46 Days of Gratefulness - Week 6 + 4 days

Happy Easter!

The past 46 days have been a great time of reflection for me. And today I am reflecting most on the sacrifice Jesus made for me. I am incredibly grateful for the blessings I have focused on over the last six and a half weeks, but I know that my blessings are far more abundant than just those 46 things. 

Day 36

I am grateful for the easy access and availability I have to clean drinking water. I have witnessed with my own eyes areas of the world that do not have this convenience and it is not something I take for granted.

Day 37

I am grateful to live in an area where I can watch the change of the seasons, watch the ice melt as the air around it warms. I am grateful for the reminder that this change is, that even as something ends, something else begins.

Day 38

Today I am grateful for a freshly sharpened No. 2 pencil.

Day 39

I am grateful for music and its ability to engage, inspire, heal and connect people.

Day 40

I am grateful for the anticipation and excitement that accompanies embarking on something new. I am grateful that there are people in this world who will still freely share their knowledge and passion to help others embrace the things they love as well.

Day 41

I am grateful for the beauty of natural light, for the highlights and shadows it creates, and for the way it can transform an object.

Day 42

I am grateful for the soothing sound of the ocean, whether it is real or artificial. There is something about it that calms my mind and brings me back to myself when I start to feel overwhelmed.

Day 43

I am grateful for my sister and the unique friendship you can find in a sibling. It is unlike any other friendship because no one understands you quite in the way a sibling does, as they have shared the same upbringing and childhood environment. They might not have experienced it the same way as you, but they understand you and your story and how you became who you are.

Day 44

I am grateful for our military men and women and their families, for the sacrifices they make, for their bravery, courage and dedication.

Day 45

I am grateful for the miracle of pregnancy. I am grateful to have experienced it. I am always in awe of a beautiful growing belly and the amazing process it is.

Day 46

I am grateful for the passing on of traditions and the creating of new ones.

46 Days of Gratefulness - Week 5

I realized this week that there are actually 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Holy Saturday. I never actually counted and you always hear that there are 40 days of Lent. After a little research, apparently this is how the 40 days comes about: Since the original disciples were Jewish, they were raised to hold the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship. Though the early Christians changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday (to celebrate Christ's Resurrection on a Sunday), they still upheld this idea. So there was no fasting or repenting on Sundays during Lent. And if you leave the Sundays out of that 46 day period, you get 40 days!

So, I learned something! But since I've already been including Sundays for Weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4, I'm just going to turn 40 Days of Gratefulness into 46 Days of Gratefulness. And I don't think it hurts to be grateful for 6 extra days. So here's Week 5:

Day 29

I am grateful for the opportunities I've had to travel and see not only the country, but the world.

Day 30

I am grateful for the opportunity to watch longstanding friendships continue through the next generation.

Day 31

Despite the problems within our government, I am grateful to live in a country where, as a woman, I have the right to vote, drive and pursue higher education. I am grateful that I have many basic rights and freedoms that are not afforded to many people in this world.

Day 32

I am grateful for time spent together, as a family, in the kitchen. I am grateful to have time to be beside and work with my husband and daughter to create something, both teaching and learning from each other.

Day 33

I am grateful for the amazing entity that the mind is. I love how a drive down a certain road, or a particular song, or specific scent can instantly send memories flooding back to you that you would not otherwise recall.

Day 34

I am grateful for the fire in my heart recently - to do, to learn, to give and to love.

Day 35

I'm grateful for all the sparkle in my life because everyone needs a little sparkle.

40 Days of Gratefulness - Week 4

Weeks 1, 2 and 3 weren't all that difficult. But as I got into Week 4, I struggled a little bit to make the time every day and reflect on something new. I did it though! And the more difficult it was to pick something that day, the more I found I appreciated it after my reflection.

So here is Week 4:

Day 22

I am grateful that my parents saved so much from my childhood. A little time spent digging through boxes produces videos like Puff the Magic Dragon and Gumby, allowing me to share my childhood with my daughter.

