Armando's birthday.

September 30, 2023

Day 2,535

Thankful for: 

A good Saturday. 

I got a lot of cleaning done. 

My parents and Hank came over. 

We had pizza and salad for dinner. 

We went to Patty and Armando's house to celebrate Armando's birthday. 

We had cake and ice cream. 

We watched an old Cinderella movie that we used to watch when we were kids. 

Fire pit Friday.

September 29, 2023

Day 2,534

Thankful for: 

A day called Friday. 

I went grocery shopping with Tobin after school today. I like grocery shopping on Friday nights, and it was nice to spend some extra time with Tobin. 

Matt got supplies for a fire pit night. 

The warm glow of a friendly fire. 

I fell asleep outside, and it was very cozy. 

The weekend ahead of me. 

Not having to set an alarm to wake up tomorrow. 

Pineapple and strawberries.

September 28, 2023

Day 2,533

Thankful for: 

A good day at work. I really love my new job. 

Pineapple and strawberries. 

A delicious salad for lunch and dinner. 

I got to sit and eat dinner with my friend. 

The feeling of coming home after a long day. 

My bed. 

Matt and Higbee were happy to see me. 

Tomorrow is Friday.

We get to celebrate Armando's birthday on Saturday. He's having a Star Wars themed birthday party! 

After tomorrow I don't have to set my alarm for 2 days.

A beautiful sky this morning.

Two large coffees. Today. I made the coffee in my stove-top percolator. 

Lots of things to be thankful for.

Great Wednesday!

September 27, 2023

Day 2,532

Thankful for: 

A great Wednesday. 

Cloudy skies. 

Getting to hang with Odette and Casey this evening. 

A delicious dinner. 

Lunches prepped for tomorrow. 

A long day ahead tomorrow, but I'm well prepared. 

I made dinner for Matt and kids for tomorrow. 

Tomorrow, it's Thursday. Then it's Friday. 

Snuggly Higbee. 

A quick call with Matt. 

A new day tomorrow. 

Mother and son afternoon.

September 26, 2023

Day 2,531

Thankful because: 

It was a good day. 

Tobin and I got to spend time together after school. 

He got a great haircut. 

We went to Panera for dinner. 

We went to a spirit night at Skate N Fun Zone. 

We went shopping at Wegman's on the way home. 

The feeling of bed after a long day. 

Here's a list of all the good things about today.

September 25, 2023

Day 2,530

Thankful because: 

It was a good Monday. 

An old student came to check in with me today. 

I'm feeling a little bit more confident at my new job. 

I was praying about something I was worried about, and God answered my prayer! I'm very thankful. 

I had soup and bread for lunch. 

I got to leave a little early today to pick up Adelyn from school. 

We had an easy dinner: eggs, toast, and bacon. 

Lunches are already made for tomorrow. 

Higbee and I had a nice, long walk. 

I let him sniff all the things he wanted to sniff. 

Addy helped Tobin with his spelling words while I finished lunches for the next day. 

I helped Tobin with his spelling words and his Bible verse. 

Higbee likes to sit beside me while I write. 

Matt sent me texts today. I love when he thinks about me. 

Walks in the forest are good for my soul. 

There were lots of frogs out croaking tonight. 

I brought pumpkin cookies into work today to share with my co-workers. 

I took off two days in November so Matt and I can take our anniversary trip. 

It's not even 7:30, and I'm ready for us all to get into bed for the night. I love, love, love early nights. 

Patty gets to pick me up tomorrow, and I'm excited because when we carpool, we always get coffee together. 

Talks with Adelyn. 

Time to read with Tobin in bed. 

The feeling of being home. 

Time to sleep all night. 

Tree lessons.

September 24, 2023

Day 2,529

I was watching the trees sway in the wind from my bedroom window today. I always ask God to keep the trees up on windy days. As I stood there, I remembered a story I heard a while back about trees that were grown indoors. The trees grew tall and big, and even though there was nothing wrong with them at all, when they reached a certain height, they began to just fall over. The reason they fell over is because they hadn't had to withstand the stress of any wind or storms. The wind and the storms actually make the trees stronger. Storms strengthen them. 

I think it's the same with people. If we never had hard times in life, we would be weak. The storms are what make us strong. The wind blows us. Storms threaten to take us out, but we're only just swaying a bit. If we never had storms we would fall. The storms are what help us to keep standing. 

Thankful for lessons from trees. 

Rain.

