Thankfulness wrapped up

I think I officially failed on my thankfulness postings...but I warned you that that was a strong possibility at the onset.  I managed a grand total of 7 postings about thankfulness.  Here are the links to the posts, in case you missed them and wanted to catch up:

1) General thankfulness
2) Pla Shee
3) Kai
4) Ruby
5) Aaron
6) Family and Friends

  I think I'll wrap up the thankfulness theme today with a few specific thanks that are on my mind today.  First, a gratuitous picture of Kai and Ruby.  I am thankful that I was able to capture her smile!

I'm thankful for...

my job.  I am on faculty at the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work, where I teach and conduct research about health and social work.  I love what I do, and I love that my job is flexible enough that I can be a mom to my kiddos and also continue working.  I've had the luxury of bringing Ruby to work with me since she was two weeks old, which has been wonderful.  It's meant that I've been able to spend quality time with her these first months while also maintaining my involvement on projects like this one:  www.wornforpeace.com, a social enterprise project with refugees on which I'm an evaluation researcher.

Here's a pic of Ruby hanging out in my office one day last week:

our farm.  Even though I don't get to spend as much time as I used to playing with the animals or growing veggies in the garden, I know that this will change again over time.  I love that we live out in the country and can raise our children in a small town.  I love that we don't have to buy beef, chicken, turkey, eggs and milk from the grocery store, and instead know exactly where our food comes from and what it was doing before we ate it.

 our church.  I am grateful that we found a church family in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff.  It has become a wonderful community of caring and support for our family, and a true blessing in my life. 



my mom.  She is amazing...my best friend, role model, mentor, counselor.  I can't usually go much more than a day or two without talking with her, and it kills me that we live four hours apart.

everything and everyone else.  I have so many amazing blessings in my life.  I've lived a life of full of unearned privileges, and I am grateful for the life I've been given.