20 Thanks: Gratitude in a busy life...

Today was Monday...some weeks I hit the ground running and some weeks Monday seems to take a LOT more energy.  Today was the latter so I am trying to end it on a high note.

I am not saying the following isn't true for people without kids, but for me, I really started to notice the little moments in life when Mini K and then Baby C were born.  I am not talking about their first words or first steps, but the little things like the first time I heard each of them singing along to a song on the radio, select their first outfits...  In other words, sometimes we can all use a reminder that life happens in the little stuff.  There is a quote about motherhood that the days are long, but the years are short.  I couldn't agree more.

So in an effort to change the direction of my week, here are 20 things I am truly grateful for.  If you blog and have done a post like this, or want to...PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave a comment because it's on our muddy days that we ALL can use some encouragement!

1.  Holidays:  Yes they can be stressful, but there is something magical about looking around and hopefully seeing all of the people you love in the same place, even if you need a break 5 minutes later.  REMEMBER I SAID GRATEFUL BUT FOR ME THAT STILL MEANS HONEST.

2.  Freshly Ironed Sheets:  I know this is simple, but there is something magical about climbing into a bed of freshly clean and ironed sheets.

3.  A Crossed Off List:  I am pretty sure God invented Sharpies for the feeling I get when I cross things off my list!

4.  Birthdays!  Next year I will be 39, I am choosing to own it.  I believe that birthdays for kids are about sugar and fun and presents.  As an adult I believe they should be celebrated and presents should never be practical, they should be something you know the person will love and most likely would  not purchase for themselves.

5.  Car Singing:  This needs no explanation and only is made better when the voices are your children destroying the lyrics of a song that they are much to young to know what it means.

6.  A good cookie:  Yes, I am serious.  It must be the perfect combination of crunchy outside and chewy inside and the right amount of semi-sweet chocolate chips and it must be warm.

7.  Coffee Table Therapy.  I cherish a night with a cup of tea or a glass of wine and some coffee table books.  There is nothing like escaping reality in the glossy pages of a book.

8. A Good Deal:  I am a sucker for the thrill of the hunt.  I am constantly searching for a good deal, and if you are my friend in real life you now will have received the random, sometimes 3 a.m., emails from me alerting you to a good sale or discount.  I still get excited when a friend or babysitter text or email me a photo of their first check from Ebates.  It is addicting.

9.  CROSSFIT:  This workout has changed my life.  It has introduced me to some amazing people, taught me to do things I never thought would be possible and given me a time 4-5 days a week where I simply do and not think.  A fellow Crossfitter wore a shirt one day that said:  "I hate you.  I hate th s place.  I will see you tomorrow."  This could not be more true.  It is tough, and painful, but it leaves me feeling like a better version of myself.

10.  The Arrival of the RED CUP:  There is something about seeing that first red cup of the season at Starbucks that makes me feel like a kid.  I start to think about how excited the kids will be on Christmas morning and how Mini K will soon be one year older.   The fact that I always order a Skinny Peppermint Mocha for my first red cup drink is merely icing on the cake.

11.  Unexpected Gifting:  I truly think that surprising someone with a just because gift is the FASTEST way to change your own mood.  How can you not find gratitude in seeing how your actions impact others in a positive way.  TRY IT....this week.

12.  Handbags:  I am grateful that i can mask the mess that is my life in a bag that makes it look pretty.  I might not be able to find a pen in 10 seconds, but Mr. G says I could have a garage sale out of my bag on any day.

13.  A MIX.  I REFUSE to call them a playlist.  I have given up the tape, the yellow waterproof Sony walkman (BTW, I never tested that waterproof claim) and the CD, but I am hoping on to my title of the Mix Tape.  I have mixes for Christmas, for runs, for walks, for commutes to school and even one to fall asleep on a plane.  They make me happy.

14.  Friends That Make Me Better.  We all have them.  These are the people God placed in our lives that make us want to be better.  They challenge us through their own example to be better christians, better mothers, better friends.  These are the people that answer the 2 a.m. phone call.  This is the type of person I truly want to be to all of my friends.

15.  A fur blanket.  It doesn't have to be real, it can be faux.  My current favorite is from Restoration Hardware.  If you doubt me, order one during their next Friends and Family sale and then tell me I am wrong.

16.  Mail.  I know stamps are getting expensive, but I LOVE mail.  Cards, letters, packages, you name it.  I do not think I will ever tire of opening my mailbox and being surprised to hear or, in the case of holiday photo cards, see a friend.

17.  Hugs from my littles.  There is something I cannot explain about hugs from my children.  They leave me speechless and are a reminder that these two little humans made me a mother and I owe them my best, EVERY SINGLE DAY.

18.  Charm Bracelets.  I like to think of them as a bauble scrapbook for those of us that do not scrapbook.  I can look down and see quotes from my kids, memories from childhood or places I have visited.

19.  Monograms.  Do NOT laugh, but I am grateful for monograms.  A monogram makes us our own.  It makes us remember that font we select is a reflection of who we are.  It can give the most basic item a sense of purpose or luxury.  A monogram is reminder that we are ALL special and God has a plan for each and every one of us.  Your monogram might change in life, you might select another font or thread color, but at the end of the day it is still a reflection of us...of where we are in our lives and what makes us unique.  Don't laugh, I think most of spend far too much comparing ourselves to others or standards that aren't realistic, but a monogram brings us back and can remind us that we are enough.

20.  My Journey.  I wouldn't have listed this 15 years ago, but tonight I sit here with those years under my belt and know that while the bad stuff has been bad, the journey has led me here.  I am surrounded by a husband who loves me, faults and all, 2 healthy kids, 2 companies and too many blessings to count.

I needed to write this tonight.  There is something powerful about putting our feelings on a page as women.  We are constantly thinking of others, of asking others about their day so tonight sit down with your favorite drink and just breath.  You made it through this day.  You are alive and there is ALWAYS someone out there who is going through something far worse than you.  Today was a muddy day, but there was still joy in walking through the mud and for that I am thankful!