Gratitude

This has been a week to be grateful.  A couple of weeks ago a friend lost both her beloved and longed for babies.  And this week a friend ended up in ICU with a pulmonary embolism.  And only a day later another friend - the most lively and alive person you can imagine - was rushed to hospital after a series of strokes that have left her unable to control her speech and facing months of rehabilitation.  All three women are young, healthy, accomplished triathletes - fit, careful with their nutrition, not risk takers (unless you count bombing down hills on their bikes!).  Not the sort of people you'd think would be susceptible to such devastating illnesses and troubles.

Doesn't it make us think "There, but for the grace of the goddess ..."?

Another friend said that she thought the world had turned topsy turvy and I can't agree more.  We also had an exceedingly unusual earthquake (small for NZ or CA standards, but significant for here) and I write this waiting for Hurricane Irene to visit us.  It also seems completely upside down that I spent most of the week working.  In my chosen field.  For money.  Wow.

So I thought I needed to list out some of the things for which I'm grateful:

1. I'm grateful that Mark made it back home safe and sound and incredibly smoothly.  No flight delays, no hurricane reroutings, no lost luggage.
2. I'm grateful to be working.  Holy cow.  After nine months and starting to plan for selling a car or taking in a roommate, it feels damn good.
3. I'm grateful that my six week contract has turned into a six month contract.  So I spent part of today listing out all the expenses we have been waiting on and prioritizing which ones we pull the trigger on.
4. I am grateful to my friend Rohini who set this whole job thing in motion by recommending me for a job with her company.  And Bill who interviewed me and hired me, sponsoring me for the documentation necessary to work for the government as a contractor.  And who passed my name along to competitors when that job fell through.  And Chris who hired me without even interviewing me, all because of that precious, precious documentation.
5. I'm grateful that my network starts with my friends - I can't list out all the people who have passed along my resume, talked to someone in their network, recommended me.  If it wasn't Rohini, it would have been someone else - and will be someone else since I still need a permanent job!
6. I'm grateful that I don't have to wade through what is likely to be a flooded basement to get to the toilet.
7. I'm grateful for the Capital Weather Gang - the smartest, funniest and most useful people in DC.
8. I'm grateful for my friends who have taken me out of myself over the past few months - for a run (thanks Laura), for an adventure (things I never would have dreamed up myself, thanks Debbie), for coffee (thanks Taneen and many others).  Who have checked in on me every day (thanks Bob and Taneen), as each month passed (thanks Laura), as random times, in response to blog or Facebook postings.  Who have appealed to my need to be needed by asking me specifically to come out to team events and weekends (thanks Ed, Turbo, Lisa, Misha, LoadsOfTeamZers).  Who have Skyped just to tell me I'm loved (thanks M&D, Kae)
9. I'm grateful that I have (had) such healthy cats - Anz turned 19 this week (and Rags her brother would have also if he hadn't died a couple of months ago) and still acts like a kitten (including the random peeing, unfortunately).
10. I'm grateful for a snug and beautiful house where I can weather storms (and that we did so much of the work ourselves to make it such a pleasant place to be).
11. I'm grateful for my health and that of Mark and my family.

I have no doubt I'll think of a bunch more, but I think a round 11 is good, no?