Thankful for:
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| Today started off with not feeling so well. But it didn't take long at all before I perked up. One of those rare days that I just let things go, went back to bed for a bit (husband took care of getting kids to school), and woke up to coffee in bed and a late morning Pilates class. The day only got better with sunshine, quality time with each of my kids, and a few fun surprises. |
- Today.
- The courage that comes and pushes me to share my life as it is...the good and the bad. Something good almost always comes from opening myself up. On that note, thank you for the continued comments and e-mails from those of you reaching out after my last two posts. Such support and love. Thank you! It feels good to have community to help remind us that we aren't alone in our struggles.
- The decision we made last year to take a chance and LEAP with our move across the country from Portland, OR to Asheville, NC. All in the name of adventure. Wow! This has been quite the ride. Yes, it has been adventurous and fun. However, it has also been a little scary and taken some time to feel like we're all standing solid on our feet. Woo Wee, what a beautiful ride life is! I've been stretched in ways I didn't know possible. Wouldn't go back for anything.
- A quiet morning where I took it easy on myself with coffee in bed, some deep breathing, and quality time with my husband who is home not feeling so well today.
- Pilates class. Wow, what a reminder of how inflexible these runner legs are. And what a great strength training to add to my routine when I get one.
- Seeing my kids love their schools and small town that we live in. Not a day goes by since we moved here that I don't feel so grateful to be here. I know our time here will go way too fast but I'm determined to soak it all up as much as I can.
- Running. Period. Especially running on fall days where the air has a slight chill to it and I'm surrounded by such a contrast in colors...blue sky, white sunshine, and reds/greens/yellows/browns of the trees!
- Learning. We have so many resources in this world to learn about whatever we want! You bet, I'm going to take advantage of this. Yes yes yes to life long learning!
- Working at something I love and not settling for mediocre. The things we love the most are ALWAYS worth working at so they can be great....marriage, raising our kids, career, goals, relationships, etc.
- Those handful of people in my inner circle in life that truly know and love me...all of me. This last year has been full of wonder and joy but it has also brought challenges that have rocked my world a bit. My husband is at the top of this list....what a gift!
- My marriage. This is probably the single most important thing in my life right now because when my marriage is thriving, our entire family benefits. Making my marriage strong and keeping it there takes work but it is work that is more than worth it. Good work. Fun work. I'm not going to pretend that it is always peaches and roses and rainbows and butterflies...that would be one big fat lie... but it is the foundation for so much that I do in life...that WE do in life. I'm thankful for a partner that is willing to do the maintenance that keeps our love strong, fresh and beautiful. This last stretch of time has been filled with lots stress (moving across the country, settling, our son, etc.) but through it all, we've been committed to communicating, working together, reading books about making our marriage stronger, finding TIME to devote to each other, writing down and speaking the things that matter most to us and that we are most thankful for about the other person , and remembering our love story. Working on making a stronger marriage has been the most rewarding work I've ever done.
- Exciting possibilities on the horizon related to career, running, and friendships.
- Always getting a new day to start fresh.
- One-on-one time with my kids. Precious time! On that note, I'm heading out the door to walk my daughter to the library.
What are a few things that you are thankful for today?
Amanda
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I love your list - so much to be thankful for!
ReplyDeleteToday I'm thankful - a long weekend coming up (no school Thursday & Friday), my sister-in-law and our phone chats, the gorgeous trees all over our neighborhood and town, crockpots and of course, my family!!
Good things to be thankful for! Yay for long weekends, good phone chats, COLOR in the FALL, etc. And crockpots...I've recently become more aware of the value in these things! :)
DeleteWhat a great reminder to look for the good stuff. I'm grateful that my husband's back is slowly starting to improve. I'm so, so grateful for the gorgeous girls that my boys have chosen as their partners - they have enriched my life enormously. I'm grateful to have fulfilling work. And amazing, supportive friends who get me. And I'm so grateful that I'm one day closer to starting to run post-marathon. I don't do recovery very patiently.
