Snowy Sundays.

January 31, 2021

Day 1,548

Thankful for: 

Sundays spent at home. 

Snowy Sundays. 

Time to watch Harry Potter with our family. 

Tacos. 

Time to cuddle with my family. 

Watching the snow fall from our warm, cozy home. 

Time with family.

January 30, 2021

Day 1,547

Thankful for: 

Family. 

Time with family. 

Dinner with family. 

Talks around the kitchen table with family. 

Dessert with family. 

Hearing Oliver laugh. 

Watching the kids have fun together. 

A clean home. 

A day called Friday.

January 29, 2021

Day 1,546

Thankful for: 

A day called Friday. 

Time to go grocery shopping by myself. 

Being able to buy all the groceries I want without worrying about money. 

A new washing machine and dryer. 

A laundry room makeover. 

My husband who took care of our laundry room makeover. 

Matt is fully vaccinated against covid now. 

The whole weekend ahead of us. 

Cold, cold, cold air.

January 28, 2021

Day 1,545

Thankful for: 

Adelyn and Tobin. 

Coming home to the sweetest family. 

A sandwich for dinner. 

The feeling of this: tomorrow is Friday. 

Salad for lunch today. 

Salad for lunch tomorrow. 

Everybody loves Raymond. 

A little bowl of peanuts. 

Hot tea. 

Pickles. 

Cold, cold, cold air. 

Deer running through the forest. 

Hawks. 

Higbee. 

Oranges. 

Patty. 

Phone calls with my mom. 

Phone calls with Gamie. 

A nice service for Alexis Smith; the mother of two of my former students. 

Time to cry. 

Reminders of what's really important. 

Husband, children, home.

January 27, 2021

Day 1,544

Thankful for: 

My husband; he loves me even when I don't deserve it. 

My children; they are the most amazing creatures. Sometimes, I can't believe they're mine. 

My home; I can't believe I get to live in this beautiful home in the woods. 

My family. 

My job and my students. 

My dog. 

My bed. 

Only two more days until the weekend. 

A new purse. 

Two new shirts. 

The feeling of going home.

January 26, 2021

Day 1,543

Thankful for: 

A good day at school. 

The feeling of going home after a long day. 

Pizza for dinner. 

Reading to my babies before bed.

Only a few more days until the weekend. 

Now is the time.

January 25, 2021

Day 1,542

     I got news today that a family friend passed away yesterday. She leaves behind two young daughters. I taught the oldest girl in 2nd and 3rd grade, and I taught the youngest girl in 3rd grade. They were both very special students to me. 

     My heart hurts for their family. 

     Every time I deal with death, I am reminded of the same simple truth: time is precious. It is not a thing to be wasted. It is a not a thing to take for granted. E.B.White said it best, "We are born. We live a little. Then we die." If we all know that death awaits us all, why do we waste our minutes being angry, being sad, doing nothing, not loving, killing time. 

     I'm also reminded that people should never leave things unsaid.  I left something unsaid with my friend, and I'm upset with myself about it. 

     Now is the time to say the things we need to say. Now is the time to make time for each other. Now is the time to use time wisely. Now is the time to love one another. 

     Thankful for the reminder. Thankful for the life of my friend. I'm sure she's one of the most beautiful angels there ever was. 

     

Warm and cozy home, family, meals.

January 24, 2021

Day 1,541

     Thankful for a lovely day at home with my babies. We watched church this morning together. Addy and Tobin played on the trampoline. I continued painting a dresser for Adelyn in the garage. I listened to music. I talked with Patty and my mom on the phone. I graded papers; Adelyn helped me. We watched two Harry Potter movies. I made homemade soup and homemade bread. It was lovely. It snowed a bit. We all cuddled on the couch; even Higbee. 

     Thankful for our warm and cozy home. Thankful for my warm and cozy family. Thankful for our warm and cozy meals today. This life is lovely; I don't deserve it. 

He's relentless.

January 23, 2021

Day 1,540

Thankful for: 

A long, lazy morning at home with all the great loves of my life. 

Time to work on a project I've been wanting to work on. 

The ability to buy a new washer and dryer and not worry about it. 

Cheese and crackers and salami. 

