. . . from the gratitude journal

In light of yesterday's thrown together soup, I am posting a gratitude post today.  

I used everything I think  - home grown tomato juice, carrots, beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, habanero and jalapeno peppers, zucchini slices, corn...just about everything I had on hand.  It was an "everything but the kitchen sink soup" and spicy enough to clear out one's sinuses.

We may not have everything that I want, to maintain our homesteading lifestyle, or everything on our road to complete self-sufficiency, nor all the tools I need or want, or have the meat and dairy animals I would like to raise, but. . .

Today I am thankful for:


-having sweat through long hot summers to grow a garden
-having a freezer and pantry full of goodness
-not having to run to the store to a healthy meal for us
-having the space, tools, and seeds to plant a garden
-having hens and a place to house them
-having a wonderful husband who supports my lifestyle
-having a wonderful husband who takes care of me and the kids
-having a crockpot for an easy dinner when I am sick
-for books to learn from
-for pen and pencil to write with
-the ability to do handiwork and for the sales I've made
-for surprise mail, and snail mail
-a supply of fire wood and a woodstove
-a working truck, to haul the wood
-kids who are willing to help when needed
-a daughter who drives, and can run errands and fetch her sister at musical practice
-a daughter who can help her Uncle babysit when needed
-a husband who lets his wife sleep in when she needs it
-a husband who came home after working 8 hours and washed all the dishes
-for the Lord's love


I could keep going today, but it felt good to stop for a minute and say thanks.  And a thank you to all my blog followers too.

I am feeling a teensy bit better.  I wanted to sleep in today so badly, but I was quickly reminded by the ping of my phone that one needed to get on the bus and the other needed me to make sure she was up to drive to the "bid city" and help my younger brother out.  He was in a bit of a bind, and needed a sitter.  She's up and getting ready to go watch his two bundles of cute-ness.  Mom is feeling so-so, just not up to babysitting quite yet.

It's another "take it easy" sort of day for me.  One thing is for sure.  I won't need to make a dinner.  We have a ton of soup leftover, and it is much needed to build our immunity back up.  There won't be dirty dishes either. 

I even got the fire going without lighting a match this morning.  I had one small coal left and with a my wonderful barn wood kindling, it started right back up.

There are more friends of the family helping our nephew's family now.  One is selling baked goods to help raise money.  we have such a tight group of love.

I'm going to get off my "procrastination station" and get my bed sheets washed.  I don't feel up to it, and if I put it off, it won't be happening.  And even though I washed and spider proofed my spare set, I am too chicken to use them, ha ha!