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Ten Things of Thankful: Look Up! Edition


Sometimes I get a bit grumpy.  Sometimes all it takes is one grumpy moment to spawn multiple grumpy moments.  As this is not the "Ten Grumps of Grumpiness" blog hop, however, I will take various annoying situations and focus on the bigger picture.  I will look up, where the view and perspective are clearer.  I will be thankful!



Annoying Situation: A telemarketing call interrupted my morning prayer.  The telemarketer hung up on me when I asked him to please add me to the do not call list.  

Thankful #1:  I have a working telephone.
Thankful #2:  I can pray anytime, anywhere.

Annoying Situation:  Our home internet service was down for about 24 hours. 

Thankful #3:   Real life, with no computer distractions.

Annoying Situation:  Parenting isn't always as I pictured it.  Even after being a parent for a quarter of a CENTURY, I still run across scenarios that never seem to be mentioned in any parenting book.  

Thankful #4:  See Thankful #2
Thankful #5:  John is handy with home repairs.  'Nuff said.
Thankful #6:  Someday, we will laugh about this.  I think.  
Thankful #7:  I have an interesting, challenging job. I am Mom.

 
NOT-Annoying Situation:  Spring is here!

Thankful #8-10:  The backyard is showing signs of growth and beauty.









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Thanks to the skywriter who brightened my day, and thanks to John for snapping a photo for me!

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Comments

  1. Yay for spring indeed and here is to warmer temps indeed again here soon now. And do love how you found the positive in certain scenarios that might most definitely be annoying. :)

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  2. Ut-oh! I hope the 'laughing about it' day comes sooner than you expect!

    WELL DONE!

    And beautiful photographs, as ever :D

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    1. I try to live by the words of Marjorie Pay Hinckley: “The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache."

      We're still rolling our eyes and shaking our heads, but we have managed a chuckle or two while doing so, so that's a start.

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  3. The Moms....more humbled yet tougher than any Marine! Im not sure why but this could be my favorite "Thankful Me" post of all time! Made me happy!

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    1. Oh, I'm glad the Marines comparison was obvious. Parenting is not for wimps!

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  4. so lovely! and let me guess:
    artichoke, hydrangea, iris? let me know!
    Yay moms! xox jean

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    1. So close! Artichoke, grape vine, iris. :-)

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  5. Holy mother of...is that green out there? Green?!! I have not seen the colour of green since my son had his last cold!
    We have snow.
    I'm glad that you can find the thankful in all the things annoying. Telemarketers are fun aren't they. Yesterday I won a free cruise. Yup, the captain called me himself.

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    1. You make me laugh. Hope you can see a not-gross green soon. Congratulations on your cruise win. ;-)

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  6. I look forward to your Thankful posts.

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    1. Thank you, Nancy. I look forward to writing them each week, too. :-)

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  7. You are the most positive grumpy person ever! Sorry you've had stuff to make you grumpy this week. And lucky you, you have a handy husband! I'm married to Mr. Badwrench!

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    1. I am lucky. John just seems to have a knack for about everything. He's out in the garage working on the project right now.

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  8. Great reminder that by reframing our challenges/annoyances, we can find the positive! It takes some intentionality to do, that's for sure!

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    1. I just can't stay upset for long; I don't like the way that makes me feel.

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  9. Wow, your garden looks amazing, Kristi! Love your TToT, especially the fact that you recognize that you can pray anywhere and any time. Makes all of the annoyances bearable, doesn't it?

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    1. Oh, definitely!

      As for the garden, I've found that if I plant what grows in my area, I have better success. Sounds logical, right? I can't tell you how many raspberries I sent to their death here before I finally gave in and stopped trying!

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  10. nicely parlayed!
    it is always a worthwhile ambition to not let the negatives (of day to day life) crowd out the positives, seeing and hearing (i.e. witnessing) a person's experience is even better!

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    1. Thanks, Clark. I know that I always enjoy hearing the experiences of others.

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  11. Love the green so much - it's time! And being able to pray anytime, anywhere? Definitely something we should all remember to be thankful for more often - so many do not enjoy that freedom.
    Have a great week!

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    1. I think that silent prayers just thought in one's head also count--and those can be given even in places where public prayer is forbidden. However, I am very thankful to live in a country that allows me to practice my religion freely.

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  12. Wow, you must live farther south than I do to have those signs of spring in your yard! All I can boast is a lone crocus.

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    1. I'm in southern California, so we definitely did not have the winter that most of the nation did.

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  13. I'm going to be more like you, cheerful and positive in the face of difficulties. You are wonderful. And I told you Mother Nature was just teasing us last week. This week is down to freezing again with overnight lows in the teens. Nothing green around here but the envy.