September 23, 2023

Day 2,528

Thankful for: 

The rain. It's beautiful, and glorious, and peaceful. I am so thankful for lots of rain today. 

I watched three movies with Addy today. 

My parents came over for an impromptu dinner. 

It's fun to see Hank and Higbee play. 

One more day off to spend at home tomorrow and more rain in the forecast. 

Rainy weekend ahead.

September 22, 2023

Day 2,527

Thankful for: 

A day called Friday. 

The feeling of coming home to stay for the whole weekend. 

Pizza for dinner. 

Time with Matt. He loves me so much. 

I went grocery shopping so I wouldn't have to go in the weekend. 

I ran into my brother in law at the store. 

A rainy weekend ahead. 

A morning latte with Patty.

September 21, 2023

Day 2,526

Thankful for: 

I got to carpool with Patty this morning. 

Starbucks! I love a latte from Starbucks. 

A great day at work. 

Sweet students. 

I got to carpool home with Patty. Any time with Patty is time well spent. 

Coming home to a clean kitchen because Matt has cleaned it up from the morning rush. 

Hugs and kisses from Matt. 

Watching a mother deer and fawn eat a pear together in our yard. 

Higbee lays and watches me while I cook and prepare lunches for the next day. 

Tomorrow is Friday. 

A great night with the love of my life. 

Many hugs and kisses before bed. 

The sound of Addy and Tobin playing and working on things together. 

The weekend ahead of us. 

Fall is coming. Spiders, leaves, pumpkins, and all things cool and crisp. 

Wondrous blessings.

September 20, 2023

Day 2,525

Thankful for: 

This wonderful life. I am literally living the life of my dreams. Every day is filled with so much love and joy and happiness. I have a husband that loves me more than he loves himself. I have two beautiful, loving, kind, and healthy children. I have the best dog. I have the most comfortable and cozy home. I wake up in the woods every morning. I am healthy. I have a great job that I love. I have family. I have friends. 

I am living the life I once dreamed about living, but it is more wonderful than I ever could have imagined. 

I am just so very thankful. I don't deserve such wondrous blessings. 

Tacos, crisp air, fall.

September 19, 2023

Day 2,524

Thankful for: 

A day called Tuesday. 

It's the perfect day for tacos for dinner. 

A good day at work. 

A good evening at home. 

The feeling of going to bed after a long day. 

The feeling of laying next to the love of my life. 

Crisp air in the morning. 

Watching deer and rabbits eat things in my yard. 

The feeling of hugs and kisses from Matt, Adelyn, and Tobin. 

The way Higbee is so overjoyed to see us when we come home every day. 

Signs that fall is really just around the corner. 

Red bats

September 18, 2023

Day 2,523

Thankful for: 

A beautiful morning. 

Blue sky and puffy clouds. 

A good day at work. 

Cool air. 

A good lunch. 

Time with my kids. 

Sanderson Surprise for dinner. 

A relaxing evening. 

I saw two red bats tonight. 

Time to sleep all night. 

Texts from Matt. 

Hugs and goodnight love from Addy and Tobin. 

Tomorrow is Tuesday already. 

Tiny list of five things to be thankful for.

September 17, 2023

Day 2,522

Thankful for: 

Time to go shopping for myself. 

Time to go grocery shopping. 

A birthday party. 

Matt coming home after working 36 hours. 

Time to sleep all night. 

Entirely at home.

September 16, 2023

Day 2,521

Thankful for: 

A day spent entirely at home. I love days when we don't go anywhere at all. 

I spent a lot of time cleaning and organizing today, and it made me happy to be able to do that. 

The kids spent a lot of time outside. 

I spent some time talking with my mom and my grandmother today. 

We watched a show together and ate a snack. 

My parents and Hank came over to visit. They brought pizza. 

We had ice cream and watched Everybody Loves Raymond. 

I love the feeling of going to bed in a clean home. 

I still have tomorrow to be off and home with my family. 

It felt like fall.

September 15, 2023

Day 2,520

Thankful for: 

A glorious, cool morning. It felt like fall. 

A good day at work. 

The feeling of driving home after work on a Friday. 

Shopping with Tobin for fire pit supplies. 

A fire pit night at home with my family. 

The best wine. 

Being able to go to bed tonight without having to set an alarm for the next day. 

Just because fries and milkshakes.