ReplyDeleteLove your list Char. Gosh, I hope my kids pick good partners for life! I bet it has been so fun to have daughters around. And yay for your first run post marathon. :)
DeleteGreat list! Good to read as I was especially thinking of all the things that I was NOT thankful for at the moment I read this-ha! Good to be reminded! Started my thoughts on a new path quickly:)
ReplyDeleteI've never done a Pilates class! So many of these things on this list made me smile.
Thankful for:
My teenage girls. I love these years. The stress of raising teenager daughters for me is FAR overshadowed by the joy I'm experiencing here. I miss my little friends right now a lot and it's only been a few hours.
My Tuesday coffee date chats. A standing 11 year tradition. Missed a lot of these with my work schedule the past couple of years and realized especially today how much I really enjoy/need this in my week!! Somehow the babies who sat in infant carriers by our feet have found their way into junior high and we're still sitting at the same table.....crazy!!!
Music....such a gift to me...
My kid's coaches. Incredibly blessed in this department.
And lastly (although I could go on forever but stopping at 5) is my marriage. Like you, this is by far at the top of my priority list!!
OK-hope you're finding many more things to be thankful for as your day goes on:)
Just sent you a really long e-mail. xo
DeleteLove gratitude posts!
ReplyDeleteSarah
www.thinfluenced.com
I have been meaning to comment on your last couple of posts and just keep falling behind, mostly because we have been experiencing an unbelievable month of sunshine and warmth that has kept me outside and away from the computer! Of course, you know how important it is to soak up every last ray of sunshine in Portland before the rains come! :)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, first I wanted to comment on your post about your little guy and his struggles. I know how incredibly hard it is to watch your child when they are hurt/sad/struggling with something and you wish you could take their pain away. You are such a gift, Amanda, to everyone who knows you but especially to your family. It is no accident that he was born into your family since you will instinctively do what is right for him and help him through this.
Second, thankfulness. There are so many big things to be thankful for -- health, family, etc. -- but sometimes it is all the little things that really make my heart sing. I am so thankful for the sunshine. Every day this month I have woken up to more sunshine and 70+ weather and it makes me smile!! I am thankful for the chance to go kayaking yesterday morning with a dear friend. I am thankful for a standing coffee date on Wednesdays with a new friend. And I am thankful for the quiet time I have carved out for myself in the mornings where I am learning to sit and be still...
xoxo
Kristin, you leave the best comments. Thank you so much for your words here. They mean a lot. You are a gift too and I am excited about more sushi dates in our near future when I move back to Oregon. I can't believe the amazing weather you guys are getting...this makes me hopeful for when we move back! Big hug! xo
DeleteA gratitude list is so helpful for me to keep things in perspective! You have been blessed, indeed.
ReplyDeleteSorry you aren't feeling well :( But glad you got your coffee in bed :) !
I wonder how your kids are going to like moving from Asheville. It sounds like they are also enjoying it there.
I'd have a hard time parting with the trails you have!!
Hey girl. Thanks. The kids are excited to move back to friends and family but they love it here too. The trails and mountain feel here is just beautiful. I will miss it greatly!
DeleteI'm thankful for the Office Admin giving me halloween candy that I have soooo been craving for some time.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful that my job is pretty secure, while everyone else is having confusion and fear and worry.
Good things to be thankful for for sure KW!
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ReplyDeleteAmanda,
ReplyDeleteWhat an inspiring list! I commend you on your courageous move! I'm sure picking up your roots and moving across the country cannot be an easy feat, but I admire your positive outlook and sense of adventure.
I really appreciated how open and genuinely honest you were in taking inventory in your gratitude. I especially love your idea of writing down and speaking the things that you and your significant other are most thankful for about the other person. I think it is so important to take the time to be aware of the copious amount of things in life we have to be thankful for.
I recently joined a new website called thankaday.com-- it's basically a community of people coming together to write down what they are thankful for each day. I think it's something you might really enjoy! You should check it out :)
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Emily. I will check it out. Thanks for your comment. Good to hear from you.
DeleteWonderful gratitude post! I'm so happy to have found your blog!
ReplyDeleteI've been feeling so burned out and this morning I met up with a few friends for a run on a trail and we got hopelessly lost and it was so refreshing.
ReplyDelete