Daily: Reflect on at least 5 things for which I'm grateful (Happiness Manifesto #2)

1. Some good marks in my fourth semester of my military GIS program. I will give a little self nudge though to turn it up a bit too.
2. A great relaxing weekend with my girlfriend, great talks and lots of intimacy. There is a love between us.
3. Another day done of the fitness Everest Challenge at the gym, I’m getting back into the running now gently after my soccer season.
4. Ballsyness still in effect, one step at a time.
5. I want to talk about the bond I have with my gf’s black labrador: she is so awesome and fun, apparently transformed since my time with her, taking her for walks and lots of play/exercise.

1. A great final week with my kids. I love them soooo much!
2. It was a zoo at the house, with all the kids, mine and hers!
3. I seriously appreciate the fact that her ex and I get along. He brought me a coffee this morning.
4. The kids appreciate both parents, it really is looking like a win-win for all involved.
5. Court tomorrow: having a foundation to which stand on. No BS.

1. Working out just by working.
2. Two more weeks of holidays.
3. Talk of moving in with my girlfriend.
4. Taking some steps in understanding how our parenting styles work.
5. A day to get some much needed admin taken care of.

1. The giggling upstairs between my kids and my girlfriend (do I hear some jokes about me??).
2. A very nice older black labrador dog, Jewel, great with the kids.
3. An unexpected break from work.
4. The first novel in a while, the sequel to the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”.
5. A pleasant talk with my dad on the phone.
6. A fun soccer game on Friday although we lost. Oh, and finally I bought my own shin pads!

1. Getting my kids longer again this week(end).
2. Getting to meet the young ladies of my girlfriend along with my kids. This is going to be interesting and totally different than what I would have thought soooo many years ago.
But I am here now, my kids too, and I am grateful for living in the present, being a great dad (a lot of ppl think so too apparently), and meeting someone independent, amazing and not in the least needy.
3. Working hard on leave (vacation), some honest physical work which is a nice change from the computer work I do in my career.
4. Getting some extra money to pay for my legal bills. I refuse to go bankrupt over my ex’s choice not to talk to me but in a court of law.
5. A very exciting possibility to ‘kill two birds with one stone’, and I mean a chance to solve some major logistical issues in the very near future! It has to be done with 100% integrity only.

1. Holidays!
2. Extra work.
3. My kids!
4. The present.
5. My gf, this is really a mature, fun relationship.

I am truly gratefule:

1. For passing the second day of my military validation exercise. I actually failed the first day but learned a lot in the process.
2. For Sergeant P., a real professional.
3. For my girlfriend who actually made me a pizza to take to work (can you believe that??). She loved my cooking yesterday on the fly too.
4. For the fact Conrad didn’t suffer but minor burn to the hand when the lightning hit the house while he was playing X-Box.
5. For picking up another week of leave: the sytem is showing my previous service and I will have 31 days off this summer!

1. Crazy last 48 hours, operating on 2.5 hours sleep. It has been crazy in so many directions yet I seriously need to be appreciative of one single person in particular: my girlfriend. All I got from her was her sweet smile and ‘Let’s frikkin’ do it’ attitude, and I soaked it up. I said to her I would have survived the day regardless, but your company just put it in perspective so much more. You’re a cool lady, you know that?

2. Have to add this after thinking about it in the shower.The two clerks at the courthouse today were so awesome, helpful and even smiling. Amazing in that place of negativity and ‘ignorance’ (inside joke, haha, that kid was funny!).

1. For taking the hit at work while performing my duties as a leader. Tried to cover for a guy without lieing. Got dinged for it but it’s the way we did things at my old unit, take care of your troops.
2. Getting most of that amazingly slow project done.
3. Having a much needed nap after work, man did I ever need it!
4. Some good conversation with my girlfriend about my kids and about her life. We’re already friends for a very long time to be.
5. Getting tickets to the Black Eyed Peas for my daughter’s birthday. She is going to freak out!!!!

1. Getting work done early today, and helping out others more and more.
2. Feedback from one of my colleagues, who is also sick of some of the comments.
3. Picking up my kids again today.
4. The enthusiasm my kids have for meeting my new girlfriend. While I have treaded extremely carefully on this matter for over a year, not speaking about dating to my kids at all, this woman deserves the attention and I got crap from my youngest because only Conrad met her briefly at one of his soccer games and Simona wanted to be the first.
5. Although I get some ‘old’ jokes on course, I am still one of the fittest guys out there.

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Quick question for anyone listening:

How would you introduce your kids to your girlfriend after a separation? (Thanks in advance for any feedback)