A budget, creative juices, a fire in my belly

1. I just reworked my budget as best I could this morning. I am usually budgeted for 2 years in advance, but this time I'm only good til March of '08. I've been having some money issues lately, and haven't been able to figure out why the hell I never seem to have any. It seems that there have been a few large things that have come up, which has totally sucked up all of my spending cash - and that was the problem. The good news is, the bleeding in that dept should stop after the end of this month, and I'll be able to catch back up with paying down my debt. Without having reworked my budget this morning, I would not feel as confident right now (which I had NO confidence about my finances beforehand). I am thankful that I have a budget to not only show me how much I owe, but how well I'm doing to pay that down.

2. My creative juices started up a month ago and haven't stopped flowing. I know something is on it's way. I can feel it. I am thankful for all the creative inspiration that seems effortless and endless this past month.

3. It seems that over the course of the last 6-8 months, I now have had not one, but two family members suggest to me at different times that I have gastric bypass surgery when discussing weight loss. Did I mention that this was unsolicited? Do I have to tell you that these people are also overweight? Do I have to tell you that this will never leave my brain, the memory of them suggesting to me that I should undergo risky, major surgery, just to be thin - which by the way doesn't solve any food issues you may have (which I don't anymore) or make you exercise (which I need to do more of), or necessarily make you healthier? I know I shouldn't care what they think or let it affect me, but I would never suggest anything like that to them, not to anyone. I was married to a man once who DID have that surgery prior to my meeting him, and not only did he have complications, had to take pills everyday for the rest of his life because of it, but what his body looked like afterwards (and the surgeries he had to have to remove all of that excess skin)... I will never do that to myself, ever. My body is more beautiful fat than it is in that state, for certain. At first I was taken aback by the suggestions, but now? It has put a fire in my belly to really get this weight off once and for all, and have people - people that I love - stop telling me how my weight is affecting me and what I should do about it (which truly is none of their concern, or any one's other than my own for that matter). I am thankful that I can turn my aggravation into motivation.

What are YOU thankful for?

(Tell me in your comments!)