For Mommy

With a single click, the lamp on Noah’s bedside table is extinguished, and the darkness envelops us.

Noah and I are lying on our backs, side-by-side in his twin bed. He's under the covers, clutching his two nigh-nighs and his puppy dog. We just finished reading two stories—Lady and the Tramp and The Berenstein Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone--and now it’s time to pray.

I begin as I always do with…

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit -- making the sign of the cross as I utter these words.

Dear God,

Thank you for a wonderful day. (Noah chimes in as I say "for a wonderful day” because that's how we start every evening prayer.) 

Thank you for the chance to swim in Lake of the Pines. 

Thank you for the chance to spend time with friends and play with a boogie board and soak up the sunshine. (Noah: Boogie boards are fuuuun!)

Thank you for sunscreen and a life jacket and cold water and yummy, nutritious food to eat.

Lord, please be with those who are hungry and thirsty tonight.

Please watch over Daddy at the fire station. Keep him safe and bring him home to us the day after tomorrow.

Noah, is there anything that you want to thank God for?

Then, I give him some wait time—a technique I learned in my teacher training and find particularly helpful as an introvert.

Sometimes Noah simply says, “No,” and that's okay with me.  

Other times, he says "for my puppy" or "for my new boats” or “for the splash pad.”

But on this night, his prayer of gratitude took me by complete surprise.

"For mommy," Noah said.

This two-word utterance sent my lips smiling, my heart swelling. I could feel the warmth, the love, the gratitude. 

You see, it hadn’t been the easiest of days.

I was awakened by Mr. Rooster’s crowing at 6—freakin’—15. (Mr. Rooster and I need to have a talk.)

A few hours later, I discovered that one of our hens had flown the coop, and I had to chase her back inside the fenced enclosure with a broom.

The chickens weren’t the only animals driving me bananas. The dogs were driving me batty, too—going in and out, in and out. All I could think was: Could you please make up your minds, pups? It’s currently 100 degrees outside and 82 degrees inside. Isn’t this a no-brainer?!

It was the kind of day when I just wanted to put a bag over my head. Literally. So I didn’t have to see the acne on my face.

And our satellite internet was moving sooooooo slowly that I seriously thought I’d time traveled back to the late 1990s.

My mind had been swirling with these annoyances for hours.  

But Noah's prayerful words brought all those negative thoughts to a complete. and. utter. halt.

That sweet prayer from the mouth of my 3 1/2-year-old son was a gift.

A present with impeccable timing. So needed, so appreciated. 

Balm for my mama soul.

My New Gratitude Practice

Thankful for time to play at the park with Noah & Brian.

As its moniker suggests, Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks.  

But it's become quite popular to share what you are grateful for, not only on Thanksgiving day, but all month long.

Some people share what they are thankful for on Facebook.

Others jot down gratitude lists in a journal or on a blog.

Still others send cards to friends and family expressing their gratitude.

Personally, I think expressing gratitude--no matter what form it takes--is awesome.

This fall, I started a new gratitude practice, after viewing Shawn Achor's TED talk (it's hilarious!) and reading his book, "The Happiness Advantage."

I started by creating a note in my iPhone simply titled, "Gratitude."

Every day, since September 20, I've pulled up this note and typed in three things I'm grateful for.

But here's the kicker: The three things must have happened in the past 24 hours!

I've made a habit of doing my gratitude writing first thing in the morning--before checking my email, before opening up Instagram--even before getting out of bed.  (Sure, there are days when it just doesn't happen in the morning--especially when the baby wakes up before I do.  It's then that I find time later on in the day.)  

Just five days into my new practice of gratitude journaling, I found myself scanning the world for positive experiences and things around me.  I was looking for the good, instead of focusing on the bad.

And even now, seven weeks later, when something funny or precious or inspiring happens, I think, "That's going on my gratitude list," or "I can't wait to document that in my gratitude note tomorrow."

Earlier today, I pulled out my iPhone and read back through my gratitude list.  Here are a few excerpts:

I'm grateful ...

For my parents who saved my first Cabbage Patch doll (Beverly Minnie) and the Fisher-Price ferry boat we played with as kids.

For twenty minutes of uninterrupted time to talk with Brian while he worked an overtime shift at the fire station.  (Such a rare treat!)

For the joy and enthusiasm that Noah exhibited while singing "Wheels on the Bus" at the library.  

For text messages and photos from my sister Kate.

For this video of Bean singing "Dance With Somebody," which prompted me to spontaneously belt out said song in my family room.  I loved singing that song with my sister Nichole when we were kids.    
For the two fawns who appeared outside my office window and treated me to an up close viewing.  I have a soft spot for baby anything.  

For swinging time with Noah in the hammock, just eating peanut butter cracks and listening to the birds chirp.

For the chance to hug Ali Edwards at breakfast this morning (at the Click retreat).  She's such an inspiring scrapbooker, photographer, and writer.

