Adventures in Vegas - Day Six

I seriously can't believe the week isn't over yet!

Friday was a weird day that turned into an awesome one.  We were able to sleep in this morning and pretty much skipped our trip to the Hash House a Go-Go.  I figured my scale would thank me.  I had a workshop to go to that my cover artist was leading so I got up and got ready for that and headed down for the long trek to the convention center.

And realized I should have grabbed a muffin.

My stomach was VERY loud during the presentation so I sort of slinked out and spotted my buddy Sara Humphreys and we went to grab a quick bite to eat before she went off to a workshop that she was on a panel for.  Hubby's debit card was hacked so while I was out being a social butterfly, he was walking all over the back streets of Vegas looking for a bank!  Yikes.  And didn't take his phone!  Double yikes!  Needless to say I was in panic mode when I couldn't find him anywhere and was THISCLOSE to calling the police.  Then he came strolling in two hours later like it was no big deal.

This was the face I gave him.

At that point, I was too annoyed to really do anything so we grabbed another quick bite and went up to the room to just relax.  There was plenty of stuff going on but this night we were going out with my cousin and his wife - who I hadn't seen in almost 15 years!  They live in Vegas so it was the perfect time to get together and visit.

They came and picked us up and we went to dinner on the strip and then went to the Fremont Street Experience.  If you haven't gone there, you should.  Old Vegas at it's finest and every stereotype imaginable.  Lots of crazy things to see plus a zip line overhead.  We skipped it since we were rock stars the night before!

All in all, another good day.  We were going to hit a few more sites but we gambled a bit - and I won a hundred bucks - but I was exhausted and had the giant book signing in the morning and desperately needed sleep.

What are we thankful for?

Isn't that the big question - particularly this week?  Thanksgiving time comes around and all of a sudden we are bombarded with that question - what are you thankful for?  And the sad thing is - some of us only remember to be thankful at this time of year. 

Now I'll admit, I used to be like that - thankful only for a short time.  I learned a very valuable lesson when I was pregnant with my younger son.  I had struggled with infertility for almost 8 years and was pretty certain that we'd be a one-child family.  And I was okay with it.  Well, I was talking with a friend one day and she offered to pray with me.  When we were done - and this was over the phone - she said to me, "You're going to have your baby".  I wasn't so certain.

Two months later, I was pregnant.  I was over the moon and just felt like I was walking on a cloud.  Then that sixth week of pregnancy hit and all the happiness and joy I had been feeling was gone.  I was sick all day every day.  I felt like I was going to die daily.  I called my friend one afternoon and told her how awful I felt and she said "You need to remember to praise even in the bad times".  At the time, I wanted to smack her.  But I did.  Every time I felt ill, I said a prayer of thanks because I still had my baby and that in itself was reason to be thankful.

Let me tell you, the rest of that pregnancy was beyond a nightmare.  People around town that I was going to church with still talk about it.  But the thing I learned was how being thankful DAILY really helped.  You don't always have to be thankful for the big things, it's the little things that really make a difference. 

So what am I thankful for?
I am thankful for the cooler weather. 
I am thankful for my health.  It's been a rough year!
I am thankful for my husband and sons.  They make me laugh and smile daily.
I am thankful for my sweet little pug.  Her cuteness makes me smile.
I am thankful that I have a job that I love and that it's the one I always wanted.
I am thankful that there is food on the table.
I am thankful for my friends.
I am thankful for the creativity God has given me.
I am thankful for readers who enjoy my books.
I am thankful for the ability to know that I don't have to please everyone.

I could go on, but finding ten things every day to be thankful for seemed like a good place to start.  So what about you?  What are you thankful for?