Don't sweat the small stuff

I lost someone very dear to me last night.  He was perhaps the greatest man I've ever known - my mentor, even father figure at times, my biggest cheerleader at times, my motivation to become a better manager/co-worker/person, the father of a very dear girlfriend of mine.  He is the reason I am in Ohio and brought me to my husband and thus the two best things I've ever done in my life - see picture above. :)  He never had a negative thing to say about anyone, always finding something good... or funny... to say.  He always found the silver lining when you felt things could get no worse.  I have lost someone that was brought into my life with such purpose and he will be greatly missed.

So as I sit here tonight, working for the last three hours answering emails that I can never seem to get to while in the office, I am reminded that work can wait and the small things don't really matter.  Take time to tell the ones you love how much they mean to you and enjoy life.  I know I don't say those words nearly often enough... and I often take for granted the ones that are closest to me (Mom, I love you and appreciate all that you do for us... I truly, truly do).  Tonight, I am thankful for a husband that is a great dad and tries so hard to make us all happy (and probably waits on me too much, truth be told).  I am thankful for two healthy, beautiful kids that bring me such joy.  And I am thankful for so much more - great friends that will be there until the end (even when we don't see each other nearly often enough), great co-workers, great family (near and far, those I see often and those I don't), a great job, a healthy body (that I abuse too often) ... the list goes on.