a week in gratitude:: day three

Following along with Earth Mama this week in sharing just a little gratitude each day

today I am grateful for:

:dishes in the sink
:laundry in the hampers
:toys on the floor
:groceries to put away
:beds to be made
:diapers to change
:homework to check
:dinner to make
:wood to stack


because it means that we have so much. We have food to eat, and blankets to keep us warm. Toys to play with, books to read, clothes to wear. We are so very blessed.

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” 
— William Arthur Ward

a week in gratitude:: day two

Following along with Earth Mama this week in expressing a little gratitude each day


today I am grateful for

: wood and the fire that keeps us warm
: slippers knit by a nana who love us
: frost on the ground, but no snow yet
: a child who still believes in magic, and who lets us sprinkle magic just a little bit longer
: opportunities we have been given
: people who believe in us
: the generosity of others

“You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.” 

— Sarah Ban Breathnach

a week in gratitude:: day one

I'm going to put on pause some of the posts I had planned for this week and instead join in with Earth Mamas week in gratitude


I am grateful for

: sweet baby smiles
: a teenager that still hugs his mama once in a while
: the spirit and energy of an eight year old boy
: time to enjoy the change of the seasons, of noticing the change in the crisp autumn air
: a good cup of coffee in the morning

“Gratitude should not be just a reaction to getting what you want, but an all-the-time gratitude, the kind where you notice the little things and where you constantly look for the good, even in unpleasant situations. Start bringing gratitude to your experiences, instead of waiting for a positive experience in order to feel grateful.” 
— Marelisa Fábrega

i am thankful day 7

Today I am thankful for

new england clam chowder, kitty cats, cozy blankets and being half way through my work week.

i am thankful, day 6

I am thankful

that I have a stove at work. Seriously. I work 12 hour Sundays and till 9pm every other night. I didn't use the stove the first couple years I worked here, I just heated up leftovers. Now I can't imagine how I got by. I love being able to pack ingredients and cook a fresh dinner, especially on these loooong 12 hour days!

i am thankful days 4 and 5

So generic, totally a cop out but:

I am thankful for my family and for my friends.


They count as two days. Cause I said so.

It's true though, really. They are what makes up the best parts of my life. Sure, I find joy in things like hiking and crafting and other solo activities - but the relationships I have with my family and my friends are what create fullness and wholeness in my life.

Cheesy, but true.

I am thankful, day 3

Whew. Today was a long day!

Today, I am thankful for:

time for napping!

i am thankful, day 2

Today I am thankful for:

libraries.

especially libraries with online systems 

that allow me to place holds on any book 

at any of the county libraries 

and have it delivered to my local library. 

yay!

image source

:month of gratitude:

I had this big, long, wonderful post about handmade holidays. And I worked on it for a really long time (so I know it was auto-saved in addition to me saving it) and then I had to leave and come back, and when I did, it was gone. Blank. Blogger clearly doesn't want me to talk about my handmade holiday ideas. So, you don't get that post. At least not today, since I have to do it all over again! :whine:


Anyway, a couple of friends on Facebook have started posting one thing on every day this month that they are thankful for. I happen to think that's a marvelous idea so I'm going to copy it here. I hope you join in too!

Today, I am thankful for: 

a husband who still surprises me (in the very good way!) and is compassionate and kind and loving, especially when I least expect him to be.

right now, I am . . .

 Inspired by Earth Mama:

"Every Wednesday I will post a post with one image combined with a short sentence that starts out as "right now, I AM...". This simple exercise helps me to take a moment out of my day to open my eyes, take a look around, and see something wonderful that is right in front of me that I can truly appreciate. Whenever I do this simple task, I can feel my heart swell with gratitude for the life I have.

 I really believe that together we can help each other to shine the abundance of good that we see all around us. That to me is a very wonderful, aware, and proactive momentum to set off on"

right now I AM sneaking in some preserving time before work, grateful for the abundance of our garden and local farmers and feeling very thankful that I don't have to preserve an entire winters food for the whole family!

Quote for the week

Or month, or life.

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 It was a scary, long, exhausting week.  Evan is home and well. They are also running tests for lyme disease and sending his spinal samples to the state lab, just to be sure but he has made what seems to be a full recovery.

 Tuesday, feeling well enough to play the PS3 that was in his room!

We were so, so blessed this past week and are so very grateful for everyone's love, support and well wishes. Really, our family and friends are beyond amazing.

 Tuesday night, I think. Excited to be well enough to leave the room for a bit

You know, I'm not strong enough (in many ways) to be a nurse, or a social worker though I've always felt that pull. And now, after our experiences I have that same sort of feeling again. This is the first one of my children has ever stayed overnight in the hospital. The first they've ever needed extensive testing and drugs and doctors like this. My children rarely even see the doctor aside from yearly physicals, in fact I don't think Evan has had a sick child visit in 5 years. 

But for some families, that's not the case. They have very sick children. They spend days and weeks and months in hospitals, without knowing for certain they'll be bringing home a healthy child. They might not have the support that we had. I was near cracking up after 4 nights sleeping in a hospital with a child in pain. Some parents do this for much, much longer. 

 I felt kind of creepy taking pictures in the hospital, but it was really an amazing place. This was the solarium on Evans floor.

 

I have many, many more thoughts on all of this but they're still sort of swirling around my head right now and I'm still adjusting to getting back to normal here. 

