Gratitude Sunday - There is Always Something to be Thankful For

This past week has been stressful and busy (and did I mention stressful?) but I didn't have to look far this morning to find many good things - large and small - to be grateful for.

Rain!!  It has has been quite wet the past few days.  Those lines on the right hand side of the picture above are rain drops that have been coming down sometimes fast and furious and sometimes light and steady since Friday.  Moisture is always welcome at this time of year in Arizona, and it is something to be grateful for.

We received the above letter, which began (in big bold letters with the asterisks), "***Your Institution Has Been Closed***" It was notice that one of the banks we have been dealing with has failed and been closed by the FDIC. This is the second bank failure we have had to deal with in the past several years.  Washington Mutual in June 2008.  The term "bank failure" always brings to mind the great depressions and pictures like this...

Fortunately, we did not have go through something like the bank run shown in this picture.  We simply went into the branch of the failed bank (now sold and open under another name), got a cashier's check for the amount of our account and put it in another bank.  I am grateful that there are institutions (like the FDIC), laws, and procedures in this nation that make financial ruin from a bank closure less likely for most of us.

I am grateful for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzards (which were on sale this week - buy one get one for .99 cents!), and helped us congratulate and celebrate...

this son...

who worked hard and memorized a lengthy passage from this book.  How nice to be the mother of a seventeen-year-old who does so many good things!  I am grateful for him.

I am grateful that when this happened to the tire on my husband's car this week, he was able to get a roadside assistance mechanic to respond quickly, put his spare tire on and send him safely on his way.  The tire had a huge nail in it and was a total loss, but Charly was able get a new tire installed the next day.  

With deadlines looming all around, I am grateful I was able to at least get started on a big annual project at school and get a week ahead in assignments for my online college class.

I am also grateful to "Google Images" which helps me out when I don't have my own pictures. ;-)

Hope you take the opportunity to think about what you are grateful for today!