52 Lists Project Week 5: Things I am Grateful For

I have been trying to have an attitude of gratitude here recently, and I have been doing a better job. This week's 52 lists project is things I am grateful for, tying right in with my goal.

1. My husband, Brad. Ladies, be jealous; gentlemen, take notes. Being a new teacher is insanely hard and exhausting. Brad has kept up with laundry, cleaning, made sure I have eaten, taken care of animals, fixed things in my classroom and run some truly bizarre errands (hey honey, I need 5 giant bags of fruit loops!) without question or complaint. 
2. My grandparents. We are lucky enough to have them next door. It helps them out some, but really, we're the lucky ones. My grandmother consistently tries to feed me, my grandfather keeps us in fresh veggies, and when I called him a few minutes ago asking him to let the dog out, it had already been done. 
3. My mother. This is the person I call when I'm stuck with a student, when I'm having a bad day, or when I need a second opinion. She believed in me always, taught me to work hard and to treat others with kindness. 
4. My father, who taught me to take care of people, spent 10 years driving me to horse shows, and showed me what is important in life, as well as what it means to be a man, husband and father. I would never settle for anything less than his standard in a person.
5. My parents as a unit. They feed us weekly, help me with the horses so I can work late, and push me to be my best. 
6. The rest of my family. My aunt and uncle sent me flowers my first week here, my other aunt has given me advice that I feel has been incredibly helpful to me as a new teacher. 
7. Friends. In the last few months, I went from not having a social life at all to telling my husband, "not this weekend, not next weekend, but the weekend after, NO PLANS. I just want a day to myself." I have made more friends in the last month than I thought possible, and I feel that I really fit here at BES. 
8. My job. It pays great, I fit well, and I believe in what I'm doing. I know I have a ton to learn, but I also know that there are plenty willing to teach. 
9. My master's degree…and the fact that I can take just about every class I want to online for the foreseeable future. 
10. Pets. I've loved taking care of my parent's dog, Gypsy, over the last few weeks and in another three we get to bring our puppy, Sage, home. 
11. Books on tape. They make the long drive to and from work pleasant. 
12. Rock climbing. I'm still not very good, but I get a little stronger each and every time. 
13. My Happiness Project, that led me on this blogging journey, and is helping me to enjoy life a little more every day.
14. Good food. That's really about enough said on that topic. 
15. The Reading Specialists at BES, who answer all my questions, explain things until I get it, and drop off the books I need in my room with insane speed. (Seriously, the longest I've had to wait is two hours.)
16. My mentor and coteacher, who makes life in the first grade fun and wonderful. 
17. My students. My first graders beg me not to leave to go teach 4th grade math and call me a princess, all my students hug me, my fifth grader says "yes ma'am" so politely it makes me a better person, and my motley crew of 4th grade math students genuinely tries their best, and is making improvements. 
18. The church that supports our school. We get a lot of free supplies. 
19. Kind friends and strangers. I've had numerous other things donated to my classroom over the last month, simply because people are kind. 
20. Rafe Esquith, one of my teaching heroes, whose books inspire me to fight through the though stuff and be the best educator I can. 
21. My friend Kelly, who keeps her horse with me, and takes over feeding duties when I need her to. 
22. The wealth of information I have access to, both for teaching and for the rest of my life. 
23. Music, and its amazing power to capture and explain the many conundrums and joys of life. 
24. Horses, and the opportunity to have learned from them over the years. 
25. Good teachers, in every aspect of my life. 
26. Bad teachers. I really have the desire to hunt down the algebra teacher who told me I'd be lucky to finish high school and thank her. That one statement pushed me to prove her wrong, and I'd say a master's degree does it. I also remember that when I am frustrated with a student, and it reminds me to be careful with my words. 
27. My little business and the dream it represents. 
28. The broad world view I was exposed to from a young age. 
29. One more seat at the dinner table. Growing up, there was ALWAYS room for more at our dinner table, regardless of religion, race, sexuality, beliefs, or walk of life. This open generosity is one of the best life lesson I have had. 
30. My hometown. Sure, its a little backward in some respects, but there's culture, a decent job market and some damn good places to eat.
31. My confidence and self respect. I had lost this for a while, but I'm starting to regain it, and I'm truly thrilled to discover I feel good about myself again.
32. My body. I'm not a size two, and I doubt I will be in the near future, but I can swing a 50 pound hay bale with ease, manage a horse, pull myself up a rock wall, and I think I could throw a punch or two in a bar if necessary (though since I don't go to bars, and I'm more of a love than a fighter, I think this is unlikely).
33. My willingness to gain knowledge from unlikely places. Listen to a six year old. You might learn  a lot about life. 
34. My previous job. Was it my dream, no. But it gave me perspective, experience, and a heck of a toolbox. 
35. Pinterest. Maybe its cheesy, but I get tons of teaching ideas off of it, and its a fabulous resource for SPED teachers. 
36. Natural beauty. In people, in nature, in ordinary everyday life. 
37. My continual drive to be a better person. 
38. Slowly but surely, I'm getting the hang of the aspects of my new job. I'm walking out tonight as prepared for tomorrow as it possible, and with a little done for Thursday as well. 
39. Laughter, and its continual presence in my life.
40. Consistently being around people I am comfortable enough to be myself around. 
41. Having strong female role models throughout my life. 
42. My sister, and knowing someone as brave as she is. 
43. My home. It's location, its appearance and the way I feel in it. 
44. The overall health of my family as a whole.
45. My little classroom, and how at home I feel in it. 
46. New life. As of January, Brad and I will have had the privilege to welcome three little boys into the world as part of our family, and I am certain they will all grow to be men that make the world a little better. 
47. The power to make up my mind to be happy. So many people either can't or don't know how to make this choice. 
48. Family history. The fact that I know it, live it, and am working to preserve it. 
49. The path Brad and I are on to be debt free by thirty. 
50. ADHD. No, seriously, a therapist once asked me if it ever bothered me. I laughed and told her it was my super power. 
51. The creativity of others, and the joy that is to be had in it. 
52. My life. It is wonderful in all aspects. 

Smile, laugh and tell me what makes you grateful.