For the tent in our living room, which makes Noah so happy.

For the courage to say "I'm sorry" to Brian (twice).

For dinner and good conversation with my friend, Nicole.

For a new suitcase from Costco.  (The zipper on my fully-packed suitcase broke the night before we were to leave for Texas.  So, we stopped at Costco on the way to the airport, bought a suitcase and then moved everything from the old suitcase to the new suitcase--right there in the parking lot.)

For Brian, who is a great dad to Noah.  He kept Noah busy on the plane ride to Dallas, entertaining him with photos and apps on his iPad.

For time spent in the hallway of a Dallas hotel, chatting with family--Donna, Catherine, Susan, and my mom.

For hugs from McKayla.

For flying in business class (thanks to our AA miles!) with lots of room to stretch our legs and let Noah play.

For Noah's expanding vocabulary.  His newest word is cool, which he says in the cutest sing-songy way.

I'm planning to continue this gratitude practice through Thanksgiving and possibly into the New Year, because I find it helps me recognize the positive experiences in my life--and in doing so, cultivate more happiness and more gratitude.  

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

With Gratitude

Photo Source

My blog anniversary came and went this year, without any type of fanfare.

The truth?  I totally forgot!  It didn't even register on my radar.

So today, I want to take a minute to belatedly celebrate my fifth blogoversary (normally on July 3), and say thanks to all of you, my blog readers.

Thanks for reading.
  
Thanks for commenting.

Thanks for caring.

Things I'm Thankful For

Brian and Noah enjoying the indoor pool in Oregon | November 2012 

This month, I decided to keep a running list of the things for which I am thankful.

I found the easiest way to do this was to type my thoughts into an iPhone note.

Most days, I remembered to jot down something on my gratitude list.  But if I forgot, I just played catch-up.

Looking back over my list, I'm really glad I spent time not only reflecting on my blessings, but also documenting them.

This month, I'm grateful for...

1: A beautiful and healthy niece, Zoey.

2: A breakfast date with my hubby.

3: The opportunity to attend church with my husband and son.

4: Noah's hugs and smiles.

5: Board books for Noah--good for both reading and gnawing. 

6: The right to vote.

7: Hiking trails just 5 minutes from us.

8: Post-it notes, newsprint, and a plethora of hopes and dreams.

9: A sitter who takes great care of Noah twice a month. 

10: Time with my extended family.

11: Radlab--I have so much fun processing photos!

12: Brian.  For his patience, for his support, for his love.  

13: My camera. 

14:The movie, The Artist.

15: Pool time with Brian and Noah.

16: The opportunity to read, write, and chat in the car.

17: The chance to witness Sammy's baptism.

18: An umbrella to protect us from the rain.

19: Free Sirius music in the car.

20: Our washing machine and dryer. 

21: Mother Goose on the Loose at the library.

22: A small Thanksgiving celebration with my mom, sister, niece, and Noah.  (We'll miss spending time with Brian, my dad and my sister, Katie this year.)  

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Right Now

I'm...

Loving this picture of Noah kissing his brand new cousin, Zoey, who was born yesterday morning.  (Congrats to my sister, Nichole!)

Attending Mother Goose on the Loose at the library.

Processing pictures from Apple Hill, Notre Dame, and Halloween.

Enjoying a breakfast date with my hubby.

Baby proofing the kitchen, laundry room, and bathroom cabinets.

Folding laundry.

Running short distances (2-3 miles) on the treadmill.  

Contemplating my next running goal now that I've completed a half marathon.

Writing a thank you note to a friend for her amazing strawberry jam.   

Printing pictures for Noah's birth mother.

Creating packing lists for our upcoming trip to Portland. 

Reading Extraordinary, Ordinary People by Condoleeza Rice, a digital title I "checked out" from the library.

Perusing the HearthSong catalog for kids' Christmas ideas.

Doing the Hokey Pokey in the kitchen with Noah.

Crafting an article about photography that is aimed at kids, ages 8-11.   

Welcoming the practice of daily gratitude, typing one thing I'm thankful for each day on my iPhone.

Thank a Soldier

While reading through the most recent church bulletin last night, I learned about the "Let's Say Thanks" program. Xerox is helping people like you and me show our support for military troops currently serving overseas.

The process is super simple. All you have to do is log onto the site, choose a thank you postcard design (all 80+ designs are crafted by kids!), type in your name and hometown and then select a message for the postcard. (If you want to craft your own message, choose "other" and then type in your sentiments.) Xerox will then print the postcard and deliver it to a member of the U.S. military.

I chose the postcard design by Shelbey from Mesa, Arizona and selected one of the pre-written messages. It took all of two minutes, and the best part--it's FREE!

Kudos to Xerox for establishing this worthy program, and many thanks to our troops for their service and sacrifice.

J