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.....