A Year of Gratitude - August 2025 Snapshot

My word for 2024 was GRATITUDE.  To help myself keep the focus on that word all year, I started keeping a gratitude journal on January 1, 2024, and I’ve been writing at least 3-4 things I’m grateful for every single day since then.  I shared little snapshots of each month last year to hold myself accountable, and since I ended up enjoying these posts so much, I decided to continue them in 2025.

I’m only pulling one item from my gratitude journal per day to share here (okay, sometimes two or three), and some of the things are really big things like good health and good relationships, some things are humorous, and some things are the little things that most of the time go unnoticed.  Overall, though, the purpose of this whole exercise is to remember that even on the very worst of days, there is ALWAYS something for which to be grateful.

Always.

August was mostly good.  While I was sad to send the kids back to school, it has been nice to be back in a routine again… although, I have to say, I do not miss the early wakeup call.  ;o)  August brought about many wonderful things for the kids and our family in general, and although some of my neck tension/dizziness has started to creep up again (likely because of the neck pillow the doctor has me using to realign my c-curve) it hasn’t been nearly as terrible as it used to be, so I’m grateful for that as well. 

 

In August I was grateful…

 

1. For not being dizzy for soooo long now… this is the longest stretch I’ve been without being dizzy since it all started in July 2023.
2. For this wonderful, relaxing, fun summer that we had… it’s bittersweet that it ends Monday.
3. For two homecooked meals today… we love our Sunday lunches and dinners with our families!
4. That both kids had a great first day of school.  And for our drive home – it’s always one of my favorite parts of the day… I just love hearing everything about their day, and they were both RAVING about how wonderful everything was today. 
5. That Jacob loves both of his math classes so much.  He decided to double up on math this year (and he was already in advanced math prior to this year), so he’s taking 10th and 11th grade math this year as a 9th grader.  He was a little nervous about his decision at first, but after just two days, he has declared those to be his favorite classes (especially the 11th grade math class) and he’s happy with his decision to double up!
6. For feeling ahead, organized, tidy, and not like a chicken with my head cut off… yet anyway.  Haha.
7. That the eye doctor was able to get us in for an emergency appointment since Jacob’s skin around his eye was so irritated.  I am super grateful that it’s nothing serious either.
8. For another year around the sun with my Daddy!  Happy birthday to him!
9. For some décor refreshes around the house… by shopping my own home!  I rearranged a few things today and I’m loving the changes!
10. For 90s and early 2000s romcoms… I watched How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days again today (for the gazillionth time) and it is just so good.  Why don’t they make movies like this anymore?!  Also, for my bulletin board in my office… it holds so many treasures, and I love looking at it all day while I work.  It makes me so happy!  And for being able to resume Bible studies again after having to be super careful about my neck position for weeks.  And finally, for my first run in ages… and that my neck muscles didn’t tense up like they used to do when I ran!
11. For another year with my father-in-law… happy birthday to him!!
12. For a Taylor Swift new album announcement!!!!  EEEEK.
13. For my collection of Rainbow Loom bracelets that Olivia has made for me over the years… I love wearing one each day and having that little reminder of her around my wrist.
14. For SUCH a fantastic night last night at the Teddy Swims concert.  My goodness, he is so talented!  And for my parents for keeping the kids and getting them to school this morning… I got to sleep in after being up until 1 AM.  PRAISE.
15. For social media friends who will snag the Deluxe CD version of a Taylor Swift album for you when they know you keep trying and failing to get one.
16. That Jacob and Olivia are home with me all day today.  I have missed them so much since they went back to school!
17. For the laziest weekend… re-entry into the new school year is always so exhausting!
18. For Brian, who mows the lawn in the blazing heat after he’s worked all day.
19. For all of the Taylor Swift Easter eggs about her new album… it is so much fun to be a Swiftie, y’all!
20. For my acrylic shelves in my office that Brian hung earlier this year… I finally got them styled just right, and I love every single thing about them.
21. For a long conversation with our resource officer and being able to get to know him + hearing all of the wonderful things he’s had to say about our school.
22. That Jacob’s sickness was brief, and that he only had to miss one day of school… and that none of the rest of us ever got sick!
23. For a fun time at our school’s football game last night.  For being able to sleep in this morning.  For time spent with my girl making waffles for breakfast.
24. That Jacob has joined such a wonderful group that promotes deep connection, supportive relationships, and character development through the lens of God.  It is such a great group, and he is grateful that he decided to join.
25. That people feel that they can confide in me.  For whatever reason, people have always confided in me with things that are very private (and sometimes things that I am probably not supposed to know – haha).  But I am honored that people trust me so much that they feel like they can reach out to me when they need me.
26. For a Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce engagement!!!!  This seriously made my day, my week, and my month!  And that I was able to email the news to Olivia and be the one to tell her before she heard about it from someone else.
27. For those working hard every day to protect our kids while they’re at school.  For those who are willing to stand up for common sense gun laws.  And that we have not been touched by the tragedy of a school shooting.  And I pray that we never do. 
28. For 22 years of being with Brian… today was our date-iversary!  And for good food, yummy drinks, and great conversation with my girls at dinner.
29. That my neck adjustment held for so long.  It was slightly out of adjustment today for the first time in forever, so my doctor was able to spread out my visits by a month going forward!
30. That Jacob arrived at his destination safely for his retreat.  For fall decorating with my girl.  For college football on my TV.  For cinnamon and pumpkin spice in my diffuser.  For all the fall things.  And for a long weekend – AMEN.
31. For Brian, for picking up pumpkin donuts for the two of us even though both kids were gone.

 

Happy Monday, y’all!  What is something you’re grateful for today?