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.
September was
great! It kicks off my four favorite
months of the year – college football starts, fall starts, pumpkin stuff comes
out… what’s not to like?!
In September I was grateful…
- For time with my girl watching The New Heights Podcast
with Taylor and Travis… I love that she loves Taylor just as much as I
do. And that we got to pick up
Jacob from his Teen Advisors trip… I missed him so much! It was so wonderful to hear how much fun
he had stepping way outside his comfort zone.
- That Brian always cleans up my tea mugs that I leave
all over the house (with the teabags in them). I always set them down somewhere knowing
that I’ll take care of them when I load the dishwasher in the afternoon,
but a lot of the time, he manages to get hold of them first, and he puts
them away for me.
- For a surprise hug from Grammy Trish at Khristina’s
bookstore and for the most beautiful bookmark with her original artwork on
it. And it’s sunflowers so
it’s perfectly festive for this time of year!
- That I didn’t hit the deer that ran out in front of me
this morning… I’m so grateful my reflexes were quick and accurate. Whew.
- That Olivia is having such a great first year in
middle school… she’s handling everything on her own now (teachers don’t
communicate with the parents as much in MS since they’re trying to build confidence
and responsibility in the students to prepare them for high school), she’s
making straight As, and she’s having a blast doing all the things that
middle school has to offer!
- For my mirror ball pumpkins. They make me so happy!
- For a new Sunday evening Mass that we can attend if we’re
out of town all weekend.
- For a new stack of books to look forward to reading.
- For a glass of wine after a long day.
- For my heating pad and Ibuprofen and Tylenol to assist
with this muscle pain that I’m still having while my neck adjusts to using
this new device to restore my C curve.
- For some time to reflect on all of the events that occurred
on this day 24 years ago… and for the memory of how our country came
together afterward. I’m praying
that eventually we can get back to that, but this time without a tragedy.
- For a small shop for reaching out to me to send me
some new artwork for my office… and it’s Taylor Swift themed!
- For doooonuuuuts.
- For a massive Georgia win last night and an amazing
sermon this morning that really spoke to me.
- That I finally have a timeline for my braces to come
off!!!! Only two more visits!
- For a yummy dinner and a really great conversation
with my girlfriends tonight.
- For a huge hug from our old resource officer last
night… he happened to be at the same restaurant I ate at with my girlfriends,
and it was so good to see him!
- For being able to sit in with Olivia during her guitar
lessons. What a gift it is to watch
our kids grow and learn and see the fruits of their hard work.
- For a big, strong guy on the Home and School Advisory
Board with us this year… he made cleaning the school shed out 1000 times
faster because he was able to pick up literally anything and everything no
matter how large or heavy and carry it to the dumpsters and toss it right
in. It usually takes me and the
other ladies hours to clean it out each year, but this time we were done
in an hour. Thanks, Lee!
- For such a fun
poker night last night with our friends.
It was a particularly good one last night… we always have such a
good time!
- For a stretch of week ahead that’s not so busy… time
to start crossing tasks off the list while I have the chance!
- That my skin check was all clear at the dermatologist
today! That’s always a good
feeling.
- That we were able to get Ed Sheeran tickets and we’re
taking the kids this time! They don’t
know that we got tickets, and they have no idea that they’ll be going… I
can’t wait to surprise them!
- For sweet texts from friends, phone conversations like
the old-school days (why oh why do we not talk on the phone as much as we
used to?! I truly miss it. I know I say this all the time,
too. Haha.), and for another year
with my Momma – happy birthdayyyy!!
- For a safe drive home in the torrential rain. We haven’t had any rain in so long, so
the roads were all flooded and we hydroplaned slightly in one spot and
then had to drive through washed out roads… it was very nerve-wracking.
- That I was able to get signed Taylor Swift
CDs!!!! I cannot WAIT to get them
and to give one to Olivia for Christmas… she is going to FLIP!
- For a day in Athens tailgating with friends and
family, for lots of yummy food, for cool weather, and for the most fun
Georgia vs. Alabama game even though we lost. Those light-up wristbands won the whole
night!
- For lots of productivity in a very short amount of
time… I was on my A-game today!
- For working lungs and emergency inhalers… it really is
easy to take the ability to breathe for granted until there are
issues. My asthma flared today and
it was scary. And miserable.
- For old videos of Maui that pop up in my Timehop and
for another year with my littlest brother… happy birthday to yoooouuuu!!
Happy Monday, y’all! What is something you’re grateful for today?
That's great that you get your braces off soon!
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