Chips and guacamole. 

Being rid of Instagram. It's much quieter and simpler in my life now. 

Time spent loving my family and listening to music and reading books and being outside will feed my soul instead of draining my soul by wasting time on social media. 

The feeling letting go of the things I cannot control and giving it to God. 

Music that feeds my soul.

Afternoon delight. 

The way my husband loves me; he never stops. He's relentless.

Watching Harry Potter together. 

Eating ice cream with hot fudge and whipped cream; sometimes dessert is an absolute necessity. 

Texts with an old student that has become a sweet friend. 

The feeling of being home and not leaving for several days. 

Making bread to feed my family. 

Friday Five.

January 22, 2021

Day 1,539

Thankful for: 

a half day of school. 

coming home to the best home to stay all weekend. 

my family. 

bedtime. 

love.  

7 hawks.

January 21, 2021

Day 1,538

Thankful for: 

pizza for dinner. 

coming home to the sweetest family. 

children who love me. 

a husband who loves me. 

a dog who loves me. 

music. 

quiet moments. 

seeing 7 hawks on the way home today; God must really love me. 

It was a good day.

January 20, 2021

Day 1,537

Thankful for: 

A good day. 

Cupcakes. 

Good food. 

A day to sit on the couch and relax. 

Family. 

Time to cuddle on the couch with my babies. 

Time to laugh on the couch with my babies. 

Only one day and one half day until the weekend. 

There is still time left in winter. 

Clean clothes. 

Blister peanuts. 

Homemade bread. 

Bread and salad for lunch tomorrow. 

A day to be proud of: we have our first woman Vice President of the United States of America. This is a huge day for women. 

I loved watching Joe Biden's Inauguration today. 

It was a good day. 

Six things on a Monday.

January 19, 2021

Day 1,536

Thankful for: 

A good Monday. 

A good job. 

The best family. 

Hawks. 

The winter light. 

Things to be thankful for. 

One to be proud of.

January 18, 2021

Day 1,535

Thankful for: 

Being off today. 

Being at home.

Waking up late. 

Laying in bed for a while. 

Going shopping at Trader Joe's, Costco, and Wegman's. 

Being able to buy whatever I want without worrying about money; that's something to be so thankful for. 

Our beautiful home. 

Talking with Matt; he's one of my favorite people in the world to talk to. 

Watching a girly movie last night in bed with Matt. 

Reading Little House on the Prairie in bed as a family; I love when Matt reads to us all. 

Cuddling with our babies in bed. 

A fine Monday; one to be proud of. 

Homemade pizza dough.

January 17, 2021

Day 1,534

Thankful for: 

Sundays. 

Waking up in a clean home. 

Homemade pizza dough rising in my kitchen. 

Family dinner nights. 

Dessert: Tillamook ice cream is the best. 

Laughter. 

Watching a show on the couch with my mom. 

Staring at the stars for a long while with my dad.

Cold, crisp, still night air. 

Higbee being so happy to see all of the family members. 

A good day. 

A day called Saturday.

January 16, 2021

Day 1,533

Thankful for: 

a day called Saturday. 

a day to clean up as a family together. 

a nap on the couch while I cuddled with Matt and he watched football. 

rain. 

pasta for dinner. 

time to relax and be still and quiet. 

the feeling of relaxing in a clean home. 

You can learn a lot of things from the birds and the hawks.

January 15, 2021

Day 1,532

     Today was a good day. I met a friend for coffee and the sunrise before work. Crisp cold air, red sky, cozy chairs, blankets, and a pot of coffee. It was just us and the birds. I love the way the birds welcome a new day. They like to sit together and chirp about the sunrise. I think a person does good for himself when he follows nature's example for how to go about one's day. 

For example: 

The birds like to gather together in groups and chitter and chatter and sing about the new day. They must talk about the sky. Imagine being a winged creature and not talking about the sky. That's like being a chef and not talking about food. The birds must be absolutely obsessed with the sky and all it's space. I am, and I can't even fly. 

