How am I thankful...let me count the ways

Lately I've really been thinking about the things I'm thankful for. Tis the season I guess. Also, it's been an exceptionally hard last few weeks at work. My job...I'm a paralegal for attorneys who's clients are abused or neglected children. I've been there three years now and love it. The people are great. They're really trying to make a difference in these children's lives. Anyway, usually I can leave my job at the office when I go home, but some days it's not that easy. These last few weeks I have been taking my work home with me.

Another reason is I'm a closet reader of the cjane and nie nie blogs. I try to keep track of what's happening at least once a week and always come out feeling uplifted. I can sit forever reading about their lives before and after the accident. That is one amazing family! They have a love for life and a spirituality that I find awe inspiring.


So it got me thinking...about all the things I'm thankful for in my life. Of course my health, my employment, my "grown-up house" as my kids call it (if it means anything they called my other house the "hobbit house"!), my extended family, my new "in-law" family, and so many other things.

But below are a few of my most favorite things!

My youngest...my bookworm/author/comedian and he still gives hugs!

My oldest...my videogame-aholic, who isn't too cool to make cookies with his good 'ole mom now and again!

My youngest step-son...quite the athlete, and always has a smile on his face! (Except in this pic!)

My oldest step-son...he could easily be playing for the Utah Symphony..yes he's that good!

And the love of my life...isn't he handsome!
I just love him so much! He is my best friend.

So when I look at my life and what I have, I realize I am truly blessed.

When did bodily functions become funny???

I'm just wondering, am I out of touch? Am I not as fun as the next guy? Do I not have a sense of humor?

Then how come I'm the only one in my house that thinks a joke just isn't a joke or a story just isn't a story without some mention of a bodily function in it??? I don't get why the word "fart" is an instant reason to laugh. I mean really.

Maybe I am losing it. Maybe I don't have a sense of humor. Maybe it's me.

Or maybe it's who I live with. . .two 14 yr olds, a 12 yr old, an 11 yr old and a 42 yr old.....All boys!

What's in a name?

I read Potty Mouth's blog about her name and it made me start thinking about names. My blog name has to do with one of my favorite hobbies...photography. But throughout the years I've always been interested in names.

I hated the first day of school; the calling of the roll. Yuck! I always knew when they were at my name. The look of confusion. The sounding it out under their breath. Geez!! You'd think it wouldn't be that hard. Yes it's spelled different but come on. Lesleigh...Vivian Leigh...Raleigh...Lesleigh. You wouldn't believe the strange variations of my name I've heard. Some I can't even make come out of my mouth and others I don't remember. A few of the most notable ones..."Les-lay" "Lis-lay" "Les-ele" and my favorite "Lisa" !!!! I know, it doesn't even look like my name. But you wouldn't believe how many times I was called that. Amazing.

I have a niece who's name is Elleigh (pronounced El-lee). My sister said she's heard so many variations on the name already. The most common one...Elijah. Go figure. She thinks it's just laziness. They look at the first few letters and guess the rest.

My husband hates his name. His name is Kim. He hates it. He said he was teased quite often growing up kids and siblings (shame on you!). It even took him a bit to tell me his name when we first met (if you don't know how we met that sentence may sound strange...but that's another post!). To me he's Kim...the man I love. I can't picture him with any other name.

But names....you see everything now a days from classic to popular to "totally made this up myself when the birth certificate was in front of me" names. The office I work in deals with children and let me tell you I think I've seen them all! I mean some names are so "What??" that if I put them in this blog and they were your neighbor or your child's friend or a relative you'd instantly know who I was talking about. It's crazy!

Now I'm not talking bad about any one's name so don't get angry and think I'm dis-ing on your kids "unusual" name. I think names are cool. One of my favorite parts about being pregnant was coming up with names. Most of mine were shot down by my ex...but it was still fun.

Some names I think "Whoa" and some I think "Nice." Usually what I think is "How would that look on the top of a resume?"