Well it’s here.  The end of the year, the end of my 52 weeks of blessings posts.  I never thought I’d make it to the end, but I did and I’m glad I made the effort.  It was wonderful while taking a blog break to go through each post.  Each was a reminder of some of the issues I dealt with this year and the things/people/reflections/revelations that helped and/or made me grateful/blessed this year.  I’m not going to lie, some weeks, it was hard to see the sunshine through the thick of the “forest” but it was always there!  Sometimes shining brightly, other times, dimly, but still there.  So to end, this week I’m grateful for:

• All of you who came along on the journey with me.  Your interactions after reading the posts by email, phone call, text message, and commenting / liking the post mean so much to me.  Your support and encouragement really helped me power through the rough weeks and for that I’ll always be grateful.
• Actually doing this project.  I learned so much about myself.  My ability to deal with certain issues, my inability to deal with others, my triggers, my joys, my tenacity, my faith, my limitations and in many instances, what the definition of my truth is.  It started as a “project” but it ended up being so much more.
• Good friends.  My friend T aka “Sunshine” came to visit me yesterday.  She came bearing soup for this cold ridden, sick, congested woman.   She came bearing sunshine through laughter and friendship through support and deep sharing of life stories.  I’m honored that she trusts me to share so much with.  Yesterday was a new beginning for us and for that, I truly am grateful to call her friend and to have her call me friend.
• Rest.  I came down with a head cold on Christmas day and that killed all the fancy plans I had for the day.  Although my Christmas celebration turned out to be more subdued and restful than I’d planned, it was what I needed and that made it just perfect despite my not feeling so well.
• Making it through the end of the work week.  I had to go to work on Thursday and Friday and it was all I could do to not sleep in my office after taking cold meds.  I’m super grateful that I was able to not sleep — LOLOL! — and get some work done.  I’m even more grateful that I’ll be starting the new year with a week of well needed vacation.  I’ll be off work until Jan 6th and I can’t wait to enjoy some more down time and prepare myself for 2014!
• Being able to exercise some patience with my computer.  Got up yesterday to a corrupt login.  Since I didn’t want to mess with the registry, I had to do a system restore.  I’m grateful that I had a backup from the last time I logged in 12/21/2013 so I didn’t lose any files.  I’m grateful for my former IT training that allowed me to fix the corrupted log-in and create new profiles in the event this happens again.  I see a Mac book in my future (g.w.)  I bought this machine in May 2012 and the O.S is already acting janky.  I’m so over P.C. issues but I’m glad I was able to fix it. 😀

I’m not sure if I’ll continue this project into next year.  If I don’t, I’ll definitely find some way to honor 2014’s blessings — I’m just not sure how yet.

I hope you each had a wonderful Christmas, a well-rounded year, and cheers for all the lessons, blessings and moments of gratitude / contentment we experienced in 2013!  ❤

I still can’t believe that I’m a little more than one week away from the end of the year and that I’ve actually stuck with the “52 weeks of blessings” project!  I can’t wait to review the posts and see the progress I’ve made while reminding myself of all that was good or teachable this year.  It’s been quite a ride, but it’s not over yet so let me get to this week’s blessings:

• Starting the week with a visit to a new dentist who was very upfront with regards to costs and procedures etc.  For the most part, my teeth are great, but the two that the dentist I’m leaving ignored are developing issues and will cost me a pretty penny to correct.  Despite that, I’m really grateful to my co-worker, Diane L, who recommended her dentist and so far I’m pretty please by his honesty.
• Receiving a wonderful swap package from my Knit Picks Swap group partner.  After a trip to the dentist and to the radiologist, it was a delightful surprise to meet in my office. 
• Dinner with my cousin at the legendary brick oven pizza spot: Patsy’s Pizzeria.  Good times, good food, family love.  😀   I was especially grateful for this since dinner with my partner in crime — Sabs — came at the end of a particularly difficult work day.  

source

• A trip to Urban Outfitters that ended with a mug that gave me some extra holiday happy!  Wanna see?     source

How absolutely adorable is that?

• Being almost over the ickies.  I’m so grateful to be almost feeling like my normal self.  This bout of the ickies was truly horrible. 😦

• Being able to take some time out this week to reflect, to think about what I need to do and who I want to be in 2014.  Next year’s going to be interesting.  I can feel it in my bones already and I’m kinda excited even if I’m a little scared.

I hope you each had a wonderful week and cheers for a great upcoming one!!!  😀