Day 23

Growing up, we almost always ate dinner together as a family. Not just my parents, sister and I, but my grandparents too. No matter what our schedules were, we sat down at the table together. I think that played a large part in our family dynamic. And I am grateful that as an adult, I can still sit down for dinner with my family. I am grateful that Audrey knows that tradition of gathering, and eating and sharing as well.

Day 24

I am grateful for the beauty the night sky can hold and for the promise it holds of a beautiful day the next day.

Day 25

I am grateful for the opportunity to play. Life is short. It is important to let go of everything else and just have fun every now and then.

Day 26

I am grateful to be alive, to feel alive, for every single breath. Because despite our struggles, each breath is a gift to be here and to live this life.

Day 27

I am grateful to live where I grew up. I am grateful for the sense of community here and for the connections I have made, past and present.

Day 28

I am grateful for the roof over my head, a physical protection from the elements.

As we get closer and closer to Easter, is there anything this week that you are particularly grateful for?

40 Days of Gratefulness - Week 3

Week 1 and Week 2 went by quickly and we've already arrived at the end of Week 3. Here's what I've been grateful for this week:

Day 15

I am grateful for the close relationship that Audrey and I share. I am grateful every time she says, "I love you, Mommy," or "You're my best friend in the whole wide world," or when she simply and quietly holds my hand. I pray that as she grows we will maintain this closeness.

Day 16

I am grateful for my health and, of course, for daily check ups from my favorite doctor.

Day 17

Today I am grateful for my faith, which carries me through the good times, as well as the times that seem unbearable, and everything in between. I am grateful for a God that is limitless in His love, support, encouragement, patience and forgiveness.

Day 18

I am grateful for chocolate. As with bacon, I don't think I need to elaborate any further.

Day 19

I am grateful for a good book and for the escape it provides. Nothing compares to climbing right inside another world, befriending and investing in the characters and leaving reality behind.

Day 20

I am grateful for my education. More than the actual facts I've learned, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to learn. I am grateful that I had wonderful teachers, both in high school and college, that not only taught me facts, but how to think for myself and question what I learn.

Day 21

Today I am incredibly grateful for the sunshine! I am grateful for the warmth and the promise of the coming spring and longer days.

That's it for now. Is there anything you are particularly grateful for this week?

40 Days of Gratefulness - Week 2

My 40 Days of Gratefulness continues with Week 2. I don't think I did as well representing each day with a photograph this week as I did last week, but I did the best I could. And the reflection part is really more important than the photograph.

Day 8

We got up this morning and, beaming, Audrey asked me, "Mommy, you got surprise for me?" I said, "No, hunny. I'm sorry. No surprise this morning." And she responded, "Yeah you do! We gonna make blueberry muffins together!" Apparently, the surprise is for Mommy. 

Today I am grateful that I have the opportunity to stay at home with my daughter and make blueberry muffins together in the morning if we want to. It isn't always easy. It is challenging and frustrating and a test of my patience daily. We make lots of personal sacrifices so that I can be with her. But I am grateful every moment for the quality time I get to spend with her and for all she teaches me about life. I do not take for granted that this opportunity is simply not an option for some people.

Day 9

There is an old saying that "It takes a village to raise a child." Today I am grateful that the village surrounding me my whole life has always been one filled with love and support and encouragement. I am even more grateful that the same village that surrounded me, surrounds Audrey also.

Day 10

I am grateful today to not only have food to eat, but to have healthy, nutritious foods available to me at all times. Reflecting on this today, I am especially mindful that so many in this world go hungry and that I am blessed to not have to worry about how I am going to feed my family every day.

Day 11

Today I am grateful for my camera, for all I have learned about photography, and for the priceless memories I have been able to capture. Children grow and change in the blink of an eye, and I have so many beautiful photographs that can transport me back to the funny face she would make waking up as a newborn, to the expression on her face when she found her feet for the first time, or to just how tiny she used to be. These memories fade and soften in our minds over time, but the photographs will forever take us back to what we saw and felt in that moment.

