Gratitude Day 23: Travel

Travel...it leaves you speechless and then turns you into a story teller (author unknown)

We've been busy starting to talk and plan about our summer travels for 2015.   The Things are much larger these days but with their increasing size, comes some maturity and we think they are ready for a grand adventure.   Details to follow....

Gratitude Day 22: Relax

Relax:   to rest-release and unwind.

Hey, isn't that what the weekends are for?   Oh sure, I should be working on a boat load of chores.   But instead, this is what I found myself doing...

Way more fun than scrubbing toilets, right?

Gratitude Day 21: Scent

It has been said that scent is one of the most powerful memory triggers we have.   As I am busy this weekend preparing the house for hosting Thanksgiving, I am reminded of this memory.   Nothing smells sweeter than recalling the smells that came from Grandma Irene's kitchen.

Here sits a proud Thing One holding onto a treasured cookie from his grandma.   Never mind he didn't eat it (he's a picky one when it comes to sweets).   Just seeing these two treasures together makes me grateful for the few visits we were able to make to see Grandma before she passed away.

But alas, as the saying goes, daylight's wasting.   If I have any hope of being ready for company I best get this show on the road.

Gratitude Day 20: Routine

Wake up and smell the routine!

for 185 days each year, this is where I spend most of my day.   

Today happens to be pay-day!   

Now that's a routine I wish came around more than just once a month.

Gratitude Challenge day 19: New

Each New day brings a new adventure

Is this Thing 1 or Thing 2 coming home from the hospital?   It's hard to say without going back and checking their baby books.  (yes, luckily they each have completed baby books, no second baby forgotten syndrome going on in this house).

I reflect on this photo and I am reminded how overwhelming those early days of a newborn were.   The crying, the confusion and that's just from the parents.   (giggle giggle).

But now some 15-17 years later (again, not sure which newborn I'm looking at), the days are still filled with new adventures for them and for us as parents.   We continue to learn and grow, and that indeed is something to be grateful for!  

Gratitude Day 18: Change

Gotta love the simple wisdom of Mary Engelbreit!

*although I wish I had been able to find this quote on one of her prettier illustrations, but this one seemed to be the easiest on the eyes

Gratitude Day 17: Work

Work:   Ok I have blogged about my job here enough that most days it is safe to say I like my job.   But then there are those occasional days where this sentiment sums it all up nicely.

Today?   Was indeed one.of.those.days!

*Details will NOT follow, why rehash a no-good, horrible, awful day.  

Gratitude Day 16: Comfort

Comfort:   you've got comfort food, comfort clothing, but for me, I find the most comfort in my kitchen, and when you add a full serving of some of the best girlfriends a friend could ever ask for?
Well, HELLO gratitude!

Gratitude Day 15: Nature

Take a quiet walk with Mother Nature.   It will nurture your mind, body and soul.  (author unknown)

*photo from a trip to Phoenix in late 2009, early 2010.   The Things look so tiny, don't they?

Gratitude Day 14: Nostalgia

'Nuff Said....

Gratitude Day 13: Taste

Taste...

Yesterday was a great reminder...of this important lesson

A student, using social media, blurted out something thoughtless and threatening.   It resulted in a building filled with law enforcement, first ensuring our safety, and later following through on locating this person.   Nothing out there is anonymous.

Throughout the day, as friends texted me curious questions, I was grateful that I had inside information, working within the school that my Things attend.   I knew that my kids were safe.   I knew that the administrative staff was making this situation their top priority for the day.   And yet, I also knew that the information I had access to, could not be shared with others.

Yeah, that is the downside of being in the neighborhood school...having access to information that I just can't share with my friends and neighbors.   

Gratitude Day 12: Seasons

Seasons...

19 Years ago...we said I do...

On a beautiful Fall Day in San Franscico...

Moving forward through our seasons as a married couple...

Adding Things to the Equation...

And knowing that if I had to do it all again..

I would still say I Do!

Happy Anniversary Honey!

Gratitude Day 11: Art

Art

Every Artist was first an amateur...

Ralph Waldo Emerson

As we pause to thank our veterans today, I'm reflecting on my career in nursing..

And yes, when I first started I was but an amateur...

And yet..for an amateur, I had some wonderful opportunities come my way!

Thank you to all those who continue to answer the call 

to serve in our nation's military.

Gratitude Day 10: Kindness

Just a drop of kindness can make a big difference in someone's life

(author unknown)

*sometimes this is a difficult pearl of wisdom to implement, especially when your job involves tending to the aches and pains of some 2500 students and the staff.  

Gratitude: 7-8-9: Attire, Friendship, Home

This weekend I took a little road trip to attend the state conference for school nurses.

