March Gratitude

 

Gratitude helps me. On a day to day basis my mind can flicker with "my life is boring, ordinary, unremarkable" as I shuffle through hours of carpool, laundry, homework, and dinner prep. But when I take a moment to record moments, and the gifts that are present in each day, I am warmed to the realization that I am richly blessed and have much to be thankful for. Ordinary or extraordinary.

In March, I am thankful for:

 

March 1:

The ability to run the Color Run and feel happy to be moving

March 2:

Being able to go to Celtic Woman with Mom. Hearing transcendent songs of beauty. Seeing feet fly and feeling drumbeats bounce off our chests. Joy in seeing another performer radiantly delight in her craft

March3:

Living in a country free from the terrors of war- not being overtaken by an aggressive military power

March 4:

Safe travels for my husband away on business. Cozy warm cuddle duds. NOT having to freeze my booty off on a cold metal bleacher when the boys' baseball game was called off due to especially low temperatures

March 5:

Phone service. The ability to talk with my man each day he is away traveling for business; meeting with another believer whom I didn't know very well and instantly being able to share community over coffee; the surprise gift of someone picking up my coffee tab

March 6:

The Hope we cling to that Jesus will be with us in parenting and give us His wisdom, and calm us when we must discipline and redirect

March 7:

A warm, dry house on days of cold, wet rain; the sound of rain plinking against our roof

Watching Frozen together on the couch with my kids - the girls singing all the words to the musical numbers

March 8:

Having family gather together to celebrate a birthday cowboy style

March 9:

Enjoying a springtime walk together with my girls in the neighborhood, hoping they will value family walks and fitness endeavors in the future if not especially now

March 10:

Feeling joy leading my zumba and Pilates classes- happy to be able to move and help others stay healthy- enjoying learning new exercises, and appreciating when class members express appreciation and find exercising helpful

March 11:

Beautiful spring day in which I could eat lunch on a girlfriend's back porch

March 12:

Date to the Cheesecake Factory with my man

March 13:

Having my man be there when my kid got hit in the eye with a baseball bat

March 14:

A day off from cooking healthy meals- trying yummy rosemary fries at a new restaurant; snipping rosemary from my garden (okay, flower bed) the next time I cooked a chicken

March 15:

Appreciating a friend's creative Pinterest-inspired touches at a bridal shower- being able to catch a friend and see her new home on the spur of the moment- being able to walk 5 miles while watching a movie (cardio theater)

March 16:

Rainy Sunday afternoon in which my man can recline in his chair while planning our family vacation and sorting through the financials

March 17:

The swelling in B's eye going down- his vision unharmed

March 18:

A chance to have lunch with my mom and sit at her kitchen table to talk over coffee

March 19:

A chance to take MJ to get a sandwich at a new little cafe and a few minutes spent antiquing together

March 20:

Having another mom take the lead on chaperoning details after I had taken the lead on coordinating race registrations - sharing the load

March 21:

The excitement of having a new person come try one of my Pilates classes (and especially when a friend comes)

March 22:

New spring growth on our weeping willow; the entire family at a baseball game together; blankets, under armour, and cocoa, huddled together trying not to freeze during the early spring games

March 23:

My children having friends that they want to see, text, FaceTime, see a movie with on opening weekend, have sleepovers with, share life with

March 24:

Watching my son play catcher as his best bud since birth pitches. Imagining them as young men one day and understanding the gift of lifelong friendships

March 25:

My son enjoying the mountain view from Pretty Place on a school field trip

March 26:

Discovering that I had earned a free coffee drink from Strabucks on my app that I never check

March 27:

Half day of school resulting in neighborhood kids playing in the yard and closets getting cleaned

March 28:

S'mores and bonfires

March 29:

Time spent on the porch with good friends in rocking chairs

March 30:

4th grade boys settling down to listen to the Sunday School lesson. Praying that they lessons they hear will become part of the fabric of their lives

The privilege of hearing how God is moving in young women's lives over frozen banana smoothies

March 31:

Grilling out (bunless) burgers, throwing the baseball in the backyard, a family walk through the neighborhood in beautiful spring temperatures, our kids watching a Canada goose on her nest - a lovely evening at home with no outside requirements