Happy Wednesday lovely readers! Hope this Wednesday finds you all doing fantastically. As for me, well as I mentioned in my last post, everyone is sick around here. I thought I had escaped its path, but then I woke up to a sore throat. So much for my super human powers of resistance!
I’m so surprised that I’m already on my fourth week of practicing gratitude and linking up with Erika. Reflecting on last week will be a bit hard. You see, ever since I moved here in the end of May, every set of plans someone has made with me have been canceled. Every. Single. One. Last week was just another example. I made plans with two different people who both canceled due to illness. Not to suggest their reasons were not valid because clearly they were as everyone has been catching colds here in Germany. However, one of these people has always canceled on me so I’m starting to assume it’s just me. I’ve been trying to make friends and even when plans are initiated by someone else, they have ended up canceling. It really starts to do a number on your self-esteem. So friends, it’s hard for me to look back on last week with anything other than disappointment, but I’m going to still be thankful.
I have so much to be thankful for in this life regardless of any hardships along the way.
1. I have the most wonderful, supportive and loving husband who is my best friend and an excellent father.
2. I have been blessed with a child I thought I could not have. He is happy, healthy and adorable.
3. I have a loving and supportive mother who is always available no matter what time it is and who texts with me almost every day. (And sends me stuff!) 
4. I am healthy and thriving despite suffering from a significant chronic illness.
5. I have a few great friends in the states that continue to stay in touch with me despite the distance even planning to visit.
What do you have to be thankful for this past week? Did you also have some hardships or disappointments that made it hard to be thankful?
Bleurgh. I have a cold too. I’m thankful that I managed to record a voiceover for an online course despite having to pause after every paragraph to cough and blow my nose
Sexy.
Very sexy.
a course you’re teaching or taking?
Making
First I edit the text and then record it. Then somebody else puts it all together so people can buy it!
Wow. You are quite the busy bee!
I know! Looking forward to the weekend. Still have a lot of work to do (invoicing and such) but at least I can do that from bed and don’t have to smile and move around while I’m doing it
Putting my hand up as yet another person in Germany who has a cold. I also have the flaky friend problem including one ‘friend’ that has cancelled every get-together for almost 2 years. I’ve given up completely on her and now if she organises to meet-up I can pretty much expect that she will cancel (she never disappoints me there). I just tell myself it is her problem, not mine. I’m sure you will find friends who are less flaky, it just might take some time.
I hope you’re right. I’m sure you are it’s just frustrating. It’s funny how at least they are consistent with that!
Thanks for stopping by!
I’m sorry to hear that you caught the creeping crud, too. As for the people flaking out on you — it’s them, not you. It just feels pretty personal, especially when you’ve already been feeling isolated and lonely.
I hope you all start feeling better soon!
Thanks Megan
I’m still fighting it! I haven’t succumbed just yet!
it takes a lot of character to be grateful when times are tough. so glad to have found you through the link up. also winters in germany are really brutal in my opinion. i only lived there for 3 1/2 months.. but the winter was definitely hard for me.
Winters can be a little rough here but at the same time I find them very beautiful. I’m not much of a summer girl.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for stopping by!
Chin up lady! You’ll find you niche. It took me two years in Paris before I found the group of friends that really became “my set”. It’s like freshman year of high school and college - somehow that first set of people you meet aren’t the same as the ones you are hugging on graduation day. Hope things start falling into place soon for you though!
You know Amy, I never thought about it like that. It’s always been that way in every new setting. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it! Thank you
Glad that scenario helped!
Love this, Deanna! And those are such great reasons to be grateful, especially #2. What a joy!
Thank you!! Yes he definitely is
It is always always better to count the blessings and not the negative things. It makes us look forward to the beauty of life
I agree. That’s why I love doing this series!
Thanks for the nice comment you left on my blog. Another Germany blogger! I like reading other Germany expat blogs. I followed you on Bloglovin!
You’re welcome! Thank YOU for stopping by and following!!
That sucks about last week-it’s hard not to take stuff like that personally, but like Amy Lynne Hayes said, it’s them, not you and you’ll eventually find a great group of people! It’s wonderful that you have a strong family structure to rely on.
Thanks! The feedback I’ve received on this post is a good example of why I love the blogging community! So many people who understand and can share different views to help give some support.
Hi Deanna!
I completely understand what you’re going through. My senior year of high school I studied abroad for a whole year at a german gymnasium in Schleswig-Holstein, which is how I met my boyfriend (who is German!). However, I left Germany with only 2 really good girlfriends. It can be really difficult, but you just have to stay positive!
Hi! Thank you for the words of encouragement and stopping by to say hello!
Half of my colleagues have colds and I woke up with a sore throat today! But I’m grateful that I didn’t catch a cold while I was in pain from my widom teeth operation. That would NOT have been fun!
By the way, I’ve nominated you for the Liebster Award on my blog: http://confuzzledom.wordpress.com/2013/09/26/the-liebster-award-and-some-random-ramblings/
Don’t worry, there are no questions to answer with this one
Oh no! That’s how it started for me yesterday and today I’m begging for my bed! Hope you escape it’s path!
Thank you for the nomination!
Ha! Something else we have in common! I also thought I could never bear a child … And somehow the miracle of Kiddo happened! And we also have a friend coming to visit all the way from Canada in a few weeks. Your post reminded me of two things I most definitely have to be grateful for. Thanks. And have a great weekend C2C.
Just one more thing!
Hope you have a great weekend too and how exciting that you have a friend coming to visit!
I can’t believe how the weeks are flying! Each time the linkup rolls around, I’m surprised (but in a good way)! That said, thank you so much for always participating AND doing it even when it’s hard. I think that it can be so difficult to reach out and not have anyone reach back in the same way, but that doesn’t have to mean anything about you! I think as long as you keep putting yourself out there, keep being positive and open, you’ll find your group of people and it’ll be worth the waiting and the canceled dates and everything.
But it is hard to stay encouraged in situations like this and I know that I would be feeling the same way. And that’s why I am so proud that you found a way to focus on something different, something positive!
Also: what’s your chronic illness (if you don’t mind me asking)?
Thanks Erika! I agree and I won’t give up. I enjoy having friends too much.
No I don’t mind. I’ve never written about it because it’s hard for me to talk about for some reason….mostly because people have no idea what they are. I’ve been considering posting about it but I don’t want it to be a downer if you know what I mean. I have Chiari Malformation Type I and Syringomyelia. Ummm, what did she just say? Lol