Gratitude…

This morning I woke up feeling wonderful and full of gratitude. Jim was still sleeping so every was quiet. Except Connor (the chicken) wouldn’t stop crowing and Shelby (the cat) was snoring right next to me. Oh, and the birds were all chirping. But besides that, it was really quiet.

Shelby sleeping. She apparently had a rough night. Her hair is all messed up and she is snoring loudly. And I’m not sure how this position can possibly be comfortable!

I sat here thinking about all the things we have to accomplish this weekend… Cut the grass, pack, load the trailer to take to the storage facility, bring the camper home so we can get it ready for next weekend, make sure Jim has everything he needs for his trip next week…. the list goes on.

And then I looked at Shelby. I have had Shelby since October 31st of 2006. She will be 13 years old in August. She and I have had some experiences! I remember the night the was a storm that blew my front door open in the middle of the night. Shelby and Miata (another cat I had) both got outside. Miata was lost for a few weeks but Shelby….. she went to the next door neighbor’s and sat his porch under an awning. She didn’t care that they had a dog. She was staying dry. And then there was the time that Jim and I had her out in the back yard and she was running around playing. She took off running full speed, made a sharp right turn and ran smack into a fence. It took us quite a while to stop laughing at that one! She is my girl though and I am so grateful to have her.

And then there is the view I have out my window as I sit here writing. It is just beautiful. I can see the chicken coop and the pond. And the sky is blue and the trees are green. I will definitely miss this view but I am so grateful to have had it.

My view this morning…

And our many dear friends. The ones we see often and the ones we see seldom. I can’t wait to camp with many of them this weekend! I will have some of my favorite things surrounding me. Camping, hiking, water, friends, and laughter.

And finally, my husband who I adore and respect so much. He is my best friend. He is spontaneous with me, he makes me laugh (often!), he listens to my fears and helps me work through any problem I have. We laugh, we love, we enjoy! I am extremely grateful to share my life with him.

I have so many things to be thankful for and pause daily to remember everything good in my life.

Love to all!

#lovefriendshipbethemagiclaughhikecamp