Today I am very grateful for the time to be creative. For years now I have wanted to set up a place for me to distribute and sell live online material for English training in virtual classrooms. This week, I have started the process and will continue with my vision. First, I have changed the name to the store at Teachers Pay Teachers . Eventually, I will set up a website so that freelance teachers can purchase material with a subscription model. I've wanted to do this for years and have finally decided to bite the bullet and get this done.

Years ago, a friend of mine gave me a book called,

The Attitude of Gratitude

. I haven't yet read it, but believe in the title very much. Anyway, I've decided to take this blog and try to write daily (or every few days) what I'm thankful for so that would be my focus. Right now, I want to thank God for my mom and sister's husbands L & J. They are very helpful in so many ways. A few months back, my computer went out and my sister's husband has completely revamped it three times. This time, he said it was done correctly and I shouldn't have any further problems. I know he will help me if I do. My mom's husband is the same way. He takes Alpo on adventures, he will fix things for me like my toilet. I just appreciate both men and am thankful they have committed to my family members.

I've now been back 'working from home' for a week. It has been very nice and I'm sorry to say that I do not miss my previous employment. I do miss most of the people, though, as working from home can be fairly isolating. In my current situation, though, I'm not isolated all that much. I've taken up residence in the master suite (which we see as a small efficiency apartment with a kitchen and everything) in my brother-in-law and twin sister's place, which is why I was able to take this risk and see about getting my company up and flourishing. She has five children right now and needless to say, I live in a very active household. My sister has asked me to watch a couple of the kids (temporarily) until I get on a truly regular routine while she takes the others on appointments. I have just opted to go with her and all the kids to the appointments. We will stop at a play place while she takes the one or two to the appointment. I would rather watch them at a McDonald's play place than my own little apartment or her big home. It has been fun, but also difficult to get on a routine, so I believe we will not do that all that often, but it has been fun this week. I truly love those kiddos and love being around them more! This next week, I'll get started working with a company in Spain and start working on a curriculum project that I have dreamed up. I'm happy! YAY!

Thanks to a hereditary condition I got from my maternal grandmother, I have a compromised immune system. This really became obvious during this past year when I started as a supervisor at a local call center that supported the Affordable Care Act. I don't think a month went by that I didn't catch something. One reason is because of my immune system and the other is because of the nature of call centers. The attendance policy is so strict, people come to work sick and since everyone is sitting so close together, it is like we are in our own human petrie dish. Anyway, my last day there and I show up with my eyes red, inflamed and watery. I'm sure some people thought I had been crying over my decision to leave, but in reality, I was getting sick (again!). This time, though, I didn't catch it at the call center, I caught it at home. And boy did I get sick! I have never in my life woken up with my throat hurting so bad that I couldn't sleep. I finally just devoured ice and for the first time I learned how effective cough drops can be on sore throats. I was totally down for the count. My twin sister had the same thing several weeks before and she also laid flat for three days straight and let her husband run the household (they have five kiddos, right now, bless them). Anyway, I keep digressing, the question I started to wonder--do I have a cold or do I have the flu? When I was growing up, I always thought the flu was what we typically call the stomach flu. After living abroad, though, I learned that the flu bug and colds are very similar. One distinct difference is that with a cold, there is nasal drip whereas with the flu one coughs and has a distinct sore throat. I'm on day number six of this flu or cold and I believe that I had the flu and now I'm moving on to a cold. Is that possible? I just started sneezing yesterday, my voice is almost back and now I have a nasal drip. Could I have had the flu and subsequently caught a cold? It sure does feel like it! Nuf said for today!

So it was five years ago that Alpo and I moved to the USA to start a new life close to family and life-long friends. When I look back, I think of the adventures and the heartache. I haven't written anything during this past year as I just haven't had the energy. Anyway, since I think in bullet points, here are some of the highlights:

*I hosted a foreign exchange student from Switzerland. It was an amazing year. C came back a few years later and it felt like a big family reunion.

*Alpo became a father again and this past year, he became a grandfather. Thanks to Facebook and the close knit Hungarian Pumi Association here in the USA, I get to see some of their pictures and hear of their triumphs. One of his female puppies is going to nationals this year in Agility and another of his male pups became the first pumi in the USA to become a service dog. He loves to pal around with my mom's husband, J and would live with him if he had the chance.

*My sister and her husband started out as foster parents five years ago and they ended up adopting three of the kiddos. They have had about 40 kiddos come through their home. Right now, they have five children and H is learning to be a stay at home Mom. Since I'm the single sister, I get the chance to help them out a lot. In fact, we call them the seven dwarfs along with Snow White (me) waiting for her prince charming.

*I've really enjoyed living close to my mom and learning about her life from a first-hand perspective instead of over the telephone and blogging as we did before I returned. She is very happy with her new husband and I'm happy for them.

*When I first arrived back in the USA, I started a company called Virtual Teachers Agency LLC or ViTA and started to grow it organically as I worked other jobs in order to make ends meet. As of yesterday (at the five year mark), I have decided to work ViTA full time and see what happens. I have a lot of ideas and we'll see what happens.

Independence week in Idaho is proving to be the hottest Alpo and I have experienced since come back to the states almost four years ago.  Since the home we live in does not have central air, we are camping out in the room with the strongest air conditioner.  Alpo does not like the heat.  He goes outside, does his thing and immediately runs back inside.  I'm actually not all that better...  I can't believe it has already been four years since I sold my home and started preparing to return to the USA.  Wow,  time sure has flown by!  I've had a lot of great things happen and some negative.  In some areas, it has not been easy to return to the states after so long away.  I learned to count my blessings a long time ago and so here is a list of those blessings:

• My relationship with my twin has grown and we can proudly say we are friends now!
• I have enjoyed learning to really drive and have a car.  For the past twenty years, I have always used public transportation so commuting with a car will be new for me once I start my new job on Friday.
• My small business is starting to thrive and have a life of its own.
• I've gotten to know my adopted niece and nephews from the beginning.
• I've been able to get to know some of my biological nieces and nephews who were born while I was away.
• I've gotten to know my mom's husband and am really happy to see them happy!  My dad would be pleased!
• Alpo had a litter in 2010 and I've learned to know more about his breed and many of the wonderful people who are promoting the Hungarian Pumi here in the USA.
• I've been able to take some great road trips here in the USA and am planning to do more.

These are just some of the blessings I'm reflecting on during these hot dog days of summer!