16th, 17th and 18th…1. I am grateful for the annual downtown Tree Lighting Ceremony and friends who go on the horse and carriage ride through town with us every year, singing carols obnoxiously. I am always torn as to whether I feel sorry for the folk who get on with us, or as if they really lucked out. (I usually go with lucked out, but this year we were a little…discordant.) No matter. I am in love with tradition, the donuts, the luke warm hot chocolate, the carolers, and even the fact that every single year we yell at our kids for the exact same infractions, (stopwiththehatthrowingalready!) and I am so grateful for the friends and family who indulge me in these things. PS: note to self, iphone at night=demon eyes.
2. I am grateful for the annual downtown holiday parade. I am grateful for seeing smiling and familiar faces all along the parade route. I love seeing all the things this community offers, and I love the excitement it generates for the upcoming holidays. And of course, I’m just grateful for another fun friends and family tradition.
3. I am grateful for the soccer club. While I am not necessarily crazy about how it sometimes feels as though soccer is our entire life, (or about being the only person in my family who is not thrilled about that) I am so grateful for the relationships we have formed through the club. Some of our closest friends and strongest support group comes from the people we have met through our soccer club. I’m grateful for the fact that my kids always have a wholesome activity to play and people to play with. I am grateful for those who sacrifice their time, resources and energy to contribute to our community and to invest in our kids.
4.I am grateful for gorgeous weather for the parade this year. I have experienced that parade in sub-zero temps. It isn’t quite as fun.
5. I am grateful for little red wagons and for the fact that 19 month girls who have declared war on strollers, and carts seem to like riding parade routes in them.
6. I am grateful for girlfriends with whom I am equally comfortable doing frivolous and silly things (like seeing Twilight,) as I am doing intellectual and enriching things with (like having meandering 3 hour long discussions at book-club.)
7. I am thankful for the internet, specifically this blog. I have archived so many precious memories here which would otherwise have been lost forever, I have had the forum for sharing my family with far way family members, and I have gained some of my most treasured friendships through this blog. The thing about the internet is that it exposes you to an unlimited number of people outside of your immediate environment. Through this blog I have met kindred spirits whom I otherwise would never have found, and I have been blessed to come to know, appreciate and learn from people who think about life completely differently. This blog has been a great blessing in my life.
8. I am grateful for Ibuprofen. Oh so very grateful.
9.I am grateful for people who inspire me to be the best version of myself.
10. I am grateful for the people who gave up their whole Saturday to go to the Temple with my son and the other youth from our church congregation, and for all the other service they willingly do to benefit my kids and sacrifices they make.
11. I am grateful for The Bubble Guppies, so help me.
12. I am grateful that I get another chance to hear the deep, chortling thoroughly genuine laughter of a toddler every day. It is an instant antidote to any bad mood life could possibly throw my way.
13. I am grateful for a church calling which I look forward to every week. I am grateful for the young people I facilitate discussions with each week. They are intelligent, passionate, funny and good.
14. I am grateful for Sunday afternoon naps and for kids who mostly cooperate in allowing us to have them. After a week of accumulated sleep deprivation they really are critical for survival.
15. I am grateful for Christmas movies. They are a quick and easy way to link generations. I love watching the same movies that made me all tingly with Christmas anticipation as a child with my kids and watching them experience the same feelings. It’s magical. Tweet this!
1 comments:
Does she not look gorgeous in her little red wagon?? She is getting cuter by the day. Your community sounds like such fun, and indeed the weather looks wonderful! What Christmas movies are you referring to specifically? I remember Mr. Krueger's Christmas.
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