30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 11

I checked a few things off my never-ending to-do list today, and delivered some materials for an upcoming program. It’s surprising how this simple act, driving to this familiar place, talking with my daughter who rode along with me, enjoying one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches we’ve ever had at an outdoor picnic table would feel so gloriously…normal.

This time spent driving was spent talking and connecting. She shared some of what she hopes for with friends, school, and the future. She helped me shop for an upcoming work project asked if she’d be able to help.

After our afternoon commitments, she got her first official makeup lesson. I watched her — this beautiful girl — and I was awestruck. At the way she is growing up and into herself right before my eyes, and the privilege it is to travel through this life with her.

30 Days of Thankfulness: Days 8-10

Time keeps slipping away from me, so I’m going to post now before another day closes without my expression of gratitude.

In no particular order, I’m grateful for:

• Sunshine
• Walks
• The sound of rain and flashes of lightning
• When I’m done editing a video
• My DET cohort
• Pioneers (BBB Webinar)
• Talking with my teenager
• Celebrating my kids’ accomplishments
• Health

30 Days of Thankfulness: Days 3-7

I’m so very thankful for coffee and sleep.

I know – so very cliché, but truthfully, I indulge far too much in one of these and not nearly enough in the other. It’s a bit of a dance. There were a few things going on in the world this week and somehow, I crashed out this week more times than I posted.

But I’m undeterred.

I’m thankful for grace and am learning to be a bit more compassionate.

I’m thankful for meal planning that helps take the guesswork out of dinner prep, and what’s more, our pickiest of eaters devoured the beef enchiladas for dinner last night. AND complimented me on them! 😳 I know – so much to be thankful for.

I am thankful for the glorious weather this week and evening walks with my husband.

I aim to do better this coming week in finding those little slices of each day to unpack as I continue to appreciate these moments.

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 2

I’ve had a few things, simple things, hanging over my head for a while now – and today, I checked them off my list. I think one thing that has been so tricky about this time has been losing the little rhythms of life that keep things moving. Today felt a little closer to that old rhythm – the very best way.

Tonight, we all did bit of divide and conquer which means, we had dishes and Disney songs upstairs and the construction of the new speed bag and heavy bag set downstairs. There was homework help and heart-to-heart talks.

To top it all off, we ended the night with an hour-long game of hide-and-seek — with the whole house fair game, spooky music, and no lights on anywhere. Between the nervousness of hiding in the perfect spot, or moving to a better place without getting caught we all had some great fun and good times.

I have a million other things I {should} be have done tonight. Reading, writing, research, work, and I am likely going to do some now. But that hour of anticipation, of presence, of togetherness, is worth the even later night or earlier morning and the inevitable deposit losses from my face plant into the open closet door!

Here’s to more nights of games —

Hide and Seek,

Capture the Flag,

Flashlight Tag,

and Chicken in the Water (a.k.a. Soup)!

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 1

It’s been a while, but now more than ever I am in desperate need of any opportunity to find beauty and joy. It’s my hope that this exercise in gratitude will sharpen my ability to see all that I have to be grateful for.

Today I am thankful for not only the means to provide the basic necessities for our family, but also the opportunity to include them in the process and share special moments in what may otherwise feel like mundane obligations.

I’m thankful for the kindness of a brother who willingly shared with his sister and for the laughter provided by churros and coconuts. Even when hunger struck mid-shopping trip, we all helped pull one another through.

Getting home, it was all hands on deck and each person took a role to put away, sort and organize everything to maximize space and minimize the temptation to overindulge. These simple things, these practical dates, have come to mean more to me that I could have anticipated, especially now in these tenuous times of COVID and politics. While I know there’s a part of me that remembers the old rhythms, the changing of seasons and planning of gatherings, there’s a new part of me that is clinging to the hidden beauty of this new cadence as well.