Gratitude at this time of year - JYC 16

Every now and then something happens which pulls me up and makes me take stock of what I have, to realise how lucky I am and to be thankful for what I have and not to moan about what I don't have.  Christmas is one of those times.  So here is my list of what I am thankful for (easier to list than write about each one, otherwise this post could end up as a novel!!)

1. For being born into the family I belong to,
2. For being lucky enough to have found a man who loves me for being me, all the bads bits with a few good thrown in,
3. For having two wonderful daughters - who really haven't given us too much stress over the last 18yrs, compared to what some parents experience,
4. For the good friends I have - may not be a large circle but they are very special to me each one of them.  You know who you are - thank you,
5. For my health, Mick's and the girls - touch wood we have never had too much illness in the house,
6. For always being in employment - certainly a wide variety, but I wouldn't change any of it,
7. For my life style and location,
8. For actually being alive and able to enjoy this wonderful world we live in,
9. For Mick keeping my feet firmly on the ground, so we as a family live within our means but comfortable,
10. For all the cyber friends I have made here in blog land, may be one day I will have the pleasure of meeting you all,
11. Think I had best stop there and just say "Thank you"

I guess a thank you is more poignant this time of year when you think about family and friends getting together to share time and memories - then there are those who have no family or friends to see, talk to, laugh with.  Those that will be sleeping outside - are doing so now in this horrid weather we are having - will anyone wish them Happy Christmas? 

For a photo I thought I would share this one that my cousin sent me the other week,  yep that is me, with my mum, dad and two brothers. Sadly Dad died when I was 11 and mum in 2006

My Grandma, she died when I was five, so I didn't have long with her but I have very fond memories of her, spending time with us.  She is responsible for my stamp collections, (not that I have looked at it in years and years), bought me my first pair of knitting needles and two balls of wool in alittle box.