Things I am Thankful For

Most people don't realize what they've got until they lose it. Fortunately for me, life in the Marine Corps doesn't allow you that "ignorance is bliss" mentality. I know full well what I've got, and I'm serious when I say that I am thankful for it every day.  Every day that I go to sleep with my husband by my side - instead of in some Godforsaken desert like Iraq or Afghanistan - I think how lucky I am that he is here with our two beautiful kids.

The past couple of weeks I would say I have had my first case of true homesickness. I think it's the combination of baby hormones, my grandfather passing away, Tommy leaving, among other things. It's funny to me though that we've lived here for 5 months and I'm just now dealing with this, but I guess it affects everyone differently at different times.  All the more reason to remember everything I have in my life and what I am thankful for!

Here are just some of those things I am thankful for:

- The roof over my head.  I've lived in nicer houses... ones without friendly creatures like ants or cockroaches and mold, but I've never been happier in my entire life.  This move to Japan has taught me it's not what you have, it's who you have in your life. After we received our "big" shipment of belongings, I wondered why we even needed this stuff since we had survived for almost 3 months without it all.
- Bladder control.  Overheard in the ICU this weekend by the woman with pneumonia next to us: "Every time I cough I lose my bladder."  I immediately began doing Kegel exercises!
- Our overall good health.  A corpsman at the hospital this weekend told me they just released a man who was on 39 different medications because he was injured in training, life-flighted to Hawaii, and during transfer to Okinawa was accidentally dropped on the tarmac. I forget how many different bones they told me were broken.  Then he waited for 2 months until a flight was available that could take him back to the States in his current medical condition.
- Friends who are family, and family who are friends. I appreciate every single e-mail, letter, card, blog comment, package, phone call, playdate, babysitting assistance, and Facebook comment of support from those near and far that make it seem that I am not quite sooooo far away. If you are reading this blog, you are likely one of those people... so thank you for being part of my life and for helping me along my journey in Japan!