It was fun to get away from the routine of my daily life 

and being able to spend it learning a thing along the way, just made things all that better.

Completing a challenge on the road proved a little more challenging but here it goes...

Day 7:  Attire

Day 8:  Friendship

*I enjoyed a lovely dinner Saturday night with my forever friend, V.  She happens to live just down the road from where my conference was being held.

 We met in college and had a shared experience of losing our moms to cancer soon after we each graduated.   That alone had the makings to cement our friendship.   Along the way we've waxed and waned in how often we spend time together (jobs and family responsibilities sometimes result in friends drifting apart just given the time constraints of our every day life).  Despite how long it has been since I've seen her,  I know that V. and her unconditional love and support are always just a phone call away.     

Day 9:   Home*

"What I love most about my home is who I share it with"  (author unknown)

After a few days away, it was indeed so sweet to return to the old homestead

*archived photo from Hubby's big adventure to Alaska in 2013

Day 6: Details

Plainly stated, a simple truth

Gratitude Day 5: Inspiration

Inspiration:   The decisions being made by this young lady has made national news.   You see, Brittany Maynard was given a terminal diagnosis of brain cancer.   With treatment options being exhausted, she made the very difficult and personal decision to relocate to an area that allows for physician assisted suicide.   She has also decided to make her actions public, creating a media sensation.

I personally draw inspiration from her acts of courage and her willingness to take this traditionally taboo subject and make it public.   I am hopeful that some day, hopefully during my lifetime, that the choice and decision she made becomes an accepted practice for those that believe this is the right course for their own situation.  

Rest in Peace Brittany.   You were indeed an inspiration to many!

Gratitude Day 4: Wisdom

*I really need to remember this...sometimes I get stuck on having the last word, and a wise woman knows when it is time to let it go and move on.

Gratitude Day 3: Dream

Dream

Walt Disney....famous for many things

but since today's gratitude word is dream...

this one pops into my head:

All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them

I am grateful for my parents who raised my sister and I pursue our dreams...

even if they themselves didn't quite understand our choices.

Gratitude Day 2: Laugh

Laugh

It has been said that a good laugh brings sunshine in a home.   

How very grateful I am for these two rays of sunshine in my house.   Ok, I admit, at 17 and 15, there are days when their antics bring more tears than laughter...

but overall, they are indeed the light and laughter of our home!

Gratitude Day 1: Beauty

November 1st:   you know what that means, right?   Time for some gratitudes to start flying around on the internet.

Throughout the years, this challenge has waxed and waned in popularity and practice.   Regardless of the facebook/twitter trends, I stay true to my original intent of pausing at this time of year to reflect on the many blessings in my life.  30 days of Gratitude, starting November 1st.

  Why do I remain so loyal and committed to this practice?   I'm not sure:   sure I like routine-and-predictable (yes, I am a creature of habit) but I also can easily become distracted and fall into lazy habits (Case in Point:   a blog that gets updated once a month, if even that).

No, I think the reason that I return to this practice year after year is the comfort it gives me.   A way to slow down, reflect on the little things, and set aside a sliver of time each day to reflect on a gratitude or two.  

But, I admit, it is hard not to sound like a broken record year after year.   I've always "winged it", not following any of the countless "lists" out there aimed at helping participants guide their gratitudes.   This year, I'm taking ideas from those listed on this web site.   I figure, no sense in re-inventing the wheel, nor do I feel like I've got it in my to be flying solo for 30 days.  It should be interesting to see how I fare with having some prompts to guide my gratitudes this year.

Day 1:   Beauty

Yeah, aren't we a trio of hotties?   

Yeah, you know there is more I have to say on this topic...

I recently stumbled across a new quote.   Ok, new to me.

And this evening, I am reflecting and grateful for the beauty of friendships.   In particular, I am grateful for those beautiful friendships that form out of a cloudy situation, and yet have brought so much laughter and light to my life.

The two ladies I am enjoying tea with are members of what we call Team Judy.   Yeah, Judy had friends besides me (I know, hard to imagine, giggle giggle).

 Judy and Patty 

Judy and Donna

  We knew of each other, but our social circles didn't intersect all that often.
  Until Judy got sick.   That changed everything.

Since Judy passed away, we'd gather occasionally.   Dinner, drinks, even a wedding or two.  Today, we met up enjoying one of Judy's favorite past times, having tea.

What a beautiful day it turned out to be:   a chance to catch up, laugh a little and enjoy some very beautiful treats at the Brown Palace Hotel.

Thank you Donna and Patty for the beautiful friendship we have enjoyed these past few years.    Looking forward to many more beautiful celebrations shared together.
PS:   one of us needs longer arms, we aren't so great at these "groupies" with our short arms