Day 12

Today I am grateful for laughter. For a night out laughing with friends, to laugh with them, at them and at myself. I am grateful for the release of stress and worry, and the healing that laughter provides. I am grateful for the joy that radiates from the laughter of a child.

Day 13

I am grateful for the internet and the limitless resources, ideas and inspiration it provides. I am grateful that it helps me be a teacher to my daughter, as well as a mom.

Day 14

I am grateful today that technology allows me to see this sweet face, even from over 400 miles away. I am grateful that it allows me to watch my nephew grow, and to have a relationship with him that the phone alone would not.

40 Days of Gratefulness - Week 1

Last week I talked about how what I was going to give up for Lent was going to be a little bit different this year. Instead of giving up my usual rotation of either caffeine, chocolate, a favorite food, or Facebook for Lent this year, I decided to dig a little bit deeper. It is incredibly easy for me to get caught up in the schedule and chaos of my every day life, and to forget to look around and appreciate my many blessings. This year, I decided to give up the complacency that settles so easily into my life when I'm not paying attention. To do this, I committed myself to really appreciating and reflecting on one blessing in my life, every day, for 40 days, and challenged myself to take one photo to represent each blessing in some way. The result: 40 Days of Gratefulness.

Here is a look at Week 1:

Day 1

Today I am grateful for true friendship. Whether it is sitting down to chat with a cup of tea and a friend who lives close by, or a 45 minute phone date with someone who lives on the other side of the state, I am blessed with a handful of true friends. I know that despite the changes in our lives or our busy schedules, they are always there with an open mind and an open heart. Their love and support is not something to take for granted.

Day 2

Today I am grateful for small acts of love. They may not happen as often or with as much passion as they did in the beginning, but something as simple as a bouquet of flowers to say, "I love you and appreciate you," is something to be grateful for.

Day 3

Today I am grateful that I am able to see the world through the eyes of my daughter. Her love, excitement and appreciation for the things she discovers around her are a constant reminder for me to pay attention to and appreciate the world around me as well.

Day 4

I am grateful for the comfort of my bed. A warm, soft, safe place to snuggle up and rest at night, or to recuperate when I'm not feeling well. A luxury not afforded to everyone.

Day 5

I am grateful for my Sunday morning yoga class, for the strength it is helping me build - body, mind and spirit. I am appreciative of the small amount of time to myself, to let go of the stress of the previous week, and to start the new week fresh and with a clear mind and heart.

Day 6

Today I am grateful for bacon. No further explanation necessary.

Day 7

Today I am grateful for a restful night of sleep for all of us! Audrey slept in her big girl bed from 8:30 pm until 6 am! I know we are responsible for her bad sleep habits, but I am grateful that we are slowly correcting them and that peaceful, restful SLEEP is the result!

Lent

I have been thinking a lot the last few days about what I want to give up for Lent this year. The usual chocolate, caffeine, any favorite food, and the internet or Facebook popped up immediately, but they just didn't seem right for me this year. So I started to think about why we give something up for Lent.

My understanding has always been that the idea behind giving up something for Lent comes from Luke 9:23:

Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

Is denying myself chocolate really going to help me "take up my cross daily"? Would it help me to think about growing in Christ and following in His ways? Will it prepare me to reflect on His resurrection and all He gave up for me?

I started thinking about how busy my days are and how comfortably unappreciative I can get of the things around me. The days fly by and there is so much to do, and it is easy to be ungrateful - not ungrateful in a purposeful way, but more in a neglectful kind of way.

So instead of giving up something I love, I decided to give up something that is not helping in my journey to grow in my relationship with God and be a better follower of Christ. So this year, I am giving up ungratefulness. Or to think about it in another more positive way, I am going to show more gratitude and appreciation for the blessings in my life and the everyday miracles that surround me.

Every day, I will take a photograph of someone or something that I am grateful for. And during that day I will take time to reflect on its presence in my life and show appreciation and gratitude for it.

