Gratitude SOS Kit-My weekend list of 10

 

In the past, before the days of numerous blogs, I kept a gratitude journal. Although I no longer do that, I have channeled my writing interests, into a blog, where I can still incorporate gratitude into my posts. This weekend was a much needed blessing after a long week. It felt like a huge sigh/breath was released. **Deep emptying breaths are always good to use when de-stressing.

Here is my gratitude list of 10 from the weekend.

1) Family movie night complete with favorite snacks. Conversation flowed, throughout the night, as we recapped the week.

2) An evening walk with my daughters. Love to do this! I learn so much from listening to the thoughts they each share.*I don’t just do the walk for the exercise.

3) Sleeping in with no alarm going off at an early hour.

4) Breakfast and tea, on the patio, with one of my daughters. Pure bliss! We were even fortunate to watch the sky clear and the sun come through as we sat together.

5) Getting caught up on the wash. A sense of accomplishment as a new week starts. “Starting with a clean slate.”

6) Time to read! One of my passions! I love reading and to have time to do so, each day, is good for my soul.

7) Time to write and publish 2 postings. This is a challenge to myself and I am happy to continue it. Writing is cathartic.

8) Beginning the day with prayer and church. A great way to start the day!

9) Spending 3 hours on prepping for school. A wonderful feeling of satisfaction knowing I am caught up. *At least for a day!

10) Supportive friends/family. Whether it was a text, email, private message, or even a new contact shared– it was noticed and appreciated!! So, thank you!!

All in all a wonderful and blessed weekend! I am thankful!

 

Dig Deep

 

 

The saga continues with our family and how we move forward with our daughter’s “new normal” for now. Positive energy and outlooks have been running a bit low these last few weeks and obstacles seem to be in no short supply along with the tears. This is certainly a test but I wasn’t quite ready to take it.

The title of “Dig Deep” refers to looking for an unlimited amount of precious things. Such as strength, patience, control, endurance, and the right attitude. I had recently reached out to a friend, earlier this week, and she told me that these trials are serving as a prepping period so to speak for the greater good or work I will do in the future. I do believe that there is a purpose for everything no matter how challenging the situation. It has been difficult, to say the least, to quiet everything else going on and truly see that. What I need to recognize is what would come more naturally, in the past, I now need to make a conscious effort to practice and appreciate the little things and see the progress my daughter and our family is making no matter how small! I cannot change or control the past but I can control my reaction to my present and my future. The next step is to wipe the tears and move forward!

I never thought I would be comfortable enough blogging about this and I am trying to develop something good out of it all. As I stated earlier, these last few weeks have been so draining for our daughter. Enter the “twin factor.” For the first time ever my daughters did not enter school together. There is no manual to tell you how to balance supporting one twin daughter, and all she is experiencing at high school, while at the same time supporting your other twin daughter on home bound instruction who would rather be with her sister. If there was such a book, I would buy it, highlight it, take notes, and get the audio version. It is a balancing act that I feel does not have me balancing, but rather failing as I fall off of that rope repeatedly.

My next step involves being an advocate for my daughter. It is a job unto itself. Roadblocks abound but we have a wonderful team of medical experts, a few key people in education, and a supportive family to guide us on this unexpected path. A test of strength or courage? Maybe? A need to “Dig Deep?” Definitely!! But, oh so worth it! As I said, I believe in a reason for everything and I know that both my girls will have an impact on the world due to these surgeries and experiences and the world will be better for it.

I hope my daughters find strength, from our family unit, as we all “Dig Deep.”

 

Back on Track

Things have been incredibly hectic as I settle into a new school year and attend to all that goes with that! Looking forward to life settling down and adapting to a new schedule. I miss writing terribly and feel a bit lost not doing it! It is as if I lost a piece of me. I love all of the roles in my life, but I right now I miss a few things that are just for me. Such as reading a great deal and writing. Both are great stress relievers : )  Here is to writing in the next few days!

Never lose your passions!

It Is Time For A Gratitude Attitude!

Being present in the moment can be a challenge in these hectic first few weeks of a new school year. So hectic that it takes a true effort to pause and note that which I am truly grateful for in my life. Today, for instance, I took a mental acknowledgment of anything I came across that made me smile, laugh, or breath easily because of how I was at those moments. In addition, to writing this blog, I have been reminded of something else I did before which aided in having a positive outlook and that is keeping a gratitude journal. I have done this 3 times before, in my life, and each time I wrote down what I was grateful for on a daily basis and I certainly gained an awareness of how many blessings I had in my life daily. These grateful accounts lasted for a year each time I documented my gratitude. It opened my eyes to everyday happenings that may have been overlooked without the conscious effort I made to document them.

Once, in a blue moon, I look over these journals and am amazed at how present I was in my life. The results have been contentment, a heightened awareness, peacefulness, and a new appreciation of what is in my life. Anything that causes these results is worth doing. Toss aside proper rules of grammar and just begin listing each blessing or item which has caused a feeling of gratitude. Take it one step at a time and one breath at a time. Previously, I began with going over my day and writing down 3 things I was grateful for each day. Occasionally, that number would seem limiting and the list of grateful items would go on and on and a longer list would seem to be the norm. With that being said, either written or unwritten, a simple acknowledgment will do wonders for an attitude.

It is at the end of a day of a busy first week. One in which a few challenges, for my daughter who is recovering, were presented. However, I would like to pause and state what I am grateful for today at this moment.

*My family

*My new class

*Cooler temperatures on the way

*A tremendous medical team who have helped my daughter/family

*Laughter

*Smiles

*Dinner brought by my husband

*Friends who stick by you

*Dedicated educators

Here is to another day, tomorrow, full of things I will be grateful for in my life!