all that I've got

Or, annual post in which I acknowledge all that I'm grateful for. This post is particularly exigent today not only because tomorrow's Thanksgiving, but because I just received sad news about a student of mine, one I have come to care about a great deal in a very short time.

What I love and am so very grateful for: a list

1. My Booda Belly Stinkbomb Girl who makes me laugh every day with her very predictable desires: pet me, pet me, pet me, and failing that, give me one of them biscuits.
2. My Honey Bunny Snuggle Bear who has me in continuous awe for what a caring, giving, compassionate person he is. I think today's a day where I can risk a cliche: he's really not like other guys I've known because a) he understands that what he says and does has effects on those around him; b) he understands how other people feel and what their motivations might be for doing what they do; c) is willing to play. We have so much fun together. If I had a nickel for every time I said to him, "You're a funny honey," I'd be up to at least ten dollars. And then I could buy us each a big ol' chocolate cake.
3. My friends, all of my friends here and everywhere. I am blessed with a gaggle of dear people who love my laugh (they oughtta know--they're the instigators of it) and who would do just about anything for me. Hard to believe I've been in Illinois for only 2.5 years--some of these friendships seem as old my grade-school friendships. What's most fun about friends is the little things, the inside jokes and the legendary stories that get told again and again. Some of the best ones are about poop.
4. The job, the job. Boy, I love my job. I love that it puts me in contact with so many bright young people who make me laugh and make me think and teach me about what's important in life. I often think about how little I knew at that age--I was book smart, but so very emotionally ignorant. Cynical, sarcastic, fearful. Holding on to my book smarts with all I had because, well, that's all I had, or so it seemed at the time. My students teach me always how to be a better person.
5. Work I love doing, which is not necessarily separate from number 4, but we'll put it here anyway. I'm excited to be able to sit at home today and read about literary forgery and get my mind going about all kinds of connections between it and plagiarism and the production of belief.
6. Colleagues near and far who help me make those connections meaningful.
7. My health (this probably should've come earlier).
8. Hot coffeeeeeeeeeee (love that word).
9. My sister and my brother and their wonderful children.
10. Cheese.