thankful

20 Things I'm thankful for:
1. Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross, taking punishment for my sins

The rest, in random order:
2. My parents/the extremely "normal" aka blessed home life/situation I grew up in
3. Life itself... the ability to breath in & out each day, with no major health problems
4. The experiences (including meeting my hubs) and education I received while in college... getting to go the college of my choice
5. My husband
6. My children... if only all were here on earth with me would my heart be full
7. A roof over my head and food on the table (these "small things" are so big now after a job loss)
8. Coffee, more specifically Gloria Jean's Butter Toffee flavored coffee (which my hubs can't stand!) ;)
9. A car that drives (not thankful for the cost of gasoline, although it could be worse...)
10. In real-life friends & online friends... the ability to connect with other women, for encouragement, companionship, camaraderie, and smiles & hugs
11. The Word of God aka The Bible... how much harder it would be to understand God without it
12. Fiction books... a story (that's not my own) to get lost in
13. Photography... a hobby that allows me to express myself creatively and to see the world more in depth
14. Phones, the internet, the USPS... means of staying in touch with others
15. DARK chocolate
16. Running water, clean water
17. The mountains, the valleys, the ocean, the sky... the variety & beauty of nature
18. 2 bathrooms in my house, lol
19. A brain that works.... it sometimes over-thinks things, but still, it functions
20. Joy (courtesy of God), despite my circumstances

This post is a part of The Mommy Matters weekly Project 16:9 challenge.