The Thanks Ranks: 8/1/08

Greetings, Friends of The Thanks Ranks. How have you been?

I have been well, in a period of adjustment. I don't know when this all happened, but all of a sudden, I'm the mother to a 4 1/2 year-old pre-K Big Boy, who's a budding tech geek that I have to fight for time on the computer ("It's my turn, Mommy! Can I get on the computer now, pleeeeease?!). Remember "Thankful Thursdays at 3:00"? Well now, it's "Thankful Mondays through Fridays at 3:00" that find me in the carpool line to pick him up from school, 'cause if I'm any later than 3:15 p.m., he's headed to aftercare and I'm being charged a fee.

I'm also running around after Baby Girl, who's not so much a baby anymore at all, but a 2 year-old toddler with a personality that fits her Leo birth sign to a T. This girl is fearless, knows what she wants, tells you about it (yes, she is TALKING!) and goes for it. Naptime is not nearly as frequent or long as it used to be, and now we're entering the brave new world of Potty Training. To say she keeps me on my toes is an understatement.

Then there is Hubby Honey--my rock who challenges me to explore my best self. We have laughed, cried and hustled together over the last 5 months since he was let go from his job. You want to see what your marriage is made of? Try living in this current U.S. economy not having bankable steady income from either of you coming into your household and see how you manage and relate to each other... Tested, we have grown stronger than ever. And through it all, I remain grateful that the hand of God has been over us and optimistic that we will come to a triumphant "for richer" completion of this "for poorer" journey.

And finally, there is me. The Thanks Ranks was created at a time when I was struggling to define my personal purpose and direction. I am pleased to say that over these last almost two years, clarity has slowly but surely come. And I've been busy acting upon what's been revealed to me, with favorable results that are almost terrifying. But I'm feeling the fear and doing it anyway. And the practice of writing on and maintaining The Thanks Ranks has been instrumental in preparing me for this new stage.

So in a time where "Change" is a word of hope and optimism that has been a key theme, I find "change" occurring as it relates to necessary adjustments being made to the time (or lack thereof) I devote to The Thanks Ranks.

I have been trying to determine what that change should look like, as being grateful and adding things to The Thanks Ranks is not a habit I want to abandon. Plus, this blog has become a means through which I've made and kept up with friends. So I don't want to lose that either.

Jott, my last blog post, has become a "not", given their latest news of charging per post. Thanks, but no thanks. See paragraph #4. :-) But I've discovered a new tool that just may be the ticket: Twitter.

With Twitter, I am able to post "mini" blog entries--of 140 characters or less. Just quick little blurbs, long enough to let you know what I'm adding to The Thanks Ranks at the moment, with a link to more details if applicable.

So I invite you now to the top left corner of this blog, where you'll see that "The Thanks Ranks is All a-Twitter". There, you'll be able to see my real-time additions, and even click on the link that will lead you to the entire host of what I'm grateful for during any given period.

Welcome to The Thanks Ranks - Reloaded. I've enjoyed our journey together, and hope you'll continue along with me as I tweet about my gratitude through Twitter.

Much love and gratitude to you all. 'Change' has just been added to The Thanks Ranks.