a bright idea...

As a prelude to Thanksgiving, I've been noticing tons of blog friends celebrating 30 Days of Gratefulness, a really simple daily project in which one lists the things she is grateful for during the month of November. I really love this idea, and am asking your permission to join the club, fashionably late?

1. I am grateful for thrift stores. For the thrill of bargain hunting and for the place where I stumbled upon my new aqua lamp. I'm thankful that for just a couple bucks, I brought this gem home and didn't even have to spray paint it. I was grateful that with an updated drum shade and a new light bulb, she lit right up. She has great curves, don't you think!?

2. I am grateful for our cozy home, for a well-operating furnace, and the warm bodies inside.

3. I am grateful for God's provision. More like amazed. He has been blessing our little photog business so much lately, that Jeff had to hang up his apron at the restaurant in order to keep up with all of the work(!!!) We'd been praying about this for awhile, because for the last couple of months, Jeff has been stretched so thin. We carefully looked at our budget, decided we had enough saved up to live off of my income alone until after Christmas, and took a leap of faith. Not even 1 week later, our established/exceptional wedding photographer friend & mentor called Jeff up and asked him to join her business as one of her associates! We will still have our own business and Jeff will do shoots for her clients for extra income and experience. I can even go along and work as a second photographer at any of these weddings! God is so good.

4. I am grateful that freeing up Jeff's work schedule means more free time for our family. This weekend, for the first time since Labor Day we are both neither working nor traveling. It is wonderful! We are just relaxing and giving our home/yard some much needed love and attention.

5. I am grateful for chocolate, a working computer, and my silver sparkly ballet flats. Three things I could not live without.

6. I am grateful for the sun shining through our windows. I washed all of them inside and out this morning. I can't believe I let them be so filthy for so long! Now we will have crystal clear views of the first snowfall...Any day now.