Signs of Life

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." -Epicurus

Here are some "signs of life" I am thankful for this Thanksgiving.

*Spots of exploded permanent marker on the new hardwood floors (and walls and couch, ha) that happened during a 24 hour prayer
*A minor ding on the car that occurred while I was parked chatting with the boy
*Crumbs on the counter and dishes in the sink from all the good food I have
*Piles of research work from my opportunity to go to grad school
*Dirty laundry that once kept me warm
*A Bible with water-damaged pages from a camping trip
*Dark circles under my eyes from sleep deprivation from the plethora of fun things to do
*Friends who wake me up to come join them for breakfast, welcoming me showerless and in sweats
*The emotional exhaustion and lability after spending a weekend offering comfort and companionship to a traumatized family
*A messy, uncoordinated art project gift from a kid whose mom is in jail
*A charge for overuse of my cell phone minutes from talking to my family
*An out-of-tune piano to play