Happy Thanksgiving!

I am soooo ready for Thanksgiving. All those freshmen: they're just as disillusioned as I predicted. They're also demanding, maddening--and sweet. Dealing with them on a daily basis is exhausting, but it is, indeed, a labor of love.

This afternoon I will give my Comp. I class the task of selecting at least 5 "little" things they are grateful for. I got this idea from Joe Holleman's column in today's Post-Dispatch about things he enjoys. So, for the record, here's my list:

1. iPods: Music customizable to your own tastes. I know it's selfish, but I can have whatever music fits my mood, with none of the stuff that irritates me, like distorted electric guitars, commercials, and singers who can't carry a tune.
2. Tea: It makes everything better. It soothes, warms, and flavors most of my early mornings and late afternoons.
3. Wireless internet: How did our family communicate before instant messaging? It's pretty amusing to see 3 or 4 people in our family room, all typing to one another on laptops. Sad, isn't it? But convenient, too.
4. Friends who know when you need prayer: Thank God for their tender hearts.
5. Freshly tuned pianos: They make me want to practice. And the highs sound like bells--delicious!
6. Scented candles: I really should have been Catholic, with my love for candles and incense. I don't know of a more homey feel to a place than a good smell.
7. Fall leaves: Even if they're squished all over wet streets, I am constantly amazed that God used such an imagination in creating all the variations in pigments.
8. Students who smile when they serve your lunch: Even if lunch ticket prices are going up 150% next week, just seeing happy faces makes cafeteria food feel like a banquet.
9. Quiet offices: Solitude helps me think.
10. Dogs on my lap: Nothing like unconditional love, at least when they leave each other alone. As we move along toward winter, doggies on the lap also keep you warm.

Have a super holiday, and make your own list.