It's time to reflect on the good things of this past week in another "Grains Of Gratitude" post.

1. I'm thankful for the fact that my blogger friend Stacey and her husband were chosen to be the adoptive parents of a little boy due at the end of May. Oh how I remember the excitement (and nervousness) of being chosen and matched! Stacey, your family will be in my prayers!

2. I'm thankful that my neighbor, Hetty has been granted her wish to spend her final days at home. She was moved from the hospice facility to her home earlier this week. The hospice care provided her with a hospital bed and Hetty and Jack's two children hired round-the-clock, in-home nursing care for Hetty because Jack just can't take care of her on his own. It's a tough time for Hetty and her family, so I'd appreciate it if you'd keep them in your prayers.

3. I'm thankful for the opportunity to get to know my next door neighbor a bit. Mary & her husband (Bill) have a little girl (Nan) who is 2 years older than Snuggle Bug. Despite the fact that they live right next door, we don't see them often. This Thursday Snuggle Bug saw their car in the driveway and made a beeline towards their house, dragging me behind. He wanted to play with Nan. Mary welcomed us in and we spent about an hour there. The kids played while Maria and I talked. I learned that she doesn't have many friends yet in this city, so I'm determined to make more of an effort to include Maria and her family in fun activities when we can.

4. I'm thankful for the opportunity to take Snuggle Bug on some fun outings this week. We went to a spring training baseball game with some of my co-workers and we also went to a semi-annual street fair. Snuggle Bug had a great time!

5. I'm thankful that Oronzo is still taking Snuggle Bug to swim lessons. Those lessons started this week. Snuggle Bug had lessons last year (the kind where we were in the pool with him) and this year he's started the kind where he's in the pool with an instructor and not us. The past 2 lessons, held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he's cried nearly the entire lesson. Oronzo has felt discouraged and wants to pull him out. I'm encouraging him to stick it out a while longer, in the hopes that Snuggle Bug will get past the crying stage and move into the learning stage, as he has in the past. We have a pool in our backyard so I really feel these lessons are important!

6. I'm thankful for the rain we got this week. It was nice to be able to cozy up to our fireplace a couple more times before the summer heat prevents this. Our plants and flowers appreciated the rain too. They're stretching out and growing!

7. I'm thankful that Snuggle Bug slept in long enough this morning to give me time to write and post this list. :) I hear him stirring now, so I'd best be going!

Happy Sunday to you all!

Labels: Grains of Gratitude, Hetty, neighbors