An Attitude of Thankfulness

Lately it seems that I have been repeating in my mind "I need to be thankful, I need to be thankful."  Surely if I tell myself over and over again it will become second nature, right?
I could list a whole bunch of things I'm not thankful for - in fact, it might even be kind of easy.  But I have so much to be thankful for and those are the things I want to dwell on!  So here's my thankful list :)

• TR has a very good paying job that keeps him busy and that he is very good at.  He is happy in his job and has a boss that is great to work for.  I'm also very thankful that his boss recognizes how hard TR works and is giving him (and I!) a paid vacation :):):)
• The sun has been shining through my windows lately and it fills me with such joy!
• Kara has the cutest and sweetest manners.  She nearly always remembers to say "thank come" and is very caring.  Yesterday Benjamin was crying from an "owie" and Kara runs to get a cloth and wipes away his tears, giving him hugs.  Her tenderness and gentleness are such a balm to this Mother's heart.  
• I can send my 2 bigger kids outside to play on their own.  What a wonderful thrill it is to watch them playing in the snow and using their imaginations.  
• I have a great big compost bin that TR built for me.  When I go out there with another bucket to dump I think about the rich soil my garden will become thanks to this pile of leftovers :)
• I have begun my second trimester and have enjoyed great health.  Not only did I not have morning sickness, but I also have been feeling less achy and tired than in previous pregnancies.  
• TR brought home 4 "after eight" chocolate bars for me the other day.  This man really knows me :)  
• TR did not bring me flowers on Valentines day.  (yes I am thankful for this!)  He knows how much I hate environmental toxins and chemicals and flowers from the store are certainly treated in a very unnatural way.  He told me he had thought about it and then remembered how I felt about store flowers.  In this case it really was the thought that counted :)
• My family has been healthy!  Benjamin still prays (everyday) "thank you Jesus for the food.  Thank you that I'm not coughing or puking or have a fever.  Thank you that I'm strong." And we are so very thankful!!!  There have been no runny noses or flus in our house for about a month.  Hurray!  What a wonderful blessing it is to be healthy!  Especially here where we live, where it is almost more common (in the winter) to have a runny nose than to not.
• I am surrounded by my family and I am coming to realize more and more how very blessed I am by this.  Not only do all of my siblings (I have 5 sisters, 1 brother) and parents live in my town, but we all get along and love each other very much.  I have great relationships with my family and I have never known a time when there wasn't help when I needed it.  What an awesome privilege!!!!
• I come from a family that loves the Lord and that is such a rich heritage!  My Grandma prays for each of her grandchildren and I feel very blessed by this legacy.  Both of my parents and all of my grandparents either were or are believers.  What a blessing!!  
• So much of the food in my house comes from a local source and this makes me very happy!  
• I have a garden plot to plant in!  Not only do I have a small plot at my house, but my Mom has room in her big garden out of town that she lets me plant in too!!
• TR is not on any prescription drugs and hasn't been for nearly 2 years. 

As you can see I have so very much to be thankful for!!!  I could really go on and on.  I have been so richly blessed and I want to spend my days with an attitude of thankfulness!!