Reality check

This has not been the best of weeks for me so I decided to do one of my gratitude entries tonight.

Tonight, I am grateful for:

My husband. He is giving me the best anniversary gift any woman could ever ask for - a week away in paradise alone with him. I say that's a wonderful gift because I'm truly in love with him and WANT to be alone with him for a week! Erich works nights; I work days. We see each other on the weekends, although we do talk on the phone each night before I go to sleep. So time together is precious. Often, we are not together on our anniversary date and must celebrate on weekends. This year, on May 26, we will be together on a beach in the Dominican Republic. When nothing else seems to be going right in the world, I know above all things that he loves me and sees something in me that brings light to his face when our eyes meet. This is at times enough to keep me from falling apart, more often than I care to admit.

My health. I had a CAT scan on Wednesday and the results came up clear; my kidneys seem to be ok. No growth, no stones. I've felt better for about a week now, so I figured the stone was gone. The growth thing had me worried, though. I admit I've been stress eating this week and haven't hit the gym once. Not good. I'll have to get back on the horse next week, when psycho-cycle dies down.

Music. Thursday evening on my way home from work, I was thinking about some things and was feeling a little overwhelmed. Then this came on the radio. Perfect timing, like divine intervention. Made me drive in circles an extra few mins. just to hear the whole song. I'm telling you, there is nothing in this world that can bug you when you listen to the guitar solo in 'Freebird'. Nothing. Your mind goes blank and you crank up the sound and just...are. If you don't buy that, screw you. You're insane. You are WRONG. "Music saves the soul" - Kris Bell. Doesn't have to be 'Freebird' for you, but music will lift you up. It just does.

Friends. I lost a dear friend this week. It was a huge shock and made me think that you better hug the ones you love because you never know what they are going through or when you'll see them again. Never take it for granted. I go to Niagara Falls (one of my favorite places!) tomorrow to get together with some of my nearest and dearest fellow humans. I can't wait to see them and hug their necks. Bo Bice has brought so many amazing people into Erich's and my lives. I am so grateful to Bo just because of this if nothing else.

Kitty cats. Every morning, I wake up to these two little faces.


There really isn't much I wouldn't do for them. I'm convinced they are on earth to remind me not to sweat the small stuff. I mean, they could give a rat's ass about much except food, water and a clean place to crap. That's all there is, right? A few toys for amusement. A stroke every now and then. What else is there?

Laughter. Work is not a happy place in theory but at least I know when I get there, I will be amused. Thank goodness I like the people I work with, you know? I'm positive that's why most of us are still there. We like to be around each other every day. That, my friends, is a gift.

So really, not much to bitch about. It's all good. Plus I have tickets to two Bo shows in Michigan in July. SWEET. ;-) I urge all of you to take the time, when life seems to be body slamming you at every turn, to find the gratitude. It's there. I promise.