Day 7 - The Gratitude Diary

Yes, I don't think this is going to be an original in anybody's book of gratitude....that morning cup of coffee and added to this the morning newspaper.  Every day after the morning stopover in the bathroom and letting the "kids" out for their morning stopover at their bathroom, I prepare the coffee. While that coffee is brewing I walk out the front door to retrieve the morning newspaper and the mail delivered the day before from the mailbox.  It is almost robotic.  Undoubtedly I could do this blindfolded except I probably could never find the newspaper since it appears to be in a different spot each day.

After this series of moves, it is now time to enjoy that first cup and read the good (the comics) and the bad (everything else) in the newspaper.  Just kidding about all the bad, but admittedly, there is a lot of that.  So for the robotics of the morning, the good & bad from the printed news, and that first glorious cup of coffee for these I am grateful.

"We have no idea what tomorrow will bring, but today is overflowing with potential."  ~Allan Lokos

Until next time.....

Day 4-5-6 Gratitude Diary

Day 6 - See, I have already fallen beyond on my "plan" to post once a day during the month of November, expressing gratitude and gratefulness along the way.  It's not that I haven't been grateful, Lord there are hundreds of things or moments that I could and should chronicle on a daily basis. Maybe it's choosing only one to blog about that becomes the issue.  Who am I trying to kid...it's a little thing called "time" and my tendency to "waste" it.  And choosing other things to do like an afternoon nap, and I am not just talking "cat-nap" I am talking NAP.  You know this was something I never did until probably this past year....now I relish those naps, sitting on the back porch, or laying on the couch with the sun streaming in. So perhaps those naps are what I am grateful for today. And definitely no, I am not taking a selfie of me napping, not gonna happen.

And since I have "fallen behind" I am combining a few days together with this diary of sorts. Again, combing thru my gazillion photos I noticed a trend, especially when I am on a trip.  I like old, rusty, mossy objects, they tend to have more character than shiny new effects.  So today Day 4, I am grateful for rust and moss, here here to the aging and the character it imbues.

Day 5 - Now really you knew that Toby would be right up at the top of my gratitude list.  He and Cinder have given me the love and companionship that keeps me in the here and now.  When one lives alone, getting lost in the "what-if"s and "maybe's" is a hole I fall into at times.  These two bring me back to the surface with their wagging tails, face licks, (aka kisses) and sweet dispositions.

Whew, now I am all caught up.

You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance. ~Khalil Gibran

Until next time.....

Day 3 - The Gratitude Diary

I have been combing thru my thousands of pictures taken in 2014 in preparation for my yearly sale. I create greeting cards and small calendars that fit inside a CD case using my photography.  My good friend Marti and I partner together for this once a year event and all of her proceeds go to her favorite charity, The Cancer Research at Purdue University and mine, of course goes to Alzheimer's Research. The calendars have different themes, "Cups & Mugs", not surprised are you??, "Flowers" another big surprise, "Birds & Butterflies" and perhaps "Barns from the Midwest".  The greeting cards are some of everything....birthday, thinking of you, sympathy, anniversary and just plain with no wording. Every year I tell myself to start this process in the summer, and every year the summer comes and goes and nothing gets accomplished until the flurry of November.

So today I am grateful for this opportunity each year to create in order to give.

Until next time.....

Day 2 - The Gratitude Diary

 "Today is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it."  Pslam 118:24

We are truly blessed in this country to worship the religion of our choice. I freely admit that I have struggled with my religion and faith because of the disease that took my sweeties brain and memories and left him with a body that is now in a state where he is helpless and must depend on others for simple daily living.  I know God has a plan, I just haven't figured it out when, in my opinion ofcourse, my sweetie could have done such great things in His name.  But I know that God took my hand and led me through those dark days, I was just so mad at Him that I didn't realize He was always with me until much later.  That is so comforting to know He is there all the time, ready and with open arms, even with my back turned to Him, he patiently waited until I turned around and for that I am grateful. 

Until next time....

Day 1 - The Gratitude Diary

I know, it's been awhile and while I have every intention of keeping up this blog somehow I let it take a back burner to everything else.  I so enjoyed the summer and we had a glorious Fall and honestly I just wanted to spend as much time as possible outdoors because I knew the day would come when the indoors would be the place where I would pass most of my day.  So long to my screen porch, so long to my garden, so long to windows wide open and flip flops....but I know they will all return next year.

So anyhoo, it is now November 1st, and btw can you honestly believe this year is coming to a close so quickly, July was yesterday. So I plan (that's the operative word....plan) on doing a blog post a day on something that I am grateful for.  I did this last year, and it was very fulfilling.  Typically this is the month where we focus on gratitude, I should probably do this in March when life around here is pretty boring and my chin is usually dragging about that time of year, but I'm stickin' to November.

I am totally grateful for the seasons of the year and especially the Fall, it is the most glorious, colorful time of the year here in these parts.  It would be hard not to see the glory of God when you gaze upon the colored leaves and blue skies, it literally takes my breath away.

But I am starting off this month of gratefulness with the most precious little person in my life right now, Matilda Mae, my great-granddaughter.  I visited her (and her parents of course) today and I am awestruck at how beautiful she is.  Probably, no certainly, the most beautiful great-grandchild ever. She is about 6 weeks old and so dear.  Hilary, the Mom, loves being a Mom, and Brandon, the Dad, loves being a Dad.  And Charley, the dog, is very protective of her.  So not only am I grateful for this bundle of joy, but also for her loving parents.  There is truly something special about a young family, blessed with love for each other and now blessed with the miracle of birth.  So I am beginning my month of gratefulness with Matilda Mae.

Now, surely you agree that she is indeed the most beautiful child ever!  A great-grandmother gets to state this loud and clear.  (PS I am sure all of us feel their child-grandchild-great-grandchild is the most beautiful and ofcourse we are absolutely justified to proclaim that, that's what we do)

Until next time.....