Gratitude

Every November people start issuing challenges on Facebook to post something that they are thankful for each day.  I've been challenged to do this before and you can guess how well that turned out.  I'll save you the suspense...it didn't happen. The posts are usually very predictable.  People start out with a need to post the obvious things expressed in very flowery and well thought out prose: "I'm thankful for my two lovely children who are my pride and joy",  "I'm thankful for my caring and supportive spouse who loves me beyond measure.", etc... As if it wouldn't be true if they didn't mention them right off the bat.  By the end of the month their groping at straws and you get: "I'm so thankful my coffee machine turned on this morning because it's going to be one heck of a day."  Maybe the point is to get people past the big things to focus on the small things in life that we should all be thankful for.  But does it take a month of daily posts to do that?  Therefore, instead of a full month of posting I'm going write one blog post.  And instead of writing about the obvious things I'm going to cut right to the chase and post about a handful of little things that I'm grateful for. And maybe a big thing or two.  Considering how often I get around to posting, that should cover me for a while. 

1. I'm grateful every morning when we pull out of the driveway.  We have successfully made it through another morning wake up.  We are ready to start our day.  I actually enjoy the commute into work even if there's traffic.  It's quiet and it gives me the chance to collect my thoughts for the day. Pulling groggy children out of bed in the morning is no fun and my GOD would you remember anything if I didn't put it in the backpack for you?  
2. I'm grateful every evening when I crawl into bed. It's a feeling of relief. Yes, we have made it through another evening, successfully completed another bedtime.  It's no small secret that I have loathed bedtime with every bit of my being ever since the kids were babes.  Not ashamed to admit that it has never been my favorite time of day.  After the child is successfully asleep?  Yes. The 2 hour period before that happens?  Nope.  Always something that you need to be doing and it's not what you're doing.  And getting little ones to settle down and tuck in for the night is not something I'm good at.  Please for the love of all things holy, just go to sleep. Sticking to a bedtime routine is easy in theory but tough in execution. In case you haven't guessed by now our morning and evening routines can be kind of hectic.  As in too much to do and not enough times to do it. As in you stop to smell the roses even for a second and you're behind. This is the "in the trenches" parenting stuff that they don't tell you about before you leave the hospital. And it doesn't get any less hurried as you move from the baby years to the school age years. These moments are two times of the day when I pick my head up and look around and go...ahhhh, maybe we are getting somewhere.
3. My planner.  Does that sound silly to you?  I don't care.  It's where I organize the crazy life that goes on in #s 1 and 2. I've tried the electronic planner route, no good. I need it written down on paper, open in front of me as often as possible.  If it's not written in there, even the smallest detail, chances are good it's not going to happen.  I'm also the type of person who's brain is always running, sometimes too fast.  Writing something down helps be calm down my brain.
4. My office.  Let's face it, not too many people can say they have a space all their own at work, with four real honest to goodness walls, a door and TWO windows.  I am thrilled that I have my own little space to call my own, that I'm able to decorate and hang pictures and make it a happy little place.  After all I spend 40 hours of every week in this space, I might as well make it a place that feels good.
5. Our home. Here's the big, but not too big thing. In fact, just like Goldilocks, it's just right for us.  We've had the thought over the years of moving into something bigger, something closer to work, something not close to 20 years of age that is not facing some upcoming major repairs (lookin' right at ya master bathroom and roof!) but always seem to settle back where we are.  Staying put allows us to have the flexibility to do other things and have a little fun.
6. Finally, I'm grateful that I've reached that point in my life where I'm comfortable with who I am and who I am not.  That I do not care what you think about me (most of the time). Man, the time we waste in our younger years obsessing about this!!!!  I hear that as you get older the feeling gets better...little birdies have told me that there is something magic about turning 50. Not that I'm in a hurry to get old AT ALL but it is something to look forward as the inevitable happens. In the meantime I'll just keep on keepin' on.

I'm sure there's a bunch more.  Trouble is, because it's the small things I'm concerned with here I don't think of them until that moment.  "Ah ha!  This is what is making life easier!"  I think appreciating them when they happen and saying thank you to those around you at that moment is more important than remembering them for a Facebook or blog post later.  That's being really grateful.