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    1. I just can't believe (though I know you are telling the truth) how much wintery weather you have had this year! I hope March will go out like a lamb!

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  14. Is that an artichoke?? You grow them???? That is my all-time favorite food HANDS DOWN!

    I'm sorry about the shouting but I have never met anyone who grew artichokes. I am out of my head with jealousy right now.

    You sure can turn out a good post for a grump so there's something else you can be thankful for :)

    I love that pic of you and your mom and grandma. What a family resemblance...lovely!

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    1. Oh, we are kindred spirits! When I was in 3rd grade, our art project was to make a mobile of our favorite foods. No one knew what my green construction-paper artichoke was--not even when I told them it was an artichoke! I love, love, love artichokes. And yes, it is growing in my garden. I have never been successful in growing artichokes until I lived here in the desert--though I think they normally do better in cooler climates. Anyway, for whatever reason, this plant has decided to grow, and it produces offshoots every year. I think this is its 4th year, and it is HUGE! If you happen to have raspberries growing at your place, we can be equally jealous of each other, because though artichokes are my favorite vegetable, I think I could eat raspberries all day every day. :-)

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  15. Here's to praying when we want to, to being moms, and to annoying telemarketers hanging up on us before we do so on them (have I ever mentioned that sometimes, if they call back more than twice, after I've said I am not interested, that I hand the phone to very hard to understand Tucker? they usually get the point then and I'm thankful for them getting it and the chuckle I get over the joy on Tucker's face for being The Boss). I'm also super jealous of your spring plants and flowers. We had another snow day here on Monday and finally our first nice day today although it's supposed to maybe (??? they keep changing their minds) another bad day on Tuesday. Tucker got some bean plants from my mom for Valentine's Day and he's loving them in the window, having to repot them, but it's time to transfer them outside, already!!! I LOVE artichokes, by the way. They're my number 3 favorite after lobster and cheese. :D

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    1. Tucker must love the telemarketer calls! Hopefully, spring will arrive soon so you can get the bean plants in the ground.

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  16. Some things can indeed be annoying, Kristi! Glad for quite a good week!

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  17. Very nice list for a grumpy person. There wasn't even any sarcasm in your thankfuls. I have trouble doing that.
    I remember your post from a while back on your love for artichokes. I can't believe they are almost ready to pick. Oh how I want to get our garden planted!
    Hopefully you can laugh soon, and the child can learn from whatever he/she did. I'm sure that prayer time will help.

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    1. The artichoke plants are perennial and do produce in spring. I need to plant the summer-bearing garden in the next month or so.

      John and I are laughing a bit, albeit with rolling eyes and shaking heads. We are also hoping that the lesson was learned. Time will tell, and yes, prayer does indeed help.

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  18. I'm with you looking up huh...lately I'm calling it looking for the silver lining....sometimes they are there, sometimes they are hiding and then there are the moments or days the silver linings not there...but prayers help! your garden looks gorgeous...we need to get out and do our spring clean up still waiting for a thaw,,,,now there is talk of more snow on Tuesday aargh!!!!
    Being a mom is tough...its not easy, worrying, and the guilt...wow its 24/7 and I'm a new mom (4 years now) this week I was tested a couple of times...but I am sticking to my guns this time the guilt will pass I will breathe and a little disciplining is needed, in the past i would hear I promise to be good i'm sorry well i got that again but this time the punishment still stands....on a lighter note my son helped me clean the stove yesterday I told him to clean it or shine it up with Windex and elbow grease...he couldn't find the elbow grease and asked me where it was.. i told him call your dad and ask him what he did with it... I laughed so hard tears streaming down my face.... couldn't help myself!

    have a great day!

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    1. Consistency when the kids are young really pays off in the long run. Clear expectations and calm, fair consequences help give a sense of security to children.

      LOL about the elbow grease!

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  19. I'm super jealous of your spring!

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    1. Three seasons of the year are really nice here, weather-wise--and then there is the inferno labeled as summer. :-)

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  20. Love that you have a garden in your backyard- I started a little one with basil, strawberries and sunflowers on my windowsill. All Target dollar spot planter finds but I am loving it!

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    1. Absolutely nothing wrong with planter gardens--and bargains, at that! (My only problem with container gardens is that I usually don't keep on top of the watering. Automatic sprinklers are the only way my garden stays alive!)

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  21. When the internet goes down I am always thankful for how much cleaner my house is by the time it comes back up! I am convinced I was a much better housekeeper when I did have such wonderful and instant distractions! Love the picture of the artichoke! They are so unique to watch grow and they have such beautiful purple flowers if left to go to seed. Happy Monday!

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