Thankful Thursday: July 10th, 2014

Six years ago I was sitting in our duplex apartment, rocking at all hours of the day, and trying to carefully find my footing and balance as a new mother. Mr. H started graduate school, I left my job (and an office full of amazing friends), and there I was--fulfilling my dream of becoming a Mom...and more specifically, stay-at-home mother.

As the summer turned into fall, I found myself grasping for signs of my accomplishments, seeking out affirmations, and praying for insights on how to juggle my new life and invite calm even on the more challenging days.

I had been blogging our family blog (the old family blog, followed later by the new family blog) for a few years, but decided to start a brand new blog just for me--for whatever it might become. I imagined it to be a space for my own creative needs--sharing parts of my experience and encouraging myself to write. Writing for me always seems to bring a sweetness to the sours of life.

 I wrote my very first post on this blog  on the first of October (my baby boy was now 4 months old)--it was a story from my mission experience in Portugal. It felt great to write. It felt liberating to think beyond the confines of my sometimes very tedious feeling days. To have a space--just for me.

Not long after that, I posted a Thanksgiving post full of the classic "I am grateful for" items and joys. That felt amazing. I started posting Thankful lists on Thursdays--I decided to call them "Thankful Thursday" posts and made it a weekly ritual. I didn't realize it when I started, but over time I noticed something--my Thursdays were so much more fulfilling than other days of the week! 

My perspective of who I was and what my days looked like was changing. I found myself noticing the littlest things and keeping them in my mind to remember for Thankful Thursday. I was less stressed about the challenges I was facing, and I found myself feeling closer to God. 

Thankful Thursday posts gave me a time every week to sit and think about ONE THING ONLY--the {little and big} things in my world for which I was grateful.

The time I spent on the lists was changing my focus, and it felt fantastic!

I have tried to be consistent with my posts--going back and even catching up when weeks behind or posting several weeks for a month or more to stay on track. 

As of today--July 10th, I haven't posted a Thankful Thursday post since April 10th--that's 3 full months! I don't think I've ever been this far behind...and the thought of going back through my weeks to give accurate updates makes me laugh (or cry?). I have shared thankful thoughts on Facebook fairly regularly, though--that counts for something?

What I do want to say is--I am thankful for the power and peace that regular expressions of gratitude brings to individuals & families. I have experienced first hand that it can bring a level of clarity and calm that otherwise is difficult to maintain, without some kind of consistent one-on-one time with your thankful thoughts.

And I have missed this--I am ready to jump back in the game.

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Today is Thankful Thursday, I want to share an inspiring quote from this talk about gratitude:

Right?

So, friends...what are you thankful for today?

*Also, guess what? 

I'm blogging on the family blog again too! 

Not caught up by any stretch of the imagination...

but, I've posted this month!