tea & sweaters…

It’s been easy for me to see how others might not be making the effort to be grateful for the gifts of moments they have in their lives… Easy for me to criticize their bitter resentments and self-pity, all the while my gratitude journal lay collecting dust in the location last I scribbled in it. Around our house, we’re taking a hefty lesson in being grateful, reclaiming our spirit of joy and gratitude and noticing life around us…

– the chocolate milk mustache on that face that hides the trace of a child, for just a little while longer.

– the hospital bill that came, both because of what insurance covered and because for the first time in a very long time I can simply pay what’s owed.

– Big, fat rain drops that surprise me, upon my windshield, intermittent among the smaller ones.

– Small town streets lined with larger than life, flaming red leaves and paved with crisp golden hued walk ways.

– Neon pink and orange sunrise explosions, vibrant and symbolizing life-like only God can.

– stolen afternoons, peaceful outside sounds, to read and simply inhale through my soul.

– dental work… it’s true, *sigh* I’m grateful.

– that feeling of “enough”; Knowing I have enough.

– vicariously living through my husband and being able to “love on” loved ones who are far away.

– missing my daughter so much and then her beautiful face shows up in one hundred gorgeous photos.

– that it’s only a handful of hours between her budding family and us.

– so many amazing people died this weekend and that made Monday morning a truly sad place, but then I realized what an amazing impact each of those people have had on just their small portion of the world I’ve seen. Wow. How extraordinarily beautiful!

– that death isn’t an end.

– pots of tea as the days grow cooler.

– umbrellas hiding away in the car just when you need them.

– random texts or calls, from a friend, just because they were thinking of you.

– Slumber parties with my puppies.

– needing a sweater.

– inside celebrity jokes, or inside jokes of any kind really. It’s good to be gotten.