I am thankful everyday for the things, people, and experiences I've had and continue to have in my life. This week however a few incidents occured that reminded me how blessed I am.
Last week I was pretty mad because my review did not come back as great as I'd hoped and really thought it would. Don't get me wrong, it came back very positive, and I got another 5% increase. But... I was expecting them to review and likely even change my title, and well they didn't. :( Oh-well, as my boss said, a title is just a title.
So reminders of what I am thankful for...
1. Today, I learned that after 40 years at the same job, my roomate's father was fired from his job. He had worked at the same job, worked his way to the top and everything since he was 18!
2. This morning I also learned that a close friend's husband was let go from him job. He is the bread winner in their family, works in the auto industry, which as everyone knows has been hit terribly, terribly hard in this economy. They have a 3 month old baby currently.
Both of these served as a reminder that perhaps I was being greedy wanting more than I'd gotten from my review.... and so, despite the hardship it created for them, I'm thankful for the realization it gave me.
I have a million reasons to be thankful for my job, and some of them include:
a) I have almost no stress
b) I am blogging at work, lest I say more?
c) I like my boss a lot, 95% of the time.
d) I am paid pretty well.
e) I have 3 weeks paid vacation.
f) ALL of my insurance (medical, dental, vision) cost me $40 a month (quite a benefit considering I paid $280 at my last job).
g) My school is paid for.
h) I get every other Friday off
I) I have unlimited sick pay, which I can use for Doctor's appointments
J) Really, if I think about it, there are probably a whole alphabet of reasons to be thankful.
I also realized this weekend how thankful I am for my boys. On Saturday, I drove to Loveland to help a friend (same one who's husband was just let go), prepare their house for sale. We worked out butts off in the yard and house all day. I took my boys with me, and they ran and ran and ran in the yard... they have a HUGE back yard, and there were other dogs there to play with too.
From the first night I brought them home, until February when I finally purchased a new vehicle, Mars has gotten sick in the car every time we got in. I don't know if it was the stress, the fear, just plain carsickness, or what, but every time we went somewhere the poor thing would get sick. I've worked with him over and over, and things got better (mostly just drool, and rare puking). Since I bought a new car (much higher seats) in February, Mars has never gotten sick again. The key though is that he needs to be able to put his face out the window and feel the wind. So, yes, I am the weirdo that drives down I-25 in the winter with my dog (and sometimes dogS) sticking his head out the window. Whatever it takes, to make him not get sick.
So this window open thing has become the norm.... so saturday...we drove to Loveland, window open. Made it there, played all day! :)
On the way home, I ran through Chick-Fil-A to get a Cherry Coke... I love Cherry Coke! Weaving my way out of the parking lot, I of course drove in front of Petsmart, Pier 1, Target, all of those stores in Centerra. About the time I got in front of Pier 1, this young couple with 2 little kids were about to cross the walkway, I slowed down, let them cross, and then took off again. Seconds after taking off I realized, Mars had just JUMPED out the freaking window!!!!! My freaking dog jumped out of a moving vehicle. Milo, the sweet innocent little thing... looked out the window at the ground, trying to figure out where his big brother had just gone!
I of course immediately put the car in park and jump out. I am mortified even when I am out, I can't see him... the first thing I think is... OMG did I hit him? My heart stopped beating for a second. And then immediately, I see Mars run to these sweet little kids that are just now entering Pier 1 with their parents. Thank you god for this mother, she smartly grabs his collar for me and holds it til I can get to her.
In the end he is fine, not a scratch on him. But... for that brief second I panicked, and it made me realize I really do love that little brat. Even though he is a TON of extra work (I swear he is more work than a mastiff would be), I love him so much. My life would not be the same without his crazy, silly antics.
So, the moral to all of these ramblings... this week... I am thankful. For my life, for my job, for my health, for my dogs, for my friends, for all of the experiences I've been able to have, and those yet to come.
