As the holiday season rushes at me with hurricane wind force, I find myself a little dazed. I woke up the other morning completely stunned that it was November. Wasn't it just May? Wasn't it just sunny? Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays. I love getting together with family, decorations, food, and of course we have discussed my addiction to presents. But right now when all the planning lies ahead, it's a bit overwhelming. I started this tradition about two years ago and I really find it a joy. I keep a white board in my kitchen, so I can list, plan, put up recipes, figure out menus, etc to my hearts content. But from now until Thanksgiving, and possibly until Christmas, I work on filling it with things I am thankful for. A lot of times Speed Racer and I fill this out together, just adding something here and there as it strikes us. It helps me refocus on what is important and how blessed we are for every little thing in our lives. I challenge you to create your own thankful list, whether it's on a white board, pieces of scrap paper, or even toilet paper...just as long as you're keeping track. Try to put up one thing everyday, even on the bad days. You'll be amazed how it changes your mood when you look at the board at the end.

P.S. Please excuse the plaid wallpaper. I am thankful that we are about 90% wallpaper free at this point in our house...I'm going to get you kitchen and bathroom wallpaper, just you wait.

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I have to admit I was not in the best of moods when I woke up this morning. I did not want to wake up. I did not want to run. I did not want it to be blazing hot. I did not want to do anything productive. Lucky for me, Speed Racer has motivation, and I have guilt. As soon as he's out of bed I know I have to get up or forever feel like a bum. I rolled, literally rolled out of bed, my old runners feet creaked and popped as I shuffled down the hall on the hardwood floors. I pulled on my running clothes and poured some cereal. Hunched over my frosted mini wheats, my eyes finally peeled open. I still really wasn't awake on my way out the door. It was hot, the humidity engulfed me to the point it was hard and thick to breathe. My glumness transferred to the weather. Everything looked brown, everything was crusty and dead. (This is how lovely I am in the morning.) As I walked towards the road, this caught my eye.

A beautiful lily was just opening up, still covered in morning dew. I smiled. Flowers always make me smile, especially stubborn flowers that just try to carry on no matter how hot it is. This lily was there going, "I'm a flower and I'm going to bloom, dagummit." I started to run and as I ran it was like little flowers opened up to me everywhere. Blue, white, red, and yellow just peeped out from all the dead foliage.

As I ran I was reminded of how last Lent, I decided instead of giving something up and being sad about how I couldn't have chocolate, to dedicate a time each morning to come up with five different things I was thankful for. It worked amazingly well, I felt so grateful for all that I had been given, and it got me out of the habit of just saying, "I'm thankful for my husband, my family, my friends, my home, and my kitties."

I really enjoy trying to figure out the little things I'm grateful for. The small changes in life that make it surprising and lift my spirits. So in the hopes that this lifts your day as well as mine, I encourage you to write down ten unique things you are thankful for today. Here is my list: