gratitude part 3

October 2010

Taylor, 

       This notebook contains 200+ opportunities to hold everyday, ordinary expressions of gratitude for gifts from God. Your challenge these next 3 days is to recognize and pen (1 per page) at least 100 gifts for which you're grateful.

Love,

Mom

one glass of red wine after a long day or week or month or year (or year and a half) - well, alcohol is now a trigger for me to have a vertigo spell, so this one's out. But for a long time, that one glass of red wine sure was a welcome way to wind down.

soft rugs - ooh, yes! Although my child and my dog are now more important, and therefore I can't have soft rugs in my home.

beige - I prefer white now, but neutrals in general are my jam.

lists - obviously, these are still relevant to my life. It feels really good to check them off :)

full-time job - at that point in my life, absolutely. That was back before children could stay on their parents' health insurance until age 26; so at that time, if you were no longer a full-time student, a full-time job was a good way to ensure you had health coverage. Nowadays I'm a full-time stay-at-home mom, which has longer hours and no pay, but the eternal rewards will far outweigh all of that anyway.

heat - yep. Although now that I'm older, I hate the drying effect that electric heat has on my skin. I mainly prefer moderate temperatures in my near-middle-age.

rain - boy do I love rain! My favorite used to be when it was sunny and raining at the same time, which still makes me smile, but I really appreciate a good, dreary, rainy day for its perfect book-reading atmosphere (and, let's be honest, its Netflix-binging qualities too).

my baby pillow - wherever did that thing end up anyway :( I must have donated it at some point during a decluttering whirlwind. It was silky and baby-sized and apparently I kept it for at least 23 years. I miss her.

Burt's Bees - oh, I do wish I had elaborated more! I don't remember being especially loyal to the brand then, but I'm currently in the process of switching all my makeup products over to this brand. It's mostly natural and easily available. So yes, I do still love Burt's Bees.

"reality" television -- entertaining! - I haven't watched a ton lately, but occasionally I'll get the hankering for some Toddlers and Tiaras or Three Wives One Husband. It's so fascinating how and why people live in such radically different ways.

Join me next time for more traveling through my little gratitude time capsule!