I am Awesome

This post is nothing more than a list of ways that I think I am awesome. After all the heartfelt and wonderful notes I got yesterday to cheer me up and help me feel "normal" I decided that I needed to look at the positive side of things. Blaine and I decided at about 5:00 yesterday to stop being sad and start being awesome instead, true story (blatantly stolen from Barney Stinson of How I Met Your Mother).

This came about after my fit yesterday and Blaine declaring that he was about to start a revolution or have a massive breakdown. I obviously started chanting, "Revolution, Revolution." But, I did admit to him that there was a morbid curiosity about what the alternate event would look like.

We had a great talk last night. I think both of us will have a more positive day today. The girls went off to school in good moods today, neither crying, a first for us in a few weeks. The sun is shining. Dishes are done, laundry is in, e-mail is checked. It will be a good day.

So, here is my list of great things I do. I encourage you to make a list, too. And not just for you as a little exercise. Publish the thing. Send it out in e-mails. If you have the money, hire someone to sky write it over your house. Today is celebrate your awesomeness day. Do it. Don't apologize for being proud of yourself.

We so often are apt to share our flaws and faults with others. It is easy to do. I feel like sharing all my good traits, and get ready there are a butt load of them, will make me look like a self important ass. Well, I am willing to take that chance. Awesome self important ass it is.

My list:

- I recycle everything
- I strongly subscribe to reduce, re-use, recycle, in that order
- I compost
- I have a vegetable and herb garden in the summer and fall
- We buy organic when money allows, unless said organic product comes from outside of the country, then we buy the closest to home
- We buy local produce to support farmers and leave less of a carbon footprint
- I buy most things second hand including furniture, clothes, shoes (I know you are not supposed to), art supplies, decor, etc.
- I am an animal rights activist
- I do not wear leather or other animal products
- I do not used health, beauty or cleaning items that have been tested on animals
- I eat a vegetarian diet
- I am a member of World Wildlife Fund, Access Fund and PETA
- All our pets have been rescue animals
- I do not declaw my cats
- I let the neighbors dogs out twice a week
- I have taught my kids to love and respect all of nature
- We do not kill bugs we find in the house
- I am a good parent
- I spend a lot of time with my kids
- I volunteer once a week in each of my childrens' classrooms
- I am genuinely interested in my children, how they feel, what they think, their interests, etc.
- I discipline my children in a fair and consistent manner
- I am a good wife
- I listen to my husband and value his opinion
- I go along with my husband on his adventures how ever wacky they seem to other people because I know he has a passion for life that makes things exciting and fun
- I am a good lover
- I tend to my husbands' wants and needs
- I am passionate about my marriage and love my husband more than anything in this world
- I am a good family member
- I belong to a huge family and value every member and think they are all part of the greatest family ever
- I am a good teacher
- I am patient and fair with my students
- I strive to learn new ways to do things and value new perspectives when there are challenges
- I am a lifelong learner and crave knowledge of any kind
- I am creative and can picture how to create things out of random materials
- I make beautiful quilts
- I teach Sunday School, run crafts for youth group, am a committee member for Feed My Starving Children, helped run an awesome women's retreat, will be leading and awesome vacation bible school, am doing a great job on the committee to find a new pastor for my church, and enjoy meeting with two women in nursing homes to give them communion
- I am smart and hold three degrees
- I am a complex and interesting person
- I value diversity in all its ways of being: religion, ethnicity, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender, ways of thinking, ability
- I am a good friend and listen when people need to talk and am there to help when people need a hand


That is my list for this morning. Some people might feel that some of the items on my list are superfluous and those people can suck it. (oh, also, I have a great vocabulary and use curse words a lot, it's a talent). There are many other things about me that are good, but I feel happy about this list. Make yours. Share it.

Have a good day!