September 14, 2023

Day 2,519

     Today was a good day. Tobin and I had to leave school early to pick up Adelyn from school at four. We decided to stop for fries and milkshakes just because. I think "just because fries and milkshakes" taste the best. They differ from "good appointment fries and milkshakes" in that there doesn't need to be a specific reason like a good doctor's appointment to have them. "Just because fries and milkshakes" have to be purchased spontaneously whereas "good appointment fries and milkshakes" happen only after good doctor's appointments. Adelyn was pleasantly surprised to have such a delicious treat ready for her when she got in the car. We had tacos for dinner. We studied spelling words. We played with Higbee. We made lunches for tomorrow. There were hugs and laughs and kisses goodnight. I talked with Matt. I listened to Adelyn sing. We are all happy and healthy. 

     It was a good day today because every day is a good day when you're living your dream life. So thankful for this beautiful, sweet life of mine. So thankful for the people and furry creatures I get to share it with. I can't wait to spend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with all the great loves of my life. 

Five little things to be thankful for on a long Wednesday.

September 13, 2023

Day 2,518

Thankful for: 

A good Wednesday. 

I got to drive home with Patty. 

Bed after a very long day. 

A little cup of soup in bed. 

Time to sleep all night. 

They think nice things about me.

September 12, 2023

Day 2,517

Thankful for: 

Roasted carrots and potatoes and chicken for lunch. 

A cooler morning. 

Soup for dinner. 

A good day at work. 

Tomorrow is halfway through the week. 

I got to drive home with Patty today. She gets to pick me up tomorrow morning, and we're getting coffee. 

Matt did all the dishes again. I love the way he loves me and takes care of me. 

Hugs and cuddles with Addy and Tobin before bed. 

Higbee was very happy to see me when I got home.

My favorite tea came in the mail today. 

My favorite fidget came in the mail today. 

Tobin told me I looked beautiful today. Adelyn told me my hair looked pretty. Matt told me I looked pretty today. I'm thankful my family thinks nice things about me. 

Panera for dinner.

September 11, 2023

Day 2,516

Thankful for: 

A good day at work. 

The feeling of coming home after a long day. 

Panera for dinner. 

Matt had all the dishes cleaned up for me. 

A hot shower. 

Time to read in bed with Addy and Tobin. It's so wonderful to cuddle them close. Tonight, Addy and Tobin read to me. 

Going to bed early. 

Soup and sourdough.

September 10, 2023

Day 2,515

Thankful for: 

Being able to sleep in and wake up naturally without an alarm. 

Being able to go grocery shopping and buy delicious food for my family. 

A Starbucks latte and a scone. 

Time with my sister. 

Coming home to the best family, dog, and home. 

A long, quiet day spent at home. 

I made roasted chicken, potatoes, and carrots for dinner. 

I made a huge pot of delicious chicken soup for Addy for lunches for the week. 

I made two loaves of sourdough to bring to school tomorrow. 

Thunder off in the distance as I write this. I love that distant rolling thunder can actually sound beautiful to me. It used to be a source of intense fear. 

Time to sleep all night. 

Matt gave me a gift today. A just because gift. I love his heart. He's the best in the world. And not because he buys me gifts, but because he's just amazing. I love the way he loves me and our family. 

A fresh, new week starting tomorrow. 

45.

September 9, 2023

Day 2,514

Thankful for: 

A lovely day at home. 

My parents came over for lunch. They brought some delicious subs with them. 

I made fresh sourdough. It was delicious. Especially warm sourdough with butter and strawberry rhubarb jelly. 

I got to watch Hank for my parents while they went out. 

It was my parents 45th wedding anniversary today. So thankful for their example of loyalty and love. 

A quiet day at home except for the noise of two playing dogs. 

Dog eyes. 

Tobin hugs and cuddles. 

Adelyn hugs and cuddles. 

Friday night pizza night.

September 8, 2023

Day 2,513

Thankful for: 

A good Friday at school. 

A delicious coffee after school. 

Spitony's pizza for dinner. It was delicious. 

I took Adelyn to her first high school football game. She got to hang out with her friends and watch a football game. I am so happy that she has good friends already. 

I had a bowl of ice cream. 

I got to watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding with Adelyn last night with Adelyn. 

I don't have to set my alarm for the next day. 

I have bread rising overnight for baking today. I'm excited for fresh sourdough bread tomorrow. 

Little Thankful Thursday List

September 7, 2023

Day 2,512

Thankful for: 

The end of a long day at work. 

A good day at work. 

Sweet coworkers. 

Sweet students. 

A sweet dog to come home to. 

The feeling of bed after a long day. 

