I Am Thankful For…

First, let me wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. While I sit here with my chai tea latte, hanging out in my Sponge Bob Square pants jammies and just enjoying the quite morning, I was thinking about what I should write about. Well, duh!!! It’s Thanksgiving morning and while I’m not an overly mushy person, I realize that I have a lot to be thankful for. I think this is more theraputic for me to put down in writing all of the things that are good about my life so here it goes…

I am so grateful to have a happy marriage. Sometimes, I take for granted that I have the love of my life with me each and every day. We have worked together, on a daily basis, since 1995 and while that can be a bit “challenging” at times, would I want it to be different? Probably, not. He is my complete opposite, which makes us the perfect match. He brings strengths which are my weaknesses and visa versa.

I am so thankful for my family. My parents have been the most supportive parents a person can have. Of course, there have been the little moments throughout my life that weren’t always perfect, but overall, Lynn and Georgeine are the reason I am the strong, independent woman that sits here today. I don’t see them everyday, but they are in my heart everyday. My sister, while on my list for moving to Germany with my niece and nephews, is very special to me. We have always been close and I miss talking to her on a more regular basis. Thank goodness for facebook. I also have a brother that is funny and very charming. We don’t hang out much, but he is a riot to be around and I enjoy is sense of humor.

I feel very lucky to have a few special friends that I trust with my life. My mom once told me that I would be very lucky to have one good friend in my adult life. Well, I have five. I love them all so it’s not important the order I mention them. While I tend to be the trouble maker and get accused of getting others into trouble, Debbie is the one friend that can get me into trouble. She is always happy and makes me feel good just being around her. Amber is the friend that I can dream with. She is an idea person like I am and I love bouncing things off her. Her and I are very much alike in the way we act and react.

Mary lives two hours away and her and her husband own a photography studio, also. They are the friends that have taught us that we can take a vacation and the business will still be there. Ha! Seriously, we vacation with them and spend a lot of weekends together. You can’t do that with many people, but we can with them. Mary and I call each other and drink wine together. Yes, you read it right. One time (at bandcamp…nevermind) one of us had had “a day” so one of us called the other and said grab a bottle of wine. I was sitting out on the deck for and hour and half having my wine, chatting on the phone when I realized I was a little drunk. LOL!!!!! I had drank almost the whole bottle. I meant to just have a couple of glasses. Oh, well!

My friend, Colleen, is very special to me. She also owns two portrait studios and lives in Pennsylvannia. I admire her. She is a great business woman and just sets a standard that I would love to aspire to. She is beautiful inside and out and has determination that I can only hope to attain. I can tell her my most private secrets and I know that she will take them to the grave. And, last, but not least, is Janice. Janice and I have known each other since our freshman year in high school. We took the same classes for the first two years at SIU-E and were bridesmaids in each other’s weddings. Janice is that friend that we don’t have to see each other for years, but when we do see each other it’s like it was yesterday and we carry on as if we are together everyday. I have other friends, but these five ladies are the ones I rely on and can cry with, share anything with and would do anything for. I love them and just wanted them to all know it.

I guess I am thankful for owning my own business. Haha! I say “I guess” because there is a level of stress that never goes away when you own a business. You don’t walk away from it; it goes home with you and you think about it at least 98% of the time. However, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I love the photography industry. If, I had not gone into this business, I would not have met some of the most interesting and wonderful people that I have or have traveled to the coolest locations. I get to put my own signature on the business and if something isn’t going the way we want it to, we can change it without anyone saying no.  I would be remiss if I didn’t say that I am so grateful for our clients who are our friends, also. There have been those people who have been with us since the beginning when we started out of the garage. Seems like a lifetime ago, but I am so thankful for those people who keep us going. You are the most special people.

I am very thankful for all of the “things” that I have, but honestly, it is the relationships that I have with all of you and the people close to me. I don’t think anything in my life would matter if it weren’t for the wonderful people in my life.

I am also very thankful for the new (& second) love of my life, Louie. I cannot believe how much joy that little dog brings to my life. He has changed my attitude about a lot of things, but mostly that he loves unconditionally, and that he likes me better than John. LOL!!!

I hope you all have (or had, depending on when you are reading this) a wonderful Thanksgiving. Just sit back and take it all in. Would you want it any other way? If so, make it happen. No one else can make those changes, but you.

Thank you and I’ll be chatting with you soon.    Cheryl