in my head

6:50 am- A grateful heart is a full heart; however, making your heart full is not something that comes natural. Well... Maybe it does, but you still must work at it... every. single. day.

7:30 am- (Reflecting on my family, missing friends and longing for consistency). When things get rough, focusing on what I have, instead of dwelling on what I don't, gives me hope and calms my worries. There are still days that I wish I could wave a magic wand above my head and make everything easy. I wish I could transport people that I love, and miss, to me. I wish I knew where we will settle down and when (or ever if we would). 

8:15 am- To grow where you're planted you have to allow yourself to water with tears, fertilize with new friendships and grow strong with opportunities that are available. I think I'm doing a pretty good job of that here.

8:23 am- I need to cook some breakfast.

love notes

Thankful for little notes that lift the spirit, and a thoughtful husband. 

baby steps

I made this last week to encourage me to decrease my time on Facebook.

I haven't exactly stuck to my limit...

Do you need one of these?

Calm down

If I just type the title of this post a few times it might help...

calm down
calm down
calm down

It did help... a little.

I guess.

Our previous landlord is refusing to give us our deposit back...

I'm thankful for my husband. He knows how to calm me down and also allows me to scream when it's needed.

I love him...

Now, that calms me down and I am thankful for that!!

What if?

What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday? 

She's fearless...

and I pray she stays that way...

this smile

I am so thankful for this smile...

 ...and for the fact that I get to love it for the rest of my days.

humble student of gratitude

While I have not posted here, I have posted on my Facebook page. It just seems easier. That doesn't change my goal of being more thankful this year.

I can happily report that this September, close to a year after I started my grateful quest, I am still going strong. Everyday I rejoice in thanks, because there is always, always, ALWAYS something to be thankful for!!

I can not believe how much this challenge has taught me, and I know the lessons are not over. I will continue to grow and become a more grateful soul. I am a forever humble student of gratitude.

"I am grateful for what I am and have.
My thanksgiving is perpetual...
O how I laugh when I think of my vague indefinite riches.
No run on my bank can drain it
for my wealth is not possession but enjoyment."

Henry David Thoreau

Mr. Recycle Man

Today is our recylce day and my son and I thought it would be a good idea to show
 "Mr. Recycle Man" how much we appreciate his service.

 

We always have a LOT for him to pick up.

p.s. I realize that I spelled recycling wrong and fixed it before Mr. Recycle came but not in enough time to take another picture. So insert the letter c in your mind. :) 

**UPDATE: Mr. Recycle Man walked all our bins back up to our house. My son just said, "He did that because we gave him a note! He has never done that before! We made his day, huh?! That sure was nice of him!" 

123- I am thankful for the moments that our kindness created.

Thank YOU!!

Thank you for being part of my life and helping me be a more grateful person. 

It doesn't get much better than this! 

Today it is the little things.

Today...
I used my new vacuum. It is awesome.
My daughter went all day in underwear. She is awesome.
My children devoured our eclectic dinner of fried rice with mushrooms, onions, zucchini, red peppers, and turkey hot dogs (my son added balsamic vinegar). Awesome.
The little things in my life have made my day... Fantastic

Inspiration in interesting places

My last post was my favorite quote and it turns out that it is one of my husband's favorite quotes too. Which was a sweet surprise to me...

A couple weeks ago (by pure coincidence I think it might have been just after I posted the quote) the kids and I (with my husband too) went up to tour my husband's job site (my husband builds road... big roads... and is pretty awesome at it too.).

The job itself has made some amazing progress with the road and bridges but the most important progress (I think) is what has been happening in the offices, and hopefully with the team of employees.

The offices have been transformed from a dirty plain (and boring) construction site into a place of inspiration that encourages creativity, dedication and success. The walls are filled with uplifting quotes and pictures. Wise words are in the meeting room, by the door, etc. I was so excited to see them!! The more I walked around, the more inspired I became. It was great!

Then, I walked past the printer and what did I see on the wall?!.... MY QUOTE. my favorite. quote.  My husband had modified it to speak to his team more directly by changing the teacher focused language (I changed it too if you notice).

I almost started to cry. It meant so very much to me to see it hanging there...

It was a special moment for me. He DOES get me.

quotes that changed my life.

“I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom (my life). 

It’s my personal approach that creates the climate.

 It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. 

As a teacher, (person) I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.

I can humiliate or heal. 

In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated 

and a child humanized or dehumanized.” 

― Haim G. Ginott

Word of the Year

Last year, I ditched the idea of a New Year's resolution and instead I embraced the idea of a "Word of the Year".

My word for 2011 was... choice.

In 2011 I choose to:

• surround myself with positive people
• be supportive rather than critical
• yell (or not) at my children to hurry up (I try my best to not yell.) 
• provide chooses for my children in their daily lives
• scream (or not) at a certain pompous news anchor on TV (Can you guess who?) 
• seek to understand my husband's perceptive as to why he works the insane hours that he does and be proud that he takes such ownership in his job
• make my health a top priority and work out five-six days a week
• eat healthy food and make healthy meals (or some-days NOT and get a McDonald's burger and sweet tea)
• commit myself to a cause
• laugh more
• be confident with how I choose to parent and be comfortable with the fact that I make mistakes
• let the little things slide (e.g., the dishes and laundry always lose to reading and playing with my kids)
• blog... or not
• read inspirational words every day
• remember that a person's perceptive is critical to understanding and can change everything
• bloom where I am planted 
• be positive  
• be okay with the fact that I can not please everyone
• find opportunity in struggle
• be happy (sometimes I choose, and it is okay that I do, to be angry, disappointed or frustrated)
• remember it is MY choice and only I can give power to someone else or to negativity.

Through-out the year my choices have become wiser and easier to make. I have learned that the key to living a happy life is choosing one.

I have also humbled myself. Being happy isn't always easy, nor is being optimistic. Learning to live a life of optimism is a lifestyle commitment. I realize now, more than ever, that I will be fine tuning my choices for the rest of my days.

With all of this being said, 2011 is behind us. It's a new year that will be filled with new possibilities and opportunities.

So I have choosen a new word and I am sure that you can guess what my word might be...

Did you guess?





















Yeap. Gratitude.





I hope to be more grateful each day. This blog and my Facebook page are helping me...


What is your word?