I am blessed in so many ways, I know that. During Lent this year, I will pay closer attention to and appreciation for just how blessed I am. I will give up the complacency that comes when we get caught up in our everyday lives.

I'll try to share my photos and some short reflections here weekly, and hopefully 40 days of doing this will help me to continue to acknowledge and show appreciation for the individual blessings in my life, and not simply say a generic prayer of thanks for "all my blessings."

I am not perfect.

I am not perfect.

I am not super mom.

I consider myself a pretty patient person.

I still lose my patience.

I sometimes yell at my daughter.

I try to feed my family healthy, wholesome foods.

My daughter stills know what a doughnut and a potato chip taste like.

I have good intentions to do projects and read and teach my daughter every day.

Some days we watch cartoons all day.

I know there is a plan for my life and that I shouldn't compare my life to others.

I still have moments where I feel jealous despite how happy I may want to be for them.

I thank God every day for the many blessings in my life.

I still feel like I got the shit end of the stick sometimes.

I sometimes let the "what-if"s overwhelm me.

I make homemade gifts for people, not because I am talented,

crafty, or really thoughtful, but because I can't afford not to.

On facebook, and sometimes on my blog, it looks like I'm 

Miss Suzy Sunshine and I have a perfect life.

I choose to put on a smile and not share all my dirty laundry.

That doesn't mean I don't have any.

I am not perfect.

I am not super mom.

But my faith allows me to grow and move forward every day.

If I pray and ask Him to take the jealous feelings from my mind and heart,

I wake up feeling better.

My faith allows me to put on a smile and move on.

I believe that faith is the difference, the reason I don't let myself wallow, 

or let the negatives consume me.

I am not perfect.

And that is okay.

My God loves me anyway.

My family loves me anyway.

My friends love me anyway.

It may look like it.

I may try to be.

But I am not perfect.

It's amazing how much you can grow in a year...

While I was in my hometown for Christmas, I was able to spend some time with my best friend and exchange Christmas gifts. We sat in her parents' living room and just talked. We talked about how we were sitting in the same exact place one year ago and how different our lives were then. We had both just been laid off and although we suspected it was for the best, we were both terrified.

It is amazing how much you can grow and learn about yourself in a year. My extremely talented and creative best friend has started her very own business! I have taken classes in something I truly enjoy for no reason other than to do something I love. That something I love to do has been noticed and appreciated by other people, and 6 of my photographs will be displayed in a coffee shop in my hometown for the entire month of January.

I have found a job working with good people, a job that I truly enjoy and often makes me happy. I have learned that that is more important than any amount of money!

I have learned so much about myself. I have learned that I don't have to meet anyone's expectations but my own, and I decide what those expectations should be.

I have experienced great joy and even greater sorrow.

I love my husband infinitely more than I did and we have grown so much in our marriage.

I have learned that I don't always have to be the "rock." I have allowed myself to be vulnerable and to let other people help me and support me.

With the help of some of you, I have grown in my faith. I have seen and experienced the power of prayer in a whole new way.

2009 has most definitely been a year of growth for me, growth that has been documented right here on this blog in even more ways than I have just written. I feel blessed to know all of you, and to have your support, friendship, and often, your prayers.

I have nothing but hope for 2010 - for myself and for you. I have experienced things this year that at the time I never would have imagined I could survive. And survive them I have. In fact, I feel I have thrived.

So for 2010, I'm wishing you all health and happiness, confidence in yourselves, the strength and courage to follow your dreams, friendship and love.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The "I'm thankful" game was circulating around Facebook this month. Every day, you posted something you were thankful for as your status. I participated, along with a lot of my friends, and it was really wonderful to not only express the things I'm so thankful for, but to read about the blessings in my friends' lives as well.

So in honor of Thanksgiving today, I'm going to share all of my "I'm thankful" posts together here in one blog post.

I'm thankful...

...for all the men and women who have served, are serving, and will serve our country. I am thankful for their sacrifices and for their families' sacrifices, so that we can live the lives we do.

