A Mom’s List of Thanks

{This is a repost from the original I wrote last Thanksgiving…I still love this list, and decided to include it again this year…with a few added things at the end.}

The things that I am thankful for have made a huge change in the last 3 years.

In college, cries of gratitude and thanks fell on the ears of all who were around when spare change was found in the couch cushions or under the bed. My cute apartment, my seemingly never-ending cashflow [that, surprise surprise, was far from never-ending], my super cute accessories and shoes, Endless Frat Parties, and plenty of Frat Boys to date were reason enough for me to be thankful.

After I ditched the party scene in exchange for an actual education and opportunity to do something with my life, those same cries of joy could be heard on the days when class was cancelled. Or the days that I only had to go to class rather than to class and work. My brand new, sexy little 2-door Sports Car [that I purchased for way more than I should have] with fabulous Gas Mileage was definitely something to be thankful for.

This year, as a wife and a mother, my cries of thanks go out to different things. This year, I am Thankful for the real things. The things that give me reason to crawl out of bed. Oh sure, I’m thankful for the usual things too. Good husband, steady income, health, happiness, beautiful son….But these. THESE are the real-life things I am thankful for….

-I am thankful that the Swivel Sweeper works…even if it only works half of the time these days. It saves me from having to sweep, and sweep, and sweep the kitchen floor after one of our bouts with crackers, cookies, or anything else that can be broken up into teeny tiny pieces.

-I am thankful for caffeine. Be it in a can or a plastic cup with a Starbucks logo on it. Caffeine gets me up and running in the morning. Without it…well, lets just leave that scary thought to our imaginations, shall we?

-I am thankful for the makers of Children’s Grape Tylenol, without which I don’t know what I would have done during the months of non-stop teething and aching Ear Infections.

-I am thankful for the geniuese’s behind "Playhouse Disney" and "Nick Jr." These guys save my sanity in the wee-hours of the morning [before my caffeine kicks in, of course.]

-I am thankful for nights of piece and quiet. Nights when Noah falls asleep early, the husband is entranced by his own thing, and I can sit in total and complete silence if I choose and do absolutely nothing.

-I am thankful for the last cold Dr. Pepper my husband leaves me in the fridge when are running low and have to restock.

-I am thankful for Lysol Kitchen Cleaner. Spray and Wipe. And the job is done.

-I am thankful for Nicholas Sparks and Stephenie Meyer…2 world class authors whose novels and stories allow me to escape dirty diapers and sticky messes. Even if only for a few minutes at a time.

-I am unbelievably thankful for this blog…and all of the friends I have made through social networking. I’ve saved thousands of dollars on "mommy brain" therapy just by being an avid blogger.

{begin this seasons list}

– I am thankful for Google. When planning a move literally across the country, there is much information to gather. Without Google, I’d probably be standing around in a field somewhere with no clue as to where I was going or what I was doing.

– I am thankful for Skype. Long video chats with my husband, online birthday parties shared between Little Man and his daddy, and never ending chats with one of my BFF’s via Skype Chat have saved my sanity and salvaged bits of my loneliness for the past eight months.

– I am thankful for my new car…FINALLY an SUV with FOUR DOORS that I don’t have to crawl in and out of when I need to put Little Man in his car seat. I’m thankful for the handy little drop down mirror in the front seat that allows me to keep an eye on what he’s doing at all times. And I’m thankful for the under-the-floor mat storage compartments that allow me to hide all of his toys when I don’t want them seen.

– I am thankful for Starbucks. What on EARTH will I do without you when I get to Alaska?! Same goes for Target…oh how I will miss thee!

– I am thankful for Day-Planners. Because without mine, I would surely be lost. I tend to pack my schedule too tightly, so my planner keeps me reminded of everything I forgot that I needed to do I have going on for the day.

– I am thankful for Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. They remove Sharpie from kitchen cabinets; sharpie from appliances like the dishwasher and the stove, and crayon from the walls. Not that my son has ever done those things.

– I am thankful for showers with plenty of hot water behind closed doors. Not the showers you jump in and jump out while a tiny little head peeks in and out at you behind the curtain. I mean the really good, long, hot drawn out showers that come after your child is in bed or while someone occupies them. The ones that are rare, but worth the wait.

– I am thankful for the meals that don’t involve sharing. I love when I get a chance to sit down and eat without someone’s tiny fingers grabbing at my plate and asking for a bite.

– I am thankful for thirty minutes of uninterrupted TV time…TV time that does not include anything animated that can be found on PBS, Nick Jr., Disney or on a Disney/Pixar or Veggie Tales DVD. I mean real TV. With real life people on channels like HGTv and Lifetime.

I am beyond thankful for my husband and my precious little boy, but these things? These simple, minute, seemingly insignificant things keep me sane. Keep me from losing every ounce of normalcy I have left. Here’s to a Happy Thanksgiving and greater appreciation for the little things in life.