I saw this picture on Facebook today… It made me want to blog.

I have talked about my problems a lot lately. in fact, I had a conversation with someone just last night about how much I (we) tend to talk about our problems… Those problems could be people/relationships, financial, physical ailments, or emotional bruises…

Have I suffered through a lot of those problems in the past year. Heck, who hasn’t had their share of problems?

But, breaking that addiction and learning to talk about my joys. Now that sounds like a challenge I want to take on.

First of all, people that are joys to me:

My children. I don’t know what I would do without them. Its amazing how those small people can have such a tremendous impact on our every day life. Every decision I make now has to go through a filter of “what’s best for my kids?” and that is a beautiful thing. I hope it helps me make better choices and present a better attitude.

My family. My youngest sister volunteers to babysit when she can, my mom has lots of good advice, my brothers would do anything for me, and my other sisters have been my best friends throughout the years.

My friends. I have an amazing circle of people that I am blessed to call friends. They have jumped in and helped when I thought I couldn’t manage things, they have been there through thick and thin with encouragement, praise and sometimes chocolate and wine.

My church. I have an incredible church. They found me a place to stay, so I didn’t have to go back to an abusive situation. They have helped me locate resources to take care of different things that I knew I could never have done on my own. Not only that, but getting connected to people who are working on their relationships with God is an amazing feeling. Iron sharpens iron, and I am fortunate to have a church family who sharpens me on a daily basis.

My job. I have the most incredible job in the world. I get to make a difference in people’s lives, perhaps save people’s lives through event planning. Its also a lot of fun to help women try on wigs and learn how to do their makeup. Plus, I work with a group of incredible ladies! No cat fights, no snarky remarks, no back biting. Best job I have ever had, BY FAR.

My health. I am healthy and doing well physically. I have gained 40lbs in the past year and I have so much more energy. My kids and I eat well, and often. I am far less depressed and I am extremely thankful for the ability to hike, bike, and boat on a regular basis.

There are so many more things that I am thankful for. So many little joys in my life… But lunch time is over and I must go…