Abundance and Gratitude

I have been very blessed on this MooseBoots journey, or, perhaps, I have blessed myself?!  I believe that we create our reality.  We are here to serve some purpose, to learn some lesson.  Subconsciously, we all know this ... gut feelings, intuition, knowing something is not right, etc.  I am extremely grateful for both the abundance in my life and the awareness I am working to develop to recognize this.

Over the least few months, there have been several poignant moments of recognition.  I started about a year ago ... Wendy had submitted her book proposal and received a contract from her publisher.  She has been writing since she was 12 and has always dreamed of being a published author.  Her dream is well on its way to being a reality.  Her book, Surviving the Apocalypse In The Suburbs, is at the printer and will be released on April 1, 2011.  It has been an exciting year, following the writing, editing, and publishing cycle.

Additionally, I changed my attitude about work.  I took the time to create some memories that I hope my girls will cherish.  We continued out monthly outdoor skills class, as a family.  We participated in a weekly nature adventure class, as a family.  I participated in the father daughter dance at their dance recital, which we all play a part in ... Wendy helps with hair and make-up backstage, I run the sound and create a general nuisance of myself, and the girls dance.

Our garden produced very well.  We were even blessed with 180 lbs / 82 kg of Hubbard squash that volunteered.  We expanded our foraging efforts and knowledge - we learned a few new plants and took the offered abundance of some old friends.  Our weekly visits to the farmers market also paid dividends by putting us in contact with farmers who had both pig shares and cow shares.  This was all in addition to the 44 broiler chickens (averaging 6.5 lbs/3 kg each fully dressed), 6 rabbits, and more than 144 dozens eggs we harvested from our little 1/4 acre lot.

At Thanksgiving, we were given, in exchange for a composter we never used, a turkey.  Our friend raised turkeys, which I've got to say we HUGE!  The day the turkeys went to the butcher, I received a call.  The butcher said the turkeys would not fit into a conventional oven and would have to be cut in half.  Each half weighed 19 pounds / 8.6 kg.  Needless to say, we spread it out over two holidays.

And, when you thought it couldn't get any better ... I changed jobs.  It is fairly common knowledge that my job was driving me insane.  I put out that I was looking and ... voila ... an opportunity arose.  I am working for a company that seems to truly value its employees, they pay well and do not abuse them by forcing ridiculous work hours / schedules.  In the month I have been there, I have been told many times ... "I'm glad you're here."

I know that I have a lot to be thankful for, and I am.  My family is healthy and happy.  I can live with my job.  I am learning incredible new, spiritually/emotionally.intellectually fulfilling things.  Thank you, Universe.  My MooseBoots path is simply amazing.  I look forward to all of the wonders in this new year.

So, that's my story.  What things are you, dear readers, thankful for?  I would love to hear.  Remember, not only do we create our own realtiy, but our gratitude and appreciation are the least we can offer in return.