If you’re anything like me, you’re a busy mom with young children who is trying to figure out how to balance it all. You know, being a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, perhaps even an employee. How is it possible to do it all and still leave time for us? This is one of my goals in life, to find that fine line between giving of myself and giving to myself. And I’m not talking about things, and I certainly don’t feel any guilt for wanting it all. I do want it all. If you haven’t already, I recommend you check out Everyday Yogini’s site. Nona has a post on there, just a few days old, that has something to do with a pyramid and priorities. And it just makes so much sense to me, on my journey to fulfillment. It’s something that I think can really help women find that balance. I’ve been working on my pyramid now for a few days, revising it, and when it’s finished, I’m going to hang it front and center, where I’m certain to see it often throughout the day, as a gentle reminder of what is important to me; what my priorities are.

Anyway, Nona is still hosting her 5-Minute Gratitude Saturdays, and I’ve come to look forward to them. It’s a brilliant time at the end of the week where I can honestly reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m going. It forces me to look at my life in it’s entirety, and realize that I have so much to be grateful for.

So, here goes… yet again…

I am grateful that there are no runny noses in my home this week. We are all – dare I say it – healthy. (Pooh, pooh…)

I am grateful that, yet again, my husband will be joining us at home tomorrow, after three days in Mexico on business. And he’s going to be home in time to join us at our nephew’s sixth birthday party.

I am grateful that my husband, Coco and myself are having a little mini-vacation early in the coming week. My in-laws are hosting Pea at their home for a couple of nights and their generosity in doing so is allowing my husband and I to have some special time with little Coco to bond, just the three of us. She’s #2, and so often just gets side-lined by her very dynamic older sister. I can’t wait to just focus on her for a couple of days.

I’m grateful that my mother, who was rushed to the ER earlier in the week for symptoms that looked suspiciously like a heart attack is back at home and healthy. No heart attack. Thank God for that one.

I’m also grateful that my mother has a wonderful man in her life who is there for her when these terrifying things happen. It makes the pain of being so far away from her a little easier to bear.

And just about three months ago, we lost our beloved black Lab, Chamo. He had a rare form of cancer that came up seemingly out of no where and took him down pretty quickly. He would have been 12 years old today. And I’ve been thinking about him a lot the past couple of days. All good thoughts. I’m not quite so angry any more that he’s gone. In fact, I can honestly say that today, for the first time since he left us, I am so grateful to have had him in my life. Losing him, I swore I’d never have another dog. Ever again. It was just that devastating. But today, I am able to see another dog in my, our, future. Because I want that connection again with another creature. Dogs make life worth living!

And lastly, on a purely selfish note, I am grateful that my TIVO is loaded up with about 8 episodes of “Dexter” that I get to slowly work my way through. With this writer’s strike going on, there’s not much on the TV for me to watch at night, when I’m unwinding. So thanks, Showtime! I’m so grateful for engaging programming on cable TV.