Thankful for...

As summer comes to a close this Friday (it's officially autumn on September 23), I ponder the past summer, all the experiences I had and memories I made, people I spent time with and people I missed...and I feel a rush of gratitude to God and the universe for all of it, including--

A fun few days of camping.  The weather was wonderful, we didn't get eaten alive my mosquitoes, we picked up several items for ridiculously cheap at a Sally Ann, Licorice was fine without us, we learned that we can get along even when stuck together for several days on end and...sex in a tent.  Need I say more?

Licorice's cute little quirks.  As time passes, Mr. Greyhound becomes more and more outgoing and I can see his personality shining through.  He carries about his stuffed animals like little babies, although tearing them apart and shaking them violently probably isn't great parenting.  He enjoys his time at the dog park still, is becoming very good at recall (for those who don't know these terms--coming back to owner when called off-leash), his new dog food is agreeing with him and his coat looks great...all these things make me relieved as it's easy to get stuck with a dog that is difficult to manage.  I'm already craving another grey to make a pair, but I'm scared that the next dog won't be a walk in the park as Licorice has been.

Cooking!  I've just rediscovered my love for cooking, healthy and hearty meals such as stews, soups, fish...My personal fav was cornmeal breaded chicken breasts stuffed with jalapeno Havarti cheese.  It's also great to save money by eating out less and I definitely feel healthier. 

Farmer's Market!  This is of course directly linked to cooking, but I've fallen in love with going to the farmer's market downtown and buying fresh produce!  I love having veggies in the fridge that aren't frozen or canned!  I probably use fresh onions every single day, especially with my favourite meal...omelets.

Omelets... I'm so grateful for omelets.  They're tasty and easy to change up.  I've made omelets with assorted veggies, meats, toppings...name it and we've made it!  I still need to purchase an authentic omelet pan (making the flipping over easier) but I'm still loving on making omelets.  Such delicious and wholesome foods :D

Matt. Well, when you get into a relationship, you inevitably tend to become a bit obsessed with the person you're with.  I've been through that with Matt, am still somewhat going through it although I try not to talk about him a lot to people... so here it is in my blog which you are reading right now and can't STOP READING! Haha!  I just love this man so much. 
He's taught me so many things about myself and continues to grow and change with me.  He's willing to sacrifice for the sake of our relationship, he cooks and cleans, he encourages me to pursue my dreams and faith... I know I've talked about him a lot on this blog (due to avoiding boring people with accolades of him) and I just can't stop!  I'm so happy, so grateful, so blessed...that the first person I'm in a relationship with is someone like Matt. 

Sex.  Heh.  Sex is awesome, especially with someone you love and who loves you back. 

Bon Iver.   I love him and I love his new CD "Bon Iver".  Go buy it and support an artist.  You will love it especially if you lean towards folk/indie music.



This is all for now!  I could list many more things that I am grateful for... Instead I'll hold them inside and treasure each memory I have made this summer. 

Be thankful, be blessed.

P.S.  Meeting alone with my dad next week, he says just to catch up.  Translation: wants to ask if I still believe in God, wants to know how I'm sinning, wants me to somehow justify my lifestyle choices to him.  I refuse to participate in a debate about whether I'm a Christian or not, and I feel weird about not wanting to meet with him.  Do I somehow feel guilty about my relationship choices?  Well... perhaps a bit because it's so ingrained and I would like to avoid confrontation...
Ah well.  Such is life in Christian circles.