The truth is this… LIFE is BUSY! I mean to stay on track with my gratitude challenge but it is SUPER HARD! Right now we are focusing a lot of our extra energy trying to help both Shea and Olivia. Shea has come SO incredibly far trying to heal emotionally however he is still stuck feeling less loved than our other children. And, that is hard on a mama’s heart. Then sweet baby Liv is nearly 2 1/2 and she isn’t speaking and her frustration with this is only escalating. So… when it comes time to writing these gratefulness posts they are more often than not pushed aside for a later time.
That said… I don’t want to give up! Even though I am not writing these posts on time they are having a profound impact on my life. I feel so at peace and I know it has a lot to do with focusing on being grateful. Even, when I don’t have time to sit down and actually write my thoughts out… just thinking about living a more grateful life brings me serenity. So, I hope you keep on… keeping on with your gratitude challenge. That you don’t give up because you missed a week. That is not the point. The real challenge is to become a more grateful person throughout the year and you don’t need to post on time for that to happen.
Gratitude Challenge Catch Up: Moments, Winter and Education
Moments
There are certain moments in life that pop out and grab you. The ones where you know right then and there that this moment will be remembered for the rest of your life. For me these moments take form mostly during holidays and vacations. Times when distractions are set aside and I am fully focused on the important people in my life. Here are a few moments I am incredibly grateful for.
Laughing as we tried jumping up and down to get this picture in front of the Eiffel Tower.
Escaping our kids and getting to be alone with my husband in Bali.
Watching Shea be embraced by his birth mother on our recent trip to Ethiopia was another such memory.
Watching Shea slide down the slide in our back yard the day we arrived home with him after a long trip home from Ethiopia.
Adopting Olivia and getting to be present at her birth. Then watching these two meet her for the first time.
Are there memories that pop in your head that you are incredibly grateful for?? Share them in the comments below. I love hearing about your lives too!
Winter
Winter is a fascinating season. Mostly because in California we only really see two seasons: Summer and Winter. So, when the air finally becomes frosty and we can enjoy cocoas by the fire, snuggling close together and playing in the snow. Those are some good times.
I love watching the kids eyes fill with magical thoughts as they play in the snow. Sledding down hills and rolling snow into whimsical characters. It brings memories back of my own childhood spending winters with my dad in the mountains, learning to ski and riding in the back of his camper as we drove up those windy mountain roads.
Winter also seems like a chance for renewal. During winter we say good bye to the current year, recollect what went right and wrong. And, then in the new year we vow to make meaningful changes. I cannot imagine a life without winter and I am so very thankful I live somewhere where I can experience the season (even if its only a very mild version of it).
Education
Wow! This one is monumental. I am incredibly grateful for education as it is a determining factor in our ability to lead a meaningful and happy life.
Education allows us to chase our dreams. It opens our world and helps shape our thoughts. In my 34 years I have learned there are many ways to be educated. Our schools and dedicated teachers are obviously a huge resource in feeding us information. But, I am very intrigued by how much my kids are learning through our travels.
Being able to bring the textbook lessons to life I feel will have a monumental impact on their overall understanding and interest in certain subjects. Seeing Leonardo DaVinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ in person and feeling her greatness… checking out the amazing pulley system used in the Colosseum up close… and walking on the same roads that chariots used to roll across is pretty amazing for an adult. I would say they can be even more amazing through a child’s imagination. Especially, with a knowledgeable guide to help them.
Education is everything and I am so grateful to be able to offer my children such an amazing learning experience.
Join my challenge:
Lead a more grateful life by committing to practicing gratitude on a weekly basis. Check out the pin below and join my challenge at any time.
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Great trips with great people
Life is fun if there are people like that
Thank you very much