The hawks sit high up and wait patiently for breakfast. They don't hurry it along. They sit and observe and wait and watch. I can't remember the last time that I made a very long time of my breakfast. Why is breakfast amongst humans always hurried and rushed. I eat my breakfast of one banana on the way to work while I'm driving. This isn't the way nature intended. I should be sitting. Observing. Waiting. Watching to see what I can see. There's a lot to miss if you're always hurrying along. 

     Today, I sat in a chair next to my friend and we talked about the new day and the sky and what's good. We didn't hurry. We sat for a time. It was very good. 

The feeling.

January 14, 2021

Day 1,531

Thankful for: 

the feeling of coming home. 

the feeling of only one day left of this long, long week. 

the feeling of hugging my children. 

the feeling of cuddling with Higbee. 

the feeling of Matt hugging me. 

the feeling of being in my bed. 

Mama

January 13, 2021

Day 1,530

Thankful for: 

easy dinners of homemade pizza. 

an early bedtime. 

time to sit on the couch. 

my family. 

when Adelyn and Tobin run to me when I get home from work and yell, "Mama!"

reading to Addy and Tobin in bed.  

Cupcakes.

January 12, 2021

Day 1,529

Thankful for: 

a home to come home to. 

my bed. 

good food to eat. 

my family. 

bringing cupcakes home for dessert just because I wanted cupcakes. 

roasted chicken, rice, and green beans for dinner. 

Time left.

January 11, 2021

Day 1,528

Nothing makes the stuff of life more clear and vived and true than death. 

Here's what I know today: 

I am thankful for this life of mine. 

I am thankful for my family. 

I am thankful for our home in the woods. 

I am thankful for the love in my life. 

I am thankful for the ability to get up and move about whenever I want to. 

I am thankful for the ability to clean and cook and do things. 

I am thankful for the ability to work. 

I am thankful that I get to look into my children's eyes. 

I am thankful that I get to taste things and eat things. 

I am thankful that I get to rest in peace. 

I am thankful that I get to have fun. 

I am thankful that I have a dog who loves me. 

I am thankful for time left. 

I am thankful for birthday parties on a Monday night. 

I am thankful for Mario. 

I am thankful for delicious food. 

I am thankful for cake and ice cream and presents and party decorations. 

I am thankful for Christmas presents. 

I am thankful for laughter and time to tell stories. 

I am thankful for late night grocery shopping trips. 

I am thankful for how bright the stars are tonight. 

My grandma's 80th birthday.

January 10, 2021

Day 1,527

Thankful for: 

My grandmother. It was her 80th birthday today. 

We could celebrate her today. 

We had brunch. 

We had donuts. 

We had cake. 

We told my grandmother why we loved her. 

We laughed. 

We told stories. 

The kids played. 

It was a good day. 

So thankful for my grandmother and that she's a part of my life. Thankful for the times we get to talk and spend time together. Thankful to have been able to celebrate her today. 

Good Saturday.

January 9, 2021

Day 1,526

Thankful for: 

New pictures hung in our living room; I absolutely love them. 

We put the Christmas decorations away today; it was sad, but the house looks so clean and fresh. 

We worked outside clearing out the autumn olives from the driveway. 

Afternoon delight. 

We had turkey chili for dinner. 

We relaxed and cuddled. 

The end to a very long week.

January 8, 2021

Day 1,525

The end to a very long week. 

Patty, Casey, Sophia, and Odette came over for dinner tonight; I made "Sanderson Surprise." Adelyn and Tobin named it: rice, sausage, brussel sprouts, and whatever else we'd like to put in it. 

Watching Avonlea with Patty. 

The feeling of having the whole weekend ahead of me. 

Their hugs make me whole.

January 7, 2021

Day 1,524

Thankful for: 

It's almost the end of this week. It was a good week, but it was long. 

Reading Little House in the Big Woods with Adelyn and Tobin every night before bed. 

Holding Adelyn and Tobin; their hugs make me whole. 

The smell of my home. 

The feel of the wood floors under my feet. 

My bed. 

Hugs and kisses from Matt. 

Matt likes to keep his hand on me while he falls asleep. 

Three things.

January 6, 2021

Day 1,523

Thankful: 

for my home. 

the people I love are safe. 

love; I am loved and I love others. 

Huge Hawk.

