77 Random Things I'm Thankful for This Year

1. Turtlenecks for the turkey neck, Wonderbra for the boobs, Spanx for the butt.
2. Bob’s new hearing aids and the end of “huh?”
3. A dog to pill twice a day instead of a cat.
4. Chico’s weird sizing that lets me wear size 2 for the first time in my life.
5. Weighing what we weighed on our wedding day. (I weigh what Bob weighed; he weighs what I weighed. Sigh.)
6. Spandex-enhanced jeans.
7. Freecycle.com.
8. Opportunities to give and receive tough love and grace.
9. John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate.
10. My superior humility. ☺
11. Knowing how to navigate my refrigerator rather than having to ask where the leftover pizza from last night is.
12. Maraschino cherries and Red Dye No. 40.
13. Disposable turkey roaster pans and rechargeable batteries.
14. “5” gum, especially the “Lush” flavor.
15. Winning a $100-bet with our handyman on Election Day.
16. The ability to read.
17. Tina Fey.
18. 39 college friends that lived and studied together for one line-changing year in Haus Steineck in Bonn, Germany 37 years ago.
19. Biannual reunions with my Haus Steineck friends and the never-ending storytelling.The right to vote.
20. Midweek Saturday Night Live.
21. To be the mother of three grown sons. Grown being the operative word.
22. To be married to my BFF.
23. Food, friends, family, fun and freedom.
24. Shoes that don’t hurt.
25. Email.
26. Answered prayers.
27. The ceiling windows in our church sanctuary that allow worshippers to experience God in the clouds, treetops and high-flying birds.
28. Vancomycin.
29. Health insurance that pays $7,280 of the $7,300 cost of a Vancomycin prescription.
30. Retweets.
31. Susan Boyle and the hope she inspires in anyone who has ever dreamed a dream.
32. Newspapers.
33. Bees.
34. Wikipedia.
35. Seeing Leonard Cohen in concert in Durham with friends from #18.
36. NPR.
37. Popcorn.
38. Surviving three car accidents, shingles, surgery and C-diff in one year.
39. Our OCD dog Scottie that licks every square inch of the kitchen floor every day, reducing the need to mop.
40. The insanely generous Presbyterians and Facebookers who outfitted our sons’ apartment after they lost everything in an Ida-related flood.
41. Clients, partners and vendors.
42. Watching Gilles Marini dance on Dancing With the Stars.
43. Diet Coke.
44. Watching Gilles Marini do anything.
45. Polar bears.
46. The life and legacy of Suzanne Williams, who died way too young in May.
47. Attending Suzanne’s wedding in January.
48. Suzanne’s best friend and sister, Jennifer.
49. Spam filters.
50. Bob’s retirement in September.
51. My new Mac.
52. My new I-phone.
53. Prilosec.
54. The Amazon Wish List.
55. Scottie’s decision to throw up on the hardwood floor rather than the rug.
56. For things seen.
57. And unseen.
58. The reduction in hot flashes.
59. An overnight visit this week from Debby Jennings, one of my friends from #18, and my maid of honor. Twice.
60. Sully Sullenberger.
61. House plants that don’t need much water. (The only way they’ll survive in my house.)
62. My Mom.
63. My granddaughter Cheyenne.
64. The opportunity to work with Erica.
65. My very sharp Wüstoff cook’s knives.
66. Traditions.
67. Change.
68. Self employment.
69. Splenda.
70. So much food that there’s not enough room for it in the refrigerator.
71. Wishes denied.
72. Ambien.
73. Being a Baby Boomer.
74. Faith.
75. Doubt.
76. Rock and Roll.
77. The cracks in everything that let the light in.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/90155419@N00/ / CC BY-SA 2.0