Sunday, February 7, 2010

Simple Things

I was visiting Marla from Butts and Ashes and discovered a blog called  Enchanted Oak (go spread the blogging love with her and her wonderful family!)  The author of Enchanted Oak, along with her  family, is donating $2 to relief work in Haiti for those of us who do a post about simple things in our lives.  An anonymous donor is also matching her generous gift!  What a wonderful world we live in!
As I am all about the simple things, this was right up my alley

Here's my list:

  • Having all four of my car doors actually on my car... (yes, you never realized how important this is until one is actually off the car.  You just try driving without a door on the drivers side...)
  • Turning on the water and having clean water come out
  • An oven (mine just tanked, I miss it and my kids miss cookies...)
  • Playing hockey with my kids
  • Being able to run, although I hate it when I am out there...  But at least I can, if I want...
  • The fact that my husband, while he works odd days/hours, only works what would be equivalent to 40 hours a week.  I just met a family who recently immigrated from Pakistan, the dad works 7 days a week, 11 hours a day.
  • The fact that I can openly go to my church and will not get arrested for it.  Or even worse.
  • The best dad in the world, who, when my kids complain that we don't have any food (they actually mean we don't have any junk food that they like to eat) will go out and buy the kids some food.  Thanks Dad. (BTW~ my mom is pretty good too.)
  • Good doctors that listen to me
  • It is nice that all my family lives nearby, and that we usually like each other... 
  • The fact that my kids get excited to show me a beautiful moon
  • The sunset (I would also put sunrise, but in reality, it is WAY TOO EARLY for me to appreciate)
  • Playing football
  • Being able to turn the heater in your car on, from inside your car (very long story, but in a nutshell, my husband drives a beater car, seriously, a beater... Kids and I call it the ghetto car...People actually look at us as we drive down the highway in it...  His heat switch went out, hubby thought it would be funny/easier to just hook a toggle switch on the outside of his car, until he can fix it properly...So we stand by the hood and turn on the heat before getting in the car...  And sadly, this switch hangs right by the cord to plug the car in.)  Did I mention that my car only gets 12 MPG?  Sometimes I weigh which is more important, my pride or the fact that if I ride in the ghetto car, hubby will take care of the gas.  My pride has taken a serious beating with the ghetto car. 
  • I should actually be thankful for the darn toggle switch hanging out of the hood of his car.  For a bit there, we had to connect two wires, and if we didn't connect them the right way, there was a rather large flame...  

  • I should also be thankful for the ghetto car.  In places in Honduras I go on missions trips to, people are thankful to have any mode of transportation,  the lucky people have cars, some have bikes, and some have donkeys.  Some only have their feet to walk...

  • The fact that I can laugh about his ghetto car...  Thank you God for a sense of humor...It really makes my life much easier...

  • The fact that Little Fireman yells up the stairs before going to bed "Is anyone going to pray with me tonight?"  
Off to pray with my Little Fireman.  Yes, he is going to bed at 10:30 on a school night.  What we don't do for a good football game!

16 comments:

  1. BF's car is a sweet ride, I don't know what you're talking about.

    And I agree it is fortunate that we have a close family, that usually likes each other ;)

    Off to go put my Cap'n'Crunch from dad in my cupboards...

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  2. Dad gave you the Captain Crunch? We got Rice Krispies... Peanut Butter or regular? If it's the peanut butter kind, I'll trade you a box of Rice Krispies!

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  3. Kate, this is easily the funniest, sweetest gratitude list anyone has sent in this weekend. You sound so abundantly blessed. Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in my little benefit for Haiti. You're post #101, so God has helped you to help me reach my goal of $200 for Heartline Ministries. Thanks, and blessings!
    Chris from Enchanted Oak

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  4. Kate, hands down you are my favorite! I love your sense of humor and as you know I love a great sense of humor!

    I laugh so hard about your car and believe me, I know it can be embarrassing but you have the proper perspective and I'm all about perspective right now...sigh!

    Just so you know, when I moved back to California I went from a luxury car to what I'm sure was a car that belonged to a former drug dealer low life. I called it the "tweaker" car and came complete with an American Express logo on the bumper...classy right?

    I was happy to have wheels though but more happy to move up a notch and get the heck away from that wretched wreck! lol

    It truly is the simple things in life that bring true happiness and whats better than the little fireman yelling who's going to pray with him...that's living the good life my friend!

    Love and hugs,
    Karyn

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  5. Oh my gosh you are so funny! Iknow you've said something like this to me before but we are riding the same bus my friend! We just laugh at that kind of stuff when it happens to us too. I mean you gotta right? One day we really have to swap stories, some of our best get replayed around the table when all of the kids are home so that makes me happy that they can laugh at it too. It will get them through life with a positive attitude and that's what gets us through. I am just getting everyone up for school and HAD to read your post first, thanks for starting my day out with a smile! Theresa

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  6. I love this post! It is amazing how we can take the simple things for granted sometimes. When the simple things make life so much better and sweeter! I enjoyed reading your list. Have a great week!

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  7. :) Thanks for a laugh and smile on a Monday morning! Kate, you definitely have the right attitude about life. The things that we worry about are often not even worth an iota of our time. It's all about perspective, isn't it? Kudos to you for readjusting mine!

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  8. what a beautiful list :) simple things make our lifes happier and families are the best one can expect...
    have a great week!
    justyna

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  9. Hi sweet Kate,

    Lovely post again and oh so true!

    Have a wonderful new week.
    Saskia

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  10. Good thing Dad & hs junk food made the list. He would be proud. Remind me to tell you about the "free pop" story :)

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  11. Beautiful post, Kate. Thanks so much for sharing bits of your lovely life :)

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  12. Hi Kate, Everything you are saying is so true. I like your little fireman about praying with me. Dawn really is a gem among us. Are you getting any of the snowstorm yet? their saying about a foot for us close to lake Michigan. I don't mind, as long as I can stay at home. Have a good evening,. Hugs, Carol Mae

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  13. Kate, this is a great idea! I smiled when reading that little fireman wants someone to pray with him. Lovely!!

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  14. Kate you're so funny! Your hubby's ghetto car is at least great for an entertaining post on your blog :)!! Loved your simple things list...

    :) T

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  15. What an amazing thing to do-thanks for letting me know about this Kate.

    I love your list too! I love the fact that you live close to your family. Our family all live minutes away and we normally get along pretty well too!

    Hope you enjoy the rest of the week.

    Best wishes, Natasha.

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  16. Love your list. Whenever someone makes one I always say that I need to make one!!!

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