Practicing Gratitude

So, my girls went back to school yesterday. The summer is officially over.



BUT... I am thankful it was a wonderful summer!

I'm thankful we've had no more power outages since the 3-day adventure at the end of June!

I'm grateful we had opportunity to make it to the lake a few times and that the weather was perfect for each of them.  I'm thankful that The Man got to get in some watersports this year.  He really misses the summers when that was at MINIMUM a weekly occurrence.  I'm thankful the girls got to try some new things in the water this year, too, like the ski-trainer and the knee board, and that their confidence continues to grow.

I'm thankful they had another great week at camp this year.

I'm thankful our van issues seem to be dealt with.  Finally.  We actually had to bring it BACK to the shop within a week of coming home from our extended stay in The Big City!  Different problems, but problems nonetheless!!  Given the age of the van, its mileage, and what we could expect to sell it for, this is definitely the LAST time we'll be putting any serious money into repairs!!  But I'm thankful we had the money, thanks to that unexpected tax refund we got in spring and determined NOT to spend recklessly on things we just felt like doing or having.

I'm thankful that even though the girls missed the first two days of swimming lessons because of the extended stay in the City due to van issues, they both passed their levels.  Mack actually passed an ADDITIONAL level, which, of course, we weren't expecting!!

I'm thankful for the great weather we've had this summer.  It got off to a stormy start and we actually did have a fair bit of rain in July, but the cloudiness was always short-lived.  It would be a sunny day till about mid-afternoon when the clouds would roll in.  We'd get a thunderstorm and an inch or two of rain overnight, and then the next morning would be clear and sunny again.

I'm grateful for guests who bring their suite of rooms with them!  The Man's parents came out like they often do at the end of August, towing their 5th wheel camper along as they make their way from their seasonal campsite to the lake where their church meets for family camp on the long weekend.  It's a wonderfully low-key visit AND the girls get to do a couple of sleep-over nights!  I'm so thankful they still want to do things like that and that they have such a great relationship with both sets of grandparents.

And I'm thankful for a 40th birthday that just seems to keep on going!  Seriously, if I'd know turning 40 would be this much fun, I'd've done it years ago!!  My mother-in-law took me and the girls out for a birthday lunch last Thursday while my father-in-law rode with The Man in the semi for the day and took him out for lunch in a town along the way.  I also got my second 40th birthday toe ring in the mail (which I think will become a finger ring) that day, and I've begun planning the weekend get-away The Man and I will enjoy once harvest is over.  It will be much closer to HIS birthday, but I'm willing to share if it means prolonging the celebration over two whole months!

I'm grateful my girls both have really good teachers this year.  Mack's teacher last year left much to be desired, but this year will be different, and I'm so happy for her.  Both girls seem to have had an excellent first day yesterday and are looking forward to seeing their friends every day again.  (we live out in the middle of nowhere, remember, so without specially planned playdates, they don't actually see much of their school friends during the summer.)

I'm sad the summer is over, but I'm also grateful (though still not quite ready!) for a return to a predictable routine.

What were you most thankful for this summer?

 

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