Right now I'm just feeling very loved and very, very grateful for everything and everyone in our lives. 

 

Friday Gratitude.

This week I'm grateful for the heat. Or the sun at least. Really. I'm getting the vitamin D I miss all winter long, the garden is flourishing. Our summers are always too short and often cold and rainy. We've been blessed with some very summery weather this year, I'll be remembering these days fondly in the middle of winter. It gives me an excuse to eat ice cream everyday.

Edit! - 10am this morning, a thunderstorm rolled through, leaving us with a cool breeze and temperatures somewhere in the low 70's - oh sweet, sweet relief!

Friday Gratitude

Today, I am grateful for slippers.

I am grateful for tea.

For bread rising on the counter.

For a husband who fixes the oven door when I somehow break it clean apart.

I am grateful for an 11 year old who wants to play scrabble with his parents.

For a 6 year old who is still cheerful, even when dealing with a stomach bug. For easy to clean floors :/

I am grateful for my comfy couch and cozy blanket. For it being Friday.

Gratitude Friday

Haven't done one of these in a while, and I'm needing it.


Today I am grateful for:

A cozy, warm home during the first real snow of the year.

My Husband. It's been a rough month - so many colds and coughs and fevers. So glad I have a partner in all this.

Help. From many sources, places and people.

This home, and this opportunity. Not one day goes by that I don't feel so lucky and blessed and grateful to be here.


Enjoy your weekend!

It can't rain all the time.

I've missed a few Gratitude Friday's - and I think it's time to get back into it. I've had a rough few weeks. Seems like it's just one thing after another after another. It's been getting harder and harder to keep my balance.
It's been raining for almost 2 weeks. I don't think that helps. Sometimes rain can be cozy, but when it's grey day after day after day it makes the even the little things seem so big. I'm in serious need of a little sunshine, everywhere in my life right now.

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. ~

Anthony J. D'Angel

 Today I am grateful for

Some quiet alone time

Good, hot coffee

Successfully starting a fire in the woodstove on my own for the first time!

A beautiful place to live, sometimes I look around in absolute amazement that I actually live here

Family and friends

A healthy family

Autumn leaves

Knowing that it can't rain all the time.

Gratitude

I'm feeling a little discouraged and sorry for myself this morning. Which makes this Friday gratitude thing hard. Which is why I started it in the first place I guess, it's not always easy or evident.


So.


Today, I am grateful for:


Having enough food to eat

Recipe to come soon!

A garden that keeps on growing and giving




4 more weeks until we move into our dream house - complete with loads of wild raspberries and blackberries






Coffee. Oh - am I grateful for coffee!!



Fridays off of work.



For the people who remind me of all I have to be grateful for.

Is it Friday yet?

I'm doing gratitude Friday slightly early. I need to.

It's been one of those days. You know what I'm talking about.

The kids are bickering.
The husband lost all sorts of financial aid for the fall.
My 20 minute meeting lasted almost two hours.
Work - just . . . well.
There are mosquitoes in my house and apparently I am very sweet.
The house is an absolute mess and I don't have the desire or energy to clean it.


I'm feeling - tense. Wound up. Cranky.

I need to recenter.

I am:

Grateful for the bickering. Because I have two healthy, growing young boys - who's only worries right now are nitpicking each other.

Grateful for the fact that, although he lost a LOT of financial aid - we still have some. And what we've lost won't hurt too badly. He can still afford to go to school. That's something that too many people can't afford. We are still blessed.

Grateful for the information I learned. The questions I was asked - the thoughts that meeting provoked.

Grateful that I have a job to be annoyed at.

Grateful that it's sweet summertime. Even if that means mosquitoes.

And even grateful for the mess. Grateful we have the toys and games and books and clothes and the children to make that mess. Grateful that we have enough food to eat to create the dishes to wash. Enough clothes to create the laundry to wash. The home to vacuum carpets and mop floors and clean toilets in. We don't have much - but we have so, so much more than so many other people. I am grateful that we have the opportunity to complain about our messes.


:sigh:

That's better.

Friday Gratitude

Today I am grateful for:


Homemade popsicles and ice cream


Dough rising on the counter


Plants growing


Flexible Schedules


Naps


Summer Ale


Ibuprofen

Friday Gratitude

Today, I am grateful for:

warm weather

food to grill

birthday celebrations

friends

Gratitude

The kids and I have recently started keeping a gratitude journal. It's something I've mentioned doing for years, and finally got around to starting a few weeks ago (I'm pretty famous for my procrastination). Actually, I found one at a thrift store, for 50 cents. This huge spiral bound book. 50 cents. This is the one. It was brand new. And dirt cheap. And got my butt in gear.

I like it, but sadly - it's hard! It doesn't seem like it would be hard, right? I mean, there are pre-listed questions (and also a blank page for each day) but just to think of one thing, each day - to be grateful for? And we don't even write in it every day. Maybe 4 times a week. Today, my oldest, Evan wrote: I'm grateful I'm not dead.

It's something though, I guess!

Sometimes you just feel uninspired. And you have to search for something to be thankful for. Even if it's just waking up in the morning.

But that is exactly why I wanted to start this journal! To take the time, to find something, to notice something - to appreciate something, no matter how trivial - in our days.

I think I'm going to start doing gratitude Fridays here.


So this week?

I'm grateful for opportunity.