January 5, 2020

Day 1,522

Thankful for: 

a quiet drive to work this morning. 

seeing a huge hawk right as I pulled into the parking lot at school. 

talking with Patty after school. 

tomorrow is Wednesday; the week will be halfway over tomorrow. 

Matt, the kids, and Higbee were all very happy to see me when I got home today. 

some new stuff from Michael's to do a fun little project at home. 

Christmas decorations still up at my house. 

a very cold, cold day. 

warm clothes. 

a good dinner. 

a good salad for lunch tomorrow. 

Matt is using the new lunchbox I got him for Christmas. 

a little, tiny bowl of peanuts and a giant mug of hot tea. 

ingredients I need to make delicious dinners. 

our home in the woods. 

a good day at school. 

being loved by Matt. 

 

I have his name.

January 4, 2020

Day 1,521

     Matt got a security system from his mom for Christmas. I have the app on my phone and I am alerted when there is motion detected outside. Today, I was alerted when my students were at recess, so I opened the app and saw a video of my husband leaving our house through the garage. As he walked past the camera, he looked at it, and blew me a kiss. 

     I am so thankful for my sweet, sweet husband. He loves me more than words can say. It is a powerful thing to be loved so madly and deeply. I'm thankful that he still loves me enough to blow me a kiss. I'm thankful for the days when he's home and our house is full because of his presence. I'm thankful for the way it feels to lay in bed and sleep next to him. I'm thankful that he gets to stay home with our babies tomorrow. I love thinking about Matt, Adelyn, Tobin, and Higbee all snug as bugs at home while I'm out working. 

     Thankful for a man named Matt Sanderson. He's a good man, and as I was driving home today from school, I was thinking how proud I am to have his name. 

Couch cuddle time.

January 3, 2021

Day 1,520

Thankful for:

A rainy day. 

Time to crochet. 

Time to watch TV. 

Time to cuddle on the couch with my babies. 

Time to play games; we played a new game today: Throw, throw burrito. The kids loved it. 

A scavenger hunt prepared by Adelyn. 

Seeing Matt and Tobin race upstairs for the next clue in the scavenger hunt. 

An impossible whopper for lunch. 

Coffee. 

Lunches prepped for tomorrow. 

The best Christmas break ever. It was long and lovely. 

Higbee sleeping in my feet in bed while I write this. 

Cereal for dinner. It was very Seinfeld of us. 

Soup in a mug. 

A cardinal outside my window this morning. 

Reading books in bed with my littles. 

Hawk in the woods.

January 2, 2021

Day 1,519

     Thankful for a good day. Thankful for time spent with my family. Thankful for a beautiful hawk I saw in the woods today. Thankful for delicious food. Thankful for hugs and kisses from my kids; especially when I need a hug or a kiss. They give the best hugs. Thankful for time to sit around the pink table and laugh. Thankful for the times when Odette is sad that she has to leave my house; I get to hold her and comfort her. Thankful that Odette asks to spend the night here. Thankful for smiles from Oliver. Thankful for one more day at home. Thankful for one more day of Christmas vacation. Thankful that my mom thinks of me; she brought me a vitamin I needed. Thankful for Christmas decorations still up at my house. Thankful for a beautiful sunset. Sunset colors make me feel alive. It was a good day; I'm thankful for it. 

I won.

January 1, 2021

Day 1,518

     Thankful for a lovely day at home with my babies. I went grocery shopping in the morning. We watched TV. I crocheted. I napped. We had soup for lunch. We played video games. We read books. We played games. We baked bread. We played with Higbee. It was a very good, rainy, relaxing day. Thankful for the first day of 2021. Thankful for the month of January. Thankful for the cozy and the comfortable. Thankful for things like floured kitchen towels covering bowls of rising dough. Thankful for a ticket to a planetarium show my kids are about to put on for me. Thankful for ice cream sundaes in special cups after dinner. Thankful that I have this whole upcoming year to live in my house and love my family. Home is the very best place in the wide world. I'm thankful for our little corner of the wild, wild woods. I'm thankful for this wonderful life. 

     I checked our millionaire raffle ticket tonight and we didn't win. But I told Matt: "I won you. I won our kids. I won this life, and I wouldn't trade it for anything." 

     Thankful.