Attitude of Gratitude: 30 Days of Thankfulness

I decided to jump on the bandwagon and daily post on Facebook the things I'm thankful for. It only takes a minute or so each day, but it has significantly impacted my mindset and preparedness for the Thanksgiving holiday. It's easy to get caught up in looking forward to the day of eating turkey and other yummy food and planning for Christmas (which seems to start the day after Halloween), but doing this simple thing every day has really drastically changed my outlook on my life. Not that I hated my life before, but I truly am thankful for all that I have. I will list all of my posts for this year below, for posterity. :o)

Attitude of Gratitude: 30 Days of Thankfulness
November 1-30, 2011
1 :: I'm thankful for days off when I can sleep in. ♥
2 :: I'm thankful for Starbucks and chats with great long distance friends like Laura Taylor.
3 :: As much as I'm looking forward to us having kids of our own some day, I am so thankful for this time in our lives when it's just the two of us.
4 :: I'm thankful for a zero-based budget, Dave Ramsey, and Financial Peace University which we are attending in January.
5 :: I'm thankful for three-day weekends!
6 :: I'm so very thankful for our pastor, Robert Morris, and Gateway Worship at Gateway Church. We are truly so blessed with a wonderful church home.
7 :: I am thankful for life, my relationship with Jesus, and my upbringing as I'm praying for the unknown family and friends of our 32-year-old neighbor who committed suicide last night.
8 :: I'm so thankful to live in a country where I get to vote. It is an honor and a privilege that is way too easy to take for granted.
9 :: I'm thankful for grilled cheese and tomato soup. Whether I'm 8 or 28, it has never failed when I want yummy comfort food. ♥
10 :: I am thankful for new, cute and inexpensive outfits. It seems trivial, but since it's rare for me, I am sincerely grateful for it!
11 :: I am truly thankful for veterans, especially the brave young men and (woman) that I know who have served, but today I'm also thankful for YouTube, Baby Einstein, and my parents for what they dealt with when I was a cranky, sick, teething kid. Now that I understand more of what they went through, I can reeeeeeally appreciate them.
12 :: Seeing as I was on the go from 8 am to 11 pm today, I am thankful for rest! :o)
13 :: I am thankful for Skype and FaceTime which make 1,000 miles not feel so far. :o)
14 :: I am thankful for Pinterest!
15 :: I'm thankful for our small group. I am missing it tonight, but I love the new relationships we have established. I am going to be so sad when the semester is over!
16 :: I'm thankful for my amazing, annoying, loving, thinks-he's-a-lap-dog, five-and-a-half-year-old mutt Apollo who keeps me company. Thanks to him, I never have to be home alone! :o)
17 :: I know it's controversial, but I am thankful Occupy Dallas is over. It was disbanded last night, and since they DO NOT represent me or pretty much anyone I know, I'm glad they no longer have the media attention and voice to accomplish a whole lot of nothing (but abusing people and public property).
18 :: I'm thankful for guilt-free date nights on a budget! No regrets. I love spending time with Nate Piatt. ♥
19 :: Today I am thankful to live in Texas. I know how blessed we are to be able to experience events like my niece's first birthday party today, and I hope I don't ever take it for granted. Oh, and the 79 degree weather in November isn't too shabby either. ;o)
20 :: I am so very thankful for a 87-year-old lady, my GramE. She is my only living grandparent, and today is her birthday. I know lots of people don't get to know their grandparents as adults, and I am so thankful to have her. I just wish she didn't live so far away. Love you GramE! :o)
21 :: I am thankful for these "Attitude of Gratitude: Season of Thanksgiving" posts. It forces me to stop and reflect on my life every day and has totally prepared me for the upcoming Day of Thanksgiving. Even though we are so sad to be away from most of our family and friends this year, we truly have so much to be thankful for.
22 :: I'm thankful for Ellie Grace Wills. Happy first birthday ever, Elle Belle. Your "Ayaya" loves you more than you know.
23 :: I am thankful for employment.
24 :: I am thankful to be able to spend Thanksgiving Day with family, even if it's only the 5 of us.
25 :: I am thankful for friends. I don't have nearly as many good, close friends these days as I did back in college, so I'm thankful for the ones I do have and that Facebook helps us keep in touch.
26 :: I mentioned them in a previous post, but I am thankful for my parents. If I do half as good a job being a parent (some day) as they did with us, I'll be doing just fine. Love you Mom and Dad!
27 :: I am thankful for my two awesome brothers. I wouldn't trade them for anyone, and the wives they picked out are pretty great too. I love having sisters now that are also my friends. :o)
28 :: I am thankful for my husband, Nate Piatt. He is hands-down the hardest working man I know. He is quiet and serious a lot, but we are so goofy sometimes – he cracks me up like no one else. I am so grateful that I get to do life with him every single day. I love you, babe!
29 :: I am so thankful for the Bible that I can read and understand in my language and that I can carry with me everywhere I go (on my iPod). We take it for granted but other generations and cultures did not have this privilege, and it's pretty awesome.
30 :: Last, and definitely not least, I am thankful for Jesus, who truly was and is the best gift ever.