Tuesday October 29, 2013.....

     Beautiful day in the neighborhood, rain but as of yet none of the promised snow.  I dislike snow.  Slippery, cold, dangerous....  but I'll tell you what I'm thankful it hasn't started yet.
     It is almost Halloween, we have a potluck at work tomorrow, which always makes the day go faster and better. I got a little off this morning but turned it around by afternoon.   I'm hoping to be all about the happy tomorrow.
     Smile, deep breath.  That's what it's all about.  Send the stress somewhere else. I make myself sick with stress and worry.  I wonder what happened to the care free days.
     I'm grateful for the job that pays me.  I'm grateful for the food I was able to feed my children.  I'm grateful for the dry roof over our heads and for the warmth I could afford for one more month.  I'm grateful as always for my friends and family and especially my kids they are the sunshine in the storm.  I'm grateful for the peace I find amongst the chaos.  I'm grateful for the things my mom does to help me even if she can't really help me.  I'm grateful that I can smile through the tears.
    I'm grateful for God standing by my side even if I don't often have faith he is there. I'm grateful that I live in a place where we are still somewhat free.  I'm grateful I can take time off work to celebrate holidays with my daughter, and I'm grateful that I can afford my medication so I don't keep getting sicker.   I'm grateful for the crunchy leaves that are blowing against my fence. I'm grateful that my daughter finds such joy jumping in them, I enjoy crunching through the leaves as well.  I'm grateful I have sight and hearing, and taste and touch.  I'm grateful for my hands to work. 
    The thing I'm starting to learn the most in this search for happiness is that every time I take the time to think about it, I find that there are more and more things to be thankful for and less and less things to be angry and stressed about.  Hopefully soon I'll be able to find happiness without having to really think about it.  Hopefully soon the happiness will out weigh the misery.