...for true love. I am thankful for a man who everyone thought in the beginning couldn't be more wrong for me. I am thankful to not only love him but to fall more and more in love with him every day. I am thankful that he loves and supports me more than I ever thought was possible from one person. I am thankful that I get to spend every day for the rest of my life with my best friend. ♥

...for my sister, who is one of the most dedicated, hard working, motivated, loyal people I know. She has the biggest heart, and I am thankful not only to call her my sister, but also my friend. ♥

...for my friends. For the people who accept me just the way I am. Two in particular who have loved and supported me through a really difficult time in my life, even when I couldn't be as good a friend in return. They know who they are and I don't know what I would do without them in my life!

...for my job. This time last year, I knew I was getting laid off in December and was terrified. That 6 months was one of the best things that ever happened to me and now I have a job that I LOVE, I have fun every day, and the people I work for are passionate about the quality product they put out, treating their employees like family, and making their customers happy.

...for the opportunities I've had to travel all over the world, to countries rich and poor. Learning about and experiencing other cultures is a blessing. It makes you truly appreciate your life in a whole new way.

...for the roof over my head and the lifestyle we are able to lead. We may not be rich, but we have more than we need to make this house a home.

...for the town I was raised in. In high school, I couldn't wait to get out of that small town, but as soon as I did, I learned to appreciate it in so many ways. NA♥

...for my parents - who have sacrificed so much, supported me and Amanda through whatever we chose to do, accepted our husbands as if they were their own sons, and loved us unconditionally. They have given us a truly blessed life and I am eternally grateful!

...for my sister-in-law. She was just a little girl when I met her and I am so proud of the strong, adventurous, cultured, thoughtful woman she has become! We don't see her enough but that just makes it that much more exciting when we do!

...for my education. So many people in this world live in countries so poor that they never finish high school, or live in countries where women aren't allowed to get a higher education. Even though I don't use my degree the way I thought I might when I was in college, I am blessed to have had the opportunity to learn, experience and grow.

...for the quiet moments in the early morning where it's just me and a warm cup of tea and my thoughts of everything I am so thankful for.

...that I was born in this country and for all the freedoms and opportunities I have as a result.

...that even though I have to work on my day off today {Tuesday}, I get to spend Thursday and Friday with my family!

...that after I work all day today {yesterday}, my hubby will be the one driving us to NA in the madness that is Thanksgiving traffic!

...for all of my blessings, to be home with my family in NA, for TURKEY, and as always for my loving, supportive, thoughtful, amazing husband!

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

What are YOU thankful for??

Happy Thanksgiving!

Since today is Thanksgiving, I thought it was appropriate to reflect on the blessings in my life and all that I am grateful for. Similar to the Love List assignment, Operation Nice recently had an assignment to Make a Gratitude List. So here goes:

I am grateful for my husband. Marriage is not easy and I'm no piece of cake to live with, but he loves me just the way I am. I am grateful that he tells me how much he loves me every single day. I am grateful for my parents' unconditional love and support. Though it is not easy for me to accept help, they constantly go above and beyond to make sure that I am happy and healthy. I am grateful that they love my husband as if he were their own son. I am grateful for my sister and the closer relationship we have developed as we have entered adulthood. I am grateful that she has allowed me to be such a big part of her wedding and all the events and planning that go along with it. I am grateful that she is happy and has a man that loves her. I'm grateful that her fiance, who is in the Air Force, is safe here in the United States. I am grateful for all of my family, including my in-laws. As crazy as they all can be, they are mine and it is an amazing feeling to know that there are so many people that would be there for you in an instant if you needed them. I am grateful for a handful of friends that I can call true, life-long friends. I am grateful that very soon I will get to meet my first niece.

