new format

I have changed formats to iweb so to see this blog go directly to www.thankfulforthisday.com from now on..not to blogger. Thanks so much

Fake out

Sorry for the fake out. This is clearly still the old format. The new one was up and running for about half hour and then this one popped back up again. Figuring it out. Hope to get it all fixed soon. I'm a writer, not a computer expert which is problematic at times such as these. :-)

New Format

Things That Went Right Today:

1) Finishing touches going on the new web look
2) Going to see a movie tonight.
3) Heading to the Baltimore zoo tomorrow so my four year old can see the bats. Not sure why, but he loves them!

 I've been working hard to create a new format for this page, and it's almost done. Should be published out by tomorrow. All of the same content will be there, just in more of a website format to allow for greater flexibility for the site to grow and expand. So if you come back in a day or two and it all looks different, don't be confused. It's the same old blog!!! Just with a facelift! :-)

Love you all!!!

Book Review: "The Daily Book of Positive Quotations" by, Linda Picone

Things That Went Right Today:

1) Spent the morning playing around on twitter.
2) New vacuum
3) Sweet Frog frozen yogurt

I admit it...I'm a quote freak. I adore little snippets that make me ponder or bring a smile to my face to start the day. And I love to learn from the wisdom of others. For my birthday last month, my daughters got me a great book full of quotes based on positive thinking and ideas. Along with each quote the author provides a short paragraph of her own to expand upon the theme. She is insightful and upbeat. The quotes are laid out in a daily format designed to be read one per day. Can't think of a better way to focus on uplifting things in a short amount of time each morning. I am thankful today for the words of wisdom of so many great philosophers and teachers, and they ways they help me direct my life's path.

Zoo Animals

Things That Went Right Today:

1) Took the family to see "Kung Fu Panda 2" - such a cute movie.
2) Made s'mores.
3) Moved up to level two in the Jillian Michael's 30 day shred.

We took our three year old son to the Reston Zoo on Saturday. It was so much fun. He was pretty timid about feeding the animals in the petting barn, but loved looking at the monkeys, parrots and reptiles etc. that were inside enclosures. The highlight of the zoo is the wagon ride out into their safari area, where they have a number of large wild animals roaming freely. They stop the wagon along the way and encourage the animals to come right up to be fed or pet. It's crazy fun, because it's the kind of animals that you rarely, if ever, get to see up close, like camels and water buffalo and wildebeests. The ostrich was fairly aggressive and bit one little girl's finger, and we had to dodge the horns on our other friend here. But overall it was really an amazing experience.

What is it about animals that captivate us so? Maybe they connect us to nature in a way when we interact with them. They are living creatures that differ so much from us, but yet share the world we all live in. Sometimes we are interested in their odd appearances or behavior, or find them amusing. And what can be cuter than a baby animal of almost any species? I've even seen baby Rhinos that looked adorable in their own special way. I think it goes deeper than that though. I think we relate to the emotions that we share. Animals play and feel happiness, fear and anger just like we do. They form relationships in most cases and communicate with each other, and often with us too. They fight for survival and meaning on this planet just as we do. By watching them we see a microcosm of our own experience, and can form new ideas and impressions by seeing how they both act and react. Animals are very straightforward. They judge you on your behavior, but not on how you look or dress. Or what race, religion or social class you come from. They accept what is, and don't dwell much on what should be. They live each day in a basic sort of way. Meeting needs and responding to immediate circumstances. I realize there are exceptions, but they typically are not as obsessive or judgmental as people can be. They seem to have a free way of living that we envy at times. That primal way of being. They adapt to change as well, without too much fuss or fanfare. I am thankful today for the animals. They add so much beauty and variety to our lives. And if we pay attention, they can teach us quiet but profound truths.