TWO Tuesday Thoughts... The Thanksgiving Edition

Here's an easy one:

TWO Tuesday Thoughts.

Around this time, I look back at my year, and I think about the turning points and changes. There are areas in my life where I have stayed the same, and I regret that. Those are the rusty dusty areas that I need to work through, and that will happen. But there have and have always been some good things, some great blessings.

And here are two great things for which I am thankful

1. I received a promotion this year.  I am still a bit surprised by this. I'd stop applying for promotions on the job years ago, as there was too much drama going on. So I applied for this job last year, and lo and behold, I got it. Not only did I get a promotion, but I got a new, more private cubicle, and a great boss. It all worked out well.

There are the ups and downs. I am "Dr. LadyLee" for real now. There is not much routine now, and I have to critically think more about what I'm doing and what I want to do, which has been a strain at times. (The biggest reason I say that is because my passion and purpose is NOT my profession of chemistry. It is writing). And it gets a bit rough dealing with a group full of PhDs. We do have our egos, and I have had to learn to work through that, because you know how laid back I am. I don't care for the pissing contests, etc. And I have to make sure that I don't get caught up in that. I make sure to examine my own ego and attitude, and keep it in balanced.

Every day has the potential to be a good day, and at the end of the day, I spend time thinking about what I have learned and how I have increased during that day. I must say that there have been NO days where I have learned nothing of interest. I have increased in knowledge daily. And there have been more days where I have been helpful in the lab and to my group in general.

Now THAT makes me happy. I am thankful for that.

2. I spent the summer with my sister.  That was TOTALLY unexpected. I was dealing with just being all emotional over her leaving for the UAE as it was. I think she told me she was officially hired sometime back in late spring, so that gave me time to get past it. She moved in with me after her lease expired on July 1st. We thought she would be leaving around August 1st, but she left on October 1st. So I got 3 WHOLE MONTHS with my sister. That was so unexpected. And I am thankful for that. I pray about it often. When I am down, I think about how God cared so much for me and knew that I needed that time with her.
 
And it made me examine some of the things going on in my life, and some of the answered prayers. I get answers to prayers that I haven't even figured out how to fully verbalize.  I have a much deeper appreciation of the depth and breadth of the answers these days. For some reason, my time with my sister helped me understand that a little better, if that makes any sense.

I still have to fight back the urge to holler upstairs to her, though.

"Kay, you hungry? I'm cooking something if you hungry."

She's not there. She's on the other side of the world. 

My eyes get wet over it from time to time, but there is no full out crying. I just take a time to be still and calm down, and give thanks for all the time I had with her this summer.  It was so unexpected. Granted, my utility bills went up, and as I paid my bills, I remember how I would say a prayer of thanksgiving for just having the money to pay bills, and to be able to afford to help my sister the best I could. It was all worth spending that time with her.

That's it for my 2 Tuesday Thoughts, my thanksgiving edition!