Appreciating What I've Got

I've been noticing that many of my Facebook friends have been making daily posts of things for which they are thankful. I don't know if they are keeping some kind of gratitude journal like Oprah several years ago, or if it is another type of gratitude challenge but their posts have inspired me to do the same with my blog. As a matter of fact, I've been reminded of the words Cher used to sing, "You don't know what you've got till it's gone.." And, spending time in Abu Dhabi with Eric made me grateful for many of the small things that have been missing for the past few months. Here is my abridged list:

Speaking hours of idiomatic English with lots of phrasal verbs to Eric and not having to explain myself.

Eating French butter made with cream, not yogurt

Eating whole grain bread

Eating toasted whole grain bread

Wearing shorts

Drinking brewed coffee

Drinking wine and beer

Being a passenger in a car where I am not the only one wearing a seat belt.

Stopping for pedestrians in a crosswalk

Sleeping in a king- sized bed with luxurious cotton sheets

Showering without seeing holes in the tiles stuffed with trash bags

Playing tennis with Eric and winning

Adidas stores (They are amazing over here!)

Riding the Dubai metro and seeing three mega malls in one day..

Going to movies

Taking naps at the beach.

Listening to piano music in hotel lounges

Above all, I'm grateful that Eric encouraged me to accept a job overseas because, even though it's easy to dwell on the things that I miss, our lives have been enriched by this experience.