Why can't I just have a crappy day?

Today was supposed to be about writing my critical essay for my grad school application. Instead, I spent my morning cleaning my house and cooking for a Thanksgiving meal I didn't want to have. I kept getting emails and phone calls about issue I shouldn't have to deal with. And my evening was taken over by house hunting--a task I despise on a good day. I hadn't gotten any writing done, and I wasn't any closer to finishing my grad school applications.

And then I walked into a bedroom in a house we were looking at and saw this:

(So it was really a regular white coffee mug with the Vermont College logo, but I couldn't find a picture of it online.)

One of the current tenants of the house we were looking at had recently graduated from one of the colleges I'm applying to. So I got to ask her questions about the program and play the "Do you know him/her?" game and talk to her about my concerns with the critical essay. All of a sudden, my day didn't seem like such a waste. In fact, even though we decided the house wasn't a good option for us, I was glad we went house hunting this evening.

That got me thinking, maybe my day wasn't so bad. After all, I got to sleep in for an hour. I even spend more time on my post-cardio yoga routine than I ever have time for. My carpet is clean and my refrigerator is full of good food. Almost all of my holiday shopping is finished, and my friend whom I rarely get to see went with me to a free screening of The Muppets on Monday. I got 10 cents off each gallon of gas I put in my car this afternoon because I had bought a Thanksgiving meal for three women who are far from home this year--four, if I count myself. My best friend sent me the sweetest email that made me feel like maybe my friendship is worth more than I give it credit. Tonight I get to visit with two of my favorite people, and I still have Friday, Saturday and Sunday to get my paper done.

I know it sounds sappy, but this Thanksgiving I'm grateful for all the little things. I'm grateful for one little coffee mug that made me realize giving thanks isn't about what you have so much as it's about all the good things that are yet to come.