Incredibly thankful

Instead of the year-end or year-beginning post that seems apparently required of the blogger these days that I am refusing to do, and especially because of tragedy across seas, as well as the complete feeling of hopelessness that I have been overcome with, I feel the need to be extra thankful for the things that make me smile in my life. I'm hoping, that as a result of the tsunami (I almost feel like something that powerful and catastrophic should be a proper noun) and the war in Iraq, that people are becoming more aware of how fortunate they are to be alive.

So, in place of a list of events of 2004, or resolutions for 2005, here is a list of things that will make me smile no matter what year it is:

1. the morning light in my kitchen as I make my coffee
2. the way Took hops on his hind legs when he's about to be fed
3. my new nephew's red hair, little feet, and chubby cheeks
4. having my best friend in the form of my sister living across the street
5. watching my sister become a mother for the first time
6. cooking
7. my morning chats with my friend T when I should be doing work
8. knowing I have amazing, smart, funny, beautiful, kind, wonderful friends in my life...I am so lucky
9. being blessed with the family I have
10. yummy food, and someone to share it with
11. good conversation with someone you admire and happen to find incredibly sexy at the same time
12. finding someone you can't get enough of
13. a good book, a fire, and a glass of wine
14. watching the snow fall while snuggling under a blanket
15. beautiful jewelry
16. napping on a snowy day
17. music in any form (except in the form of Phil Collins)
18. breakfast, anytime of the day
19. when people around me are so happy, they glow
20. my friends and family finding something they love in life and going for it
21. friends that will travel over a thousand miles to see me for just a day
22. being touched by a stranger through their writing
23. when Took rests his head by me in the morning waiting for me to scratch his belly
24. Sundays
25. and so much more...

Life is good, Internet. It may be masked by death and destruction that seems out of our control; but under that all, we are lucky to have been given breath. A year ago, I may not have been able to believe this. And for that, I am thankful.