I am grateful for the comfortable life we live, food on the table and clothes to wear, despite the few difficult months that are coming. I am grateful for the country I live in and all the men and women who risk their lives for my freedoms. I am grateful for the internet. I'm grateful for my health and the health of my family. I am grateful to live in New England and be able to experience all 4 seasons. I am grateful that for the past year and a half, I have been able to work side-by-side with my best friend. I am grateful for my camera and the opportunity to capture special moments and memories in my life. I'm grateful for a 5 1/2 day weekend. I am grateful for the time I have to spend with my family this holiday season.

I live such a blessed life that I could go on and on, but I think I'll leave it at that. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The Little Things

There is a quote by Samuel Johnson that I just love!

It is by studying little things that we attain the
great art of having as little misery, and as
much happiness as possible.

I'm not very good at this by nature. I am very much a creature of habit. It is very easy for me to get stuck in routines and never waiver from them. I always drive to the supermarket the same way. I have to do the dishes and get my clothes and lunch ready for the next day before I can sit down to relax each evening. If you're familiar with Meyers-Briggs personality types, I am an ISFJ.

I tend to focus on the task at hand, and not the details and little things around me. Everyday, I get off the red line and walk to the office building I work in. I tend to focus on walking and getting to the building quickly.

One day, a few months ago, I got to work and little miss spy said something about a structure that was going up across the street. I had no idea what she was talking about so the next time I went outside, I made it a point to look. This is what I saw:

I walk by this EVERY SINGLE DAY and NEVER noticed it!! *hahahaha*

Since then I have been trying to be conscious of the things around me, little and big. We only have one life and I was going through mine just trying to make a living instead of LIVING MY LIFE! I should know better. Unfortunately, I have been shown too many times in my 25 years so far, that life is short and every moment is precious.

There are so many beautiful things around us, so much to be grateful for, and so many things to make us smile. So as much as my routines make me comfortable, I have been trying to step out of my comfort zone. I try to look around and be grateful for my life and every breath I take. It's amazing the things you notice around you when you take the time to look. And it's amazing how much happier it makes you.

Blessings

I think we are all experiencing the effects of the economic crisis right now. My husband and I definitely are. He is an assistant golf professional and was laid off 6 weeks earlier than usual this year. On top of that, he does not have a job to return to next season. He was told this on a Sunday and that Sunday was also his last day. A lot of notice, right?! To make matters worse, I had been told 4 days earlier that I will not have a job past the end of December because the business I work for is failing.

I have to admit, I was in shock first. When the shock wore off, I was devastated. I cried pretty hard. We have been doing so well and trying so hard to save money to buy a house and start a family. We had so many plans for the next 2 years, and this crushed all of them instantly.

But I am trying very hard to be positive. The truth is, there are MANY people in this country and in the world that are much worse off than we are. My hubby should be able to easily find a job this winter for next season. Does losing 6 weeks of pay hurt us? Yeah, a little. But we have plenty of money in the bank and, though it will be hard for me to use our savings, I know the money is there if we need it. Does losing my pay and our insurance feel like rocks in my stomach? ABSOLUTELY! But I have been given months of notice, and I am intelligent and have a strong work ethic, so I should have no problem finding some other job.

I believe with my whole heart that everything happens for a reason. Despite the fact that this whole situation changes our plans and is a little depressing, we both think it will be good for us. We were both in need of new work environments, and have only been staying at our respective jobs to meet the financial needs of our plans. And despite how bad it seemed at first, it might not set back our plans more than a couple of months.

Life is not always easy. In fact, it's rarely easy. But that's life! We have so many blessings and so much to be grateful for every single day, despite all that is going on. We have money in the bank, we have each other and our love and a strong relationship. We have an amazingly supportive and loving group of family and friends that would help us at the drop of a hat if we ever needed anything. We are healthy, we have food to eat and clothes to wear, and we live a pretty comfortable lifestyle.

We are not "rich" if you are thinking about the term financially, and money will definitely be tight for a little while. But we are rich in every other aspect of our lives! As long as we remember that and are grateful for these blessings every single day, I know everything will work out just fine.

Are you feeling the effects of the economy too? What are you doing to cut back and adjust for this? What are you grateful for in your life?