Blessed

Hi my darlings!

Ok so maybe it is a bit self-indulgent to blog on your birthday, but I am gonna do it anyway...

Because it is my birthday...

So 49 years ago...yes, I will admit my age because 99% of you who read this know me and know I am 49...

So 49 years ago I was born to Debbie and Bobby Shelton.

I have lost both my parents but I still have my family...and my beautiful children Ke$ha Barbie and The Cutest Boy in the World

So today I am going to list 49 things I am thankful for...because sometimes I need to remember just how damn blessed I am...and I could save this for Thanksgiving but I am doing it now so I know my blessings then

These are pretty much not in any particular order...except maybe the first one, because they truly are the thing I am most thankful, blessed, and grateful for

1. I am blessed to have my children

2. I am blessed by my friendship with my friend D'nice

3. I am blessed by my friendship with my friend KuteKaren

4. I am blessed by my friendship with JayVee

5. I am blessed by my friendship with my friend and brother from another mother GOTT

6. I am blessed my friend GOTTESS in my life

7. I am thankful for GOTTSON who brightens my world when I am with him

8. I am thankful for the wonderful children I get to work with...especially my student actors and my student directors and stage managers...I am so blessed to get to be with them

9. I am thankful that I had the best mom and dad and grandma in the world

10. I am thankful that there are contacts in this world to fix my terrible near-sightedness

11. I am thankful for reading glasses because the contacts fix the distance but not the ability to read a menu

12.  I am thankful that I attended Epiphany Episcopal Day School and still am friends with so many I went to school with

13.  I am thankful I went to Tivy High and am still friends with so many classmates

14. I am thankful for Twirler Girl and her amazing kids who I love spending time with

15. I am thankful I grew up in Kingsville...because I have so many friends from there...

16. I am thankful I no longer live in Kingsville...sorry....but its true...Houston is the right place for me

17. I am thankful I own a beautiful home that I have raised my kids in

18. I am blessed that I was able to buy a new car this year and that it doesn't eat gas like my old one

19. I am thankful for all the teachers who have taught my children

20. I am thankful for all the coaches who have coached my children

21.  I am thankful for all the friends I have made through my children (in other words...the parents of the kids my kids go to school with)

22.  I am thankful for all the kids I get to substitute teach...because THEY teach me!

23. I am thankful that I have discovered Pinterest otherwise I would not have 1,234 recipes for salted caramel that I haven't tried

24. I am thankful that I have not tried any of those salted caramel recipes

25. I am thankful for Dr. Bonnie Baldwin and the new body she gave me

26. I am thankful for JayVee's spin class kicking my butt every Tuesday and Thursday

27. I am thankful that I was able to lose all the weight I lost simply by eating right and exercising

28. I am thankful for wine

29. I am thankful for vodka

30. I am thankful that wine and vodka are there for me but not a crutch...nor is chocolate...I just happen to really really enjoy a nice cabernet...

31. I am thankful that I love salmon

32. I am thankful that I love chicken fried steak but I am able to be just as happy ordering salmon...most of the time...

33. I am blessed that I have my aunt Jane to lean on when I need her

34. I am thankful that I married my ex-husband because he gave me incredible children and is a good father to him...and although we weren't a happily married couple we are a happily divorced family

35. I am blessed that I am able to get along so well with my Ex and that my kids actually have a better life because of our divorce...and we haven't screwed them up with it...

36. I am blessed to have so many amazing friends...

37. I am blessed to be healthy

38. I am blessed that there is chicken stock to use in my Thanksgiving stuffing in place of all the butter my mother once used

39. I am grateful that I have had so many friends hold my hands through so many trials in my life...even if it is just watching my son play football or wrestle

40. I am thankful I went to Texas A&M University...I am very proud to be an Aggie

41. I am thankful for my sweet pets...especially my new stray we took in

42. I am thankful that I live in the United States...it's not perfect but we are free

43. I am grateful to have this blog as a creative outlet

44. I am grateful that GOTT believes in me and has given me so many opportunities to use my talents to costume his shows...because I love him and love doing it for him and the kids

45. I am thankful for Botox and Latisse...yes, I use them and no I am not ashamed of it

46. I am thankful for the wonderful schools my kids attend and have attended

47. I am grateful to be the woman I am today

48. I am blessed to be a child of God and a Christian...God has been so very very good to me

49. I am blessed, grateful, and thankful to have my kids...and yes, I know I listed them twice...but they are a double blessing to me...they are my alpha and omega...my beginning and my end...the reason I breathe and work so hard to be a good mom...and they are the most precious perfect humans to me...

So here I am...49 years old and grateful for all the love I have in my life...the photo is a little fuzzy but then again so is my brain sometimes...

And I am blessed, thankful and grateful to all of you who read this and support me...

Inspiration Song: I love a good Elton John song and this is one of my favorites: "Blessed"...it is a beautiful song

Bye Darlings...I'm not seeking birthday wishes here...but hopefully I have inspired a few of you to list your blessings before the upcoming holiday!