Day 2. Two days into the year and I'm struggling. Guess this is the post-holidays blues people talk about? I'm trying to be positive, to see how very blessed I am, because I am. I have more than enough (there's that word!) in my life to celebrate. So why don't I? I feel a little like this silly mutt... Feeling stuck... ineffective, like I can't get going with everything I need to do... mainly just to be glad to be who I am. Not that I don't need to change things about myself, I do! But when I stop and count down the ways I'm blessed (which I should do every day), I have no reason to feel anything but grateful. So, maybe that's just where I need to start, by saying "thank you" for all the good things. I need to write thank you notes to my students and their parents for the Christmas gifts they gave me. I keep putting that off, but that's just dumb. I'm not expected to write the next great American thank you note, just a simple thanks. So, this afternoon, that's what I'm going to do. Then, to finish grading those tests and entering them. Tomorrow, I will be finished with all of that! I'll give myself the gift of two days of not having that hanging over my head before I have to go back to work. Brookes, be thankful that you've had the past few weeks off! Most people didn't. And then you'll have the 20th off this month. You can do it! You can finish this school year. Half way there, sistah! Keep moving. Keep celebrating that you're out there, that each day God gives you enough strength and wisdom and whatever it is you need to keep going. Receive His gifts and say thank you!