giving Thanks...

So I caught myself in a bit of a pity party this morning after yet another round with Stinky Bum. I’m tired, I’m still recovering from being sick, my kid has been sick for a week and I’m frustrated that all of my efforts just aren’t making her well. Not to mention the fact that it was about 9am and I had already been up for nearly 4 hours. So I hit a weak moment of why this and why not that and poor poor me. Then I caught myself – this could be so much worse – on so many levels.

One of the gals I have worked with for years has a daughter in rehab in Vancouver after spending about 6 weeks in Children’s Hospital not knowing whether she was going to live or die. A gal I worked with died a couple of months ago from cancer… just before her 38th birthday. Ya, things could be a hell of a lot worse.

I started thinking about all of the things that I am so lucky to have… and really ran with it. I have an amazing daughter, who although she has “Stinky Bum” right now, can still laugh and smile and dance and is learning new words by the second – and I love her more than anything I ever could have imagined. I have an incredible family who love me and are so supportive – and they love each other. I have friends who I may not get to see as often as I would like, but are and will be there whenever I need them. I have a job. I have a place to live. I can put good food on the table for me and my daughter. And I could go on (did a bit more, but you get the point). Compared to way too many out there, I live a really good life. Ok, pity party over.

So then I went on FB and saw a few status updates and some of them included complaints about whatever was going on in their life. It got me thinking more and more about how ungrateful we can be – and on the Thanksgiving long weekend to boot! Things that others have that make me jealous, they are complaining about. Things that I have that are probably making other jealous of… I complain about. Wow… this really has to stop!

So here is my wish for this Thanksgiving - if you catch me bitching about something that I should be grateful for – call me on it. I need to stop – and honestly, so do you. So be prepared… it may be subtle or it may be direct… but I’m gonna start calling you out too.

Man, I Feel Like a Woman!

Sometimes the simplest things can make you feel sooooooo good! I’ll be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve shaved my legs… probably a good two or three weeks. Maybe it’s the busy single mom… or maybe just a busy mom (probably the latter as I’m sure Moms all over have this same challenge)… but these little details easily get bumped to the bottom of the to do list. I’m probably a little lucky as a single mom in that I don’t have a partner who is whining about my unshaven legs… but I’m not here to weigh in on the pros and cons of being a single mom. So, as much as I have wanted a nice hot relaxing bath over the last week or so, my schedule and my exhaustion and my cold had my cozy bed win out over the bath. But not so last night – I finally made some time for myself – woo hoo! A bit of a soak, legs shaved and underarms too and wham-oh, I’m feeling better!

The other thing that helps a gal feel pretty good is a compliment. Well I was the lucky lady to receive two out of the blue over the last two weeks. Yes I did complain about the first – it felt kinda creepy coming from someone as old as my grandfather. The second came when I was at the low stage of the cold and feeling pretty crappy… so I struggled to believe it. But in the end, when someone tells you that you “look beautiful today” or are “really looking great lately” it does eventually sink in, and does make you feel kinda good… even though it wasn’t from a hot single guy that I could crush on!