Weekly Gratitude Update: 8/13/12-8/19/12

This past week was one of those weeks when it was truly difficult for me to focus on the positives. It seemed as though one bad thing was happening after another, making me question once again my career choice, and I just couldn't get a break.
I already was aware that last Monday would start my 12 day in a row work stretch so that in itself always puts me a little on edge. But when you fill each day with cranky co-workers and an impatient Doctor telling you to go to lunch when there is an anesthetized dog on the table and he tells you he's going to watch him but keeps walking away, leaving you there with a "What am I supposed to do now?" look on your face, it's no wonder I didn't run from the building screaming and pulling my hair out.
Believe me. I wanted to.
It also seemed like every dental we did consisted of some sort of tooth (sometimes more than one) extraction and it was as if the teeth were holding on for dear life, refusing to come out and laughing at us for trying to achieve such a feat.
Damn teeth.
My back ached during and after each day and I so badly just wanted to crawl into a little ball and cry each morning upon hearing my alarm go off, beckoning  me to wake up and to start another disastrous day.
All this being said, and really, I'm keeping the experience of last week light because there is simply no use in dwelling over events gone by, I was still able to conjure up a small list of gratitudes.

1) I heard from a dear friend that I can't ever remember not having in my life in some way and she told me her baby sister is having a c-section on the 21st. Two new babies will be welcomed into this world and they are going to have the most loving family. I am so elated for them all.

2) I have the best mother-in-law in the world. She called this week to check in, as she always does. I wasn't home when she called and she asked Andrew to give me a kiss on the cheek for already putting in motion the plans for our annual Christmas party. I love how both our families get so excited about this yearly event and how it seems all of them are going to try to make it this year as well, even though the commute is now 4 hours away since we moved.

3) During my lunch break on Thursday, I called Andrew literally speechless over the events that took place that morning. I had no words and I think it freaked him out a little bit because I am usually pretty good about having something to say about any given situation. He offered to come see me and I sadly declined the invitation because I knew if I saw him in that very moment, I would burst into uncontrollable sobs and never ever return to work again.
No I'm not being dramatic.
Yes. It was that bad of a day.
I came home to find two surprises awaiting my arrival. He had gone to Best Buy and bought a roku for the living room and a new flat screened t.v. for our bedroom.
I am now able to watch Bones and Brothers and Sisters (among many other t.v. shows and movies) without worrying that I'm hogging the downstairs t.v. The extra sweet part about these purchases is that he made sure to inform me that they weren't bought in order for us to spend time apart from each other. I already knew this but the fact that he felt he needed to relay this made me smile.
It was the second time in one day that I was rendered speechless.

4) The Hunger Games came out on dvd! Saturday night Andrew and I were all ready to go downtown and live up the nightly Asheville scene. We went out to eat and it started raining. We then quickly decided to just go to Best Buy after dinner to buy the movie. We also bought Just Dance 3 because it was on sale for 10 bucks. Then we went to the grocery store where we bought candy, oreos and popcorn. Upon looking at our purchases at the checkout, I looked at him and said, "My God! How old are we?" The only thing "adult" we bought was a bottle of cheap wine. We got home, got into our pajamas and I put my hair in pigtails to put the final details on our slumber party extravaganza. We even giggled.
It. Was. Awesome. 

5) Outside of having to go to work twice to check on the boarding pets, I got to experience my first lazy Sunday in a really long time. We played with the roku and made our first purchase.....the first season of "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" For those of you kids who grew up in the 90's, you realize the significance of this find. We watched the first episode (about a stupid clown named Zebo...I hate clowns....) and I was suddenly transported back in time to the days of being a teenager, staying up late and watching the show in pitch black darkness with my best friend; my Dad there to protect us from everything that went bump in the night. Sometimes nostalgia is all you need.

So came the end of another week. I am so very fortunate to be able to still find joy seeping through the cracks of a stressful week. As always, thank you to those who make my life that much better, just by being a part of it.