Day 19: Something About Work

Since my work right now is homeschool, I will once again write about that - I promise I'm not trying to be an infomercial!  I'm grateful for all the time that homeschool allows me to spend with my kids.  It's a funny thing, for those of us who get to spend the first few years at home with babies and toddler - those are physically intensive years with some very sweet moments - but a lot of it is just supervising, feeding, changing diapers, giving baths - keeping the child alive and well.  Right as they get to the age where they can do a lot of their self care on their own, and can have more interesting conversations, play more interesting games, read more interesting books, go on longer hikes and other outings -- this is the same age that they start grade school.  I'm grateful that I get spend more hours in this golden age range together with the kids.  

Always want to clarify, with this kind of post - I know so many terrific parents and terrific kids with very close family relationships whose kids go to outside of the house school.  This is what my own oldest two kids did for most of elementary school, and I still got lots of good time with them, as I'm sure any of you readers who this applies to do.  This is a selfish grateful - my personality is much better suited for older kids than the youngest kids, and I'm grateful that I get to spend full days with them as older kids after a decade with babies and toddlers in the mix.  

Day 18: An Item You Use Every Day

I am grateful for my shower.  I'm grateful because even on the busiest, craziest, loudest days, it's my time of quiet.  It's my best time to think through problems.  It's a lovely time to sing.  Also, it feels great to get clean after an outdoor excursion or a sweaty run.  I'm grateful for you, shower.

Day 17: A Character Trait of Yours

 

Triple jumping in high school

I'm grateful for my character trait of competitiveness.  This might be a surprise to some, as I keep it pretty quiet and probably come off as much more kumbaya.  Also, my competitiveness is more with myself than against the outside world.  But anyone who I've played sports with, or some who I've practiced law with, have seen it.  There are a few reasons I'm grateful for it: 1) it makes anything related to sports or games or competition more fun, because you feel invested; and 2) it motivates tedious, hard work because in wanting to win, you're willing to suffer a little more.  High fives to all the stealth competitive people out there.

Day 16: A Person You Look Up To

I look up to my sister for her recent graduation with a masters degree in counseling.  She completed this rigorous, full time 3 year program while also working part time and raising four kids.  I remember grad school as being extremely challenging, and that was with no job and no kids.  I am so impressed that she pulled this off as a feat of time management.  

But even more than that, I'm impressed that she responded to a calling that matches her talents, her deep empathy and compassion, her listening skills, and her desires.  It's easy to feel that life is set in stone, that it's too late to pursue a dream, WAY before this is actually true.  It's easy to mistake challenging for impossible.  It's definitely harder to pursue a new career and an additional degree later in life.  But because she took on this challenge, she now has the degree to pursue a career path that will allow her to put her deepest skills and talents to good use in helping the world.  I'm so proud of my sister, and so grateful for her inspiring decision.

Day 15: A Life Lesson

(not a pic of me or my space)

First off, I am grateful for this prompt, because if you take any time looking at my backlist blog posts, you will see that I like to turn everything into a life lesson.  To the point that it's a little ridiculous :).  Cheers to the life lessons that can be found in so many things!  

The life lesson I'm grateful for today isn't particularly deep, but it's one that has packed a lot of punch for me.  I'm grateful for the lesson that the way to get more of something in your life isn't to just care about it more, but to actually schedule it in until it's a solid part of your routine.  Two things I care about getting in regularly are exercise and spiritual disciplines, but these are also things that can quickly fall of the radar when life gets busy.  I've found that much more than reading a book about how much these things matter, or talking to someone about how I'd really like to get more runs in, the thing that actually leads to positive change is making the plan - put the times in the schedule - and then stick to them, regardless of mood or energy level or weather.  I'm grateful for the books and teachers that showed me this lesson, and for times in life that I didn't follow this method and saw how quickly things can fall away.  

Day 14: You're Looking Forward To

This one landed on the perfect day, as we leave for Nebraska tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to seeing people in Nebraska!!  I'm looking forward to having wine on the deck with my mom.  I'm looking forward to listening to Wabash Cannonball with my dad.  I'm looking forward to having uncontrollable, inappropriate laughter with my sister.  I'm looking forward to swimming with my nieces and nephews, and holding my new baby niece for the first time.  I'm looking forward to hearing the latest rundown on Nebraska politics from my brother.  I'm looking forward to seeing two of my favorite friends who I haven't seen in years.  I'm looking forward to catching fireflies, watching storms come in, and eating Valentino's.  I am super duper extremely grateful for this upcoming trip to Nebraska.  

Day 13: A Person

Today's thankful pairs well with yesterday's thankful:  I am grateful for the other homeschool moms we got to know this year.  A worry I had going into homeschool was whether we would all be lonely - not just the kids, but also me.  Thanks to finding community, this was the least lonely year I've had since becoming a stay at home mom.  And these fellow moms gave me more than someone to meet up and chat with on Friday mornings.  They were people who had many of the same ideas and educational philosophies as me, and could offer advice and encouragement.  When you're on a road that's different than many, it's such a blessing to travel with others who are on that same road.  

I'm especially thankful for two "includer" moms - Karen and Jessica.  Jessica started a nature club and Karen started an art club, which gave us two places to meet with other families regularly.  And both of them are always hosting other events, and inviting more people to join, and being extremely welcoming to the newer / quieter ones in the bunch.  Aren't people like this just the best, in any context?  They make the community they are in bigger and better by being so inviting to all.  I am super grateful for Karen and Jessica.