I count my blessings

There is no such thing as gratitude unexpressed. If it is unexpressed, it is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude. ~Robert Brault

As a fortysomething first time mother, I really have a lot to be thankful for. I don't express this gratitude as often as I should so I am going to put it down here for all the world to see.

I am full of gratitude that I had a healthy and happy first pregnancy at the age of forty One. I then went on to have a healthy and happy baby boy. That little boy is a truly blessed addition to my life. He is one of seven grandchildren on my side of the family and one of twenty on the other. All of those children are healthy children and that is another thing to be truly thankful for.

Sadly, my father passed on nine years ago yesterday but I am thankful that my mother is still around. She loves life and always looks fantastic and makes the most of herself. I love the fact that even though she is in bad health, with chronic asthma, arthritis, she is still living her life. She is on a nebuliser 6 times a day and tons of medication but doesn't let it get her down. As I write this, she is out on a day trip with her friends. And this, a day after she received some bad news at the hospital on the date of my father's anniversary. She has now developed a growth on her pancreas and, while she is worried, she says if anything is to happen, she is grateful for her life so far and she is happy. We came out of the hospital, visited my father's grave, went out for lunch and then went shopping. She said she was thankful to be able to do all that and to have me and my son to do it with. What an attitude of gratitude that is!

My little boy is napping as I write this and I am offering up thanks that we have a peaceful home in which to lay our heads. So many people in the world do not have this luxury. Although it is an old house and needs improvement, I am thrilled to be living here. I sat in my garden today, appreciating the greenery and the privacy, and the space for my little boy to play in.

I am thankful that I have the option of taking a career break to stay at home with my little boy for the first few years of his life and that my husband has a good job in these recessionary times.

I am so grateful for my four lovely brothers and their families. I do not express that enough and we do not see each other enough so that is something I need to think about a little more.

I heard today that a woman I know, who is the same age as me has just been transferred to a hospice to die. She has fought cancer before and succeeded but this time it was not to be. I often go on about being a forty something mother when some others of my age are grandmothers. This woman's daughter had a baby at the same time as me so she is one of those people. However, even though she is a grandmother, she is far, far too young to die. I am truly thankful that at the same age and with a young child to look after I am in for the most part in good health.

I am so thankful for the friends and good neighbours I have in my life. At my ante natal classes I was lucky enough to meet a new friend, also in her forties and now also mother to a two and a half year old boy. He has now become my son's best friend. This evening a friend is coming over to keep me company and sip some wine.

I am overwhelmed with things to be thankful for. At night, if I cannot sleep or feel put out about anything, I write my blessings down. They are far to numerous to put down here but I am sure I could go on writing about it forever.