Gratitude

Gratitude and thankfulness are two things that I always try to be cognizant of. There are some days that I have to actually think about something to be thankful for but not often. Lately though, there have been SO many things. Like daily, there’s multiple things. I try to be mindful and appreciate all the little things. Life is full of the little things.

Today I woke up all bright and bushy-tailed. I just had that overall feeling of being rested and like I had a new beginning. I don’t know if it’s because I sat down last night and wrote out my July goals or if it’s because I was talking to a friend about our upcoming vacation, but there was something different. I don’t really know how to describe it. It was a great feeling though to wake up full of gratefulness! When I got to work this morning I was given an early Christmas/Birthday in July present. Ironically, the person who gave it to me- today is her actual birthday! And I’m the one who got the present 🙂 She was too excited about it to wait until Christmas. Let me tell you- it’s AMAZING! One of my favorite gifts of all time! (And a perfect inspiration for some blogging time tonight cuz ya’ll know I’ve been slackin’.) I’m also thankful for the times I can join in a conversation about obscure movies. I am horrible about movie lines and song lyrics so it makes my happy when I catch on quick enough to join in LOL. I’ve already pulled out our copy of “Best In Show” to take to work for someone to borrow. That’s how I rounded out my Wednesday morning. I’m so grateful for creative friends/coworkers!

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This evening I came home to hear the kiddo singing “If you wanna be my lover…” (by the Spice Girls for those who are too young to recognize) in various tones and inflections, very random. He’s not really into much of my 80s hair band, 90s rock music or ANY country music that I listen to so for him to pick up “classic” lyrics like that… I don’t even care where he learned it. Apparently he and Dad had a good day today clearing out part of the fence row and taking time out to create Dad his own Fortnite account. I’m grateful for a kid who’s excited to tell me about all the Rally’s (two double Rally burgers and fries) he got to eat in exchange for the fence work and that he’s already helped Dad get a ton of loot and win multiple battles that a nube shouldn’t be able to win at that low of a level. (Look at me using gamer terms.) I’m grateful for being able to hear the laughs and “woots” from the living room, along with Mad TV Stewart references, as I type this.

Everyone appreciates the bigger things in life. Those are the ones that you don’t have to really think about. They’re easier to remember because, well, they’re big. But it’s all the little things that make them what they are. Yes, I’m overall grateful for a big Father’s Day weekend camping/floating trip with friends, but I’m even more grateful for the inside jokes-there seems to be a new one each get together that gets paired with ones from previous trips for ongoing laughs. I’m grateful for annual Father’s Day shrimp and crawfish boils where the dads sit stuffing themselves long after everyone else has moved on to the chairs around the campfire. I’m grateful for everyone looking out for everyone else- whether it’s my son saving us and towing our tubes to keep them together or the girls doing a sunscreen spray-by when a kiddo gets close to the raft. I’m grateful that someone can make sausage gravy from scratch so I don’t have to use all my packets of mix. I’m grateful for friends who feel like family.

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Everyday I’m thankful for the life I live. It makes me teary-eyed thinking about it most times. The sunsets are more beautiful than they ever were when we lived in town. Family feeding time always brings a smile to my face in some way. The lightning bugs remind me of my childhood. I love listening to the frogs, cows, owls, and coyotes as evening starts to set in. I like that we have a bat that flies around the backyard catching bugs. I’m grateful that I have a loving family to share it all with. I hope that I can always find something to be grateful for. It’s those grateful times that are going to make it easier to get through the tough times.

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