Long drives down dark roads at night. 

Lightning in the distance at night. 

A quiet home. 

Tomorrow is Friday. 

Texts from Matt. 

Laughing with the kids in the car. Addy said she was sad she couldn't whistle because me and Tobin were whistling. I told her it was okay, "She could thigh thlap," instead of thigh slap. We were laughing so hard. Thankful for good, hard laughs. It's sort of the same effect as a good, hard cry. 

The weekend coming. 

Four.

September 6, 2023

Day 2,511

Thankful for: 

Time to come home and relax. 

Cookie bars. 

Naps on the couch in between cookie bars. 

Time to sleep in bed all night. 

Spelling words and science tests.

September 5, 2023

Day 2,510

Thankful for:

A good day at work. 

Getting to read to little ones at the preschool today. 

Getting to leave work early to go get Addy. 

Leftover tacos and rice for dinner. 

Getting to help Tobin study for science and go over his spelling words. 

Tomorrow is Wednesday already. 

Texts from Matt. 

Going to bed on time. 

A nice, cool home. 

A nice, cool car. 

The promise of cool weather coming soon. 

My coworkers. 

Kale salad for lunch. 

A new day tomorrow. 

Family Monday.

September 4, 2023

Day 2,509

Thankful for: 

A day spent with family. 

A delicious meal. 

Laughter. 

Dogs having fun. 

Kids having fun. 

Joking around with loved ones. Just being silly and funny. 

Apple crisp for dessert. 

Baseball game/ Panera lunch.

September 3, 2023

Day 2,508

Thankful for: 

Another great day! 

Matt and the kids went to a baseball game with Patty, Armando, and their kids. 

I stayed home because I don't like going to sports games. 

I went to Panera for lunch with a friend at 11, and we talked until 4! I was amazed that we had spent five hours talking, and it went by so quickly. 

I made tacos for dinner for everyone. 

Mint chocolate chip ice cream. 

It was a relaxing evening. 

Fire pits and movies.

September 2, 2023

Day 2,507

Thankful for: 

A wonderful Friday and Saturday. 

On Friday, Matt and I went grocery shopping together. We got ingredients for a fire pit night. 

Matt and the kids watched a movie together while I spent time writing. 

We had the most wonderful fire pit night on Friday. 

On Saturday, we all went to the movies. Adelyn and I saw the Barbie movie. Tobin and Matt saw the Gran Turismo movie. 

After the movies, we went to Sweet Water for a late lunch/early dinner. 

We decided to do another fire pit around 8 at night, and since Patty and Armando are so close now, we invited them at the last minute, and they came for an hour or two. It's really nice having family close by. 

It has been the most wonderful long weekend ever. 

Eating pears. Sorting socks.

September 1, 2023

Day 2,506

     Most nights when I am washing dishes from dinner, I look out the window right above the sink and find a mother deer and her fawn eating pears in our yard. I watch as they nose the grass and nuzzle each other in between bites of pear. It seems like a pretty ordinary moment to occur in the daily life of a deer; go to the yard with all the pears and eat them. But I'm very glad that I get to witness the doe and her fawn night after night. It's comforting to see them doing deer things together in my yard. 

     About a month ago, I helped my parents move out of the house they had been living in for over twenty years. We had been packing and moving boxes for many hours when my mom and I came to two large baskets of socks and some other bits of odds and ends clothing. My immediate response to those two large baskets was: "Just throw it away." My mom did not want to just throw it away. She wanted to go through it, piece by piece, and find her favorite socks. Since these were not my two baskets of socks to do what I wanted with, I sat down on the floor and helped my mom sort all the socks. When we were about halfway through with what I thought to be a meaningless task, I found a wee little ivory and mint green baby sock. I held it up and asked if it was one of her favorite socks. We must have spent hours after that laughing over that little sock. The packing, moving, and cleaning that followed after we found the baby sock were filled with laughter, joy, and fun. 

     I wanted to say no to sorting the basket of socks. I think about what I would have lost out on if I had said no and refused to sort socks with my mom. Laughter. Memories. An ordinary moment spent on the floor of my brother's old bedroom. 

     I think about the doe and her fawn. What would the fawn miss out on if she didn't follow her mother to our yard night after night. Pears. Nuzzles. Many ordinary deer moments spent in the shade of our trees. 

     It's comforting to me to think that what I thought to be meaningless moments can become like the pears and the socks. Eating pears and sorting socks can be the big, meaningful moments. We just have to say yes to them.