Thankful For...

I have exactly 15 minutes to sit down and write something.  Seems like forever since I've written a gratitude post. I love this exercise.  It's quick, easy, and almost always leaves me feeling happier than I was before I wrote it.

Thankful for:

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 

You can also find Runninghood on:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Runninghood

Instagram:  http://instagram.com/runninghood

Twitter:      https://twitter.com/Runninghood1

Beyond Thankful

Thankful for comebacks.  Thankful for Running legs that remember.  For two content and happy kids that sit patiently in their carriage, covered in their Tinkerbell blanket while the rain pelts down and the wind sneaks in to tickle their faces.  Thankful for being able to run so hard that I can barely breathe out the words to The Wheels On The Bus and be in tune with the little voices coming from under the blanket. Thankful for time. For a baby sleeping, music playing and a 3 year old artist creating a masterpiece next to me as I type.

Thankful for all of the loving, thoughtful and supportive comments of encouragement that I received after posting my blog Big Decision; Limitless Life about my decision to quit my job and be at home.  I have received so many genuine and warm e-mails, comments,  and messages from friends and family (in real life and blog land).  I'm thankful for knowing that I'm not alone. I have more people that love and believe in me than I ever realized.  I'm also thankful that I have the choice to stay at home.  I know this isn't a choice every mother has or even a choice that every mother wants to have.  I am thankful for mothers that respect other mothers for the choices they make for themselves.  It doesn't make someone a better mom because they stay home or work outside the home.  I'm thankful that we all have our own choices to make for what works best for our life and I'm thankful for people that respect others for their decisions even when it is different from their own! 

Oh, and I'm thankful for winning a free 30 minute massage from Back In Motion Sports Clinic here in Portland, Oregon!  Woo hoo! 

I know asking what you're thankful for isn't an original question to end my blog with but it really does bring me joy to hear what others are thankful for.  So, what are you thankful for today?


My little one here just drew what she is thankful for today and she included it in her Thankful Can that we are filling up with gratitude so we can read them all on Thanksgiving Day.  Today she drew:

*  Her foot because she is thankful for being able to walk
*  Her Daddy because she is thankful for parents.

Amanda

Project Smiles

This morning I thought I was never going to get ahead of the messes around the house.  I was knee deep in toys, spilled drinks, soap running down the sink, dishes, crayons, cheerios, and all the lovely things that come with living with small children. Just when I finished cleaning up one mess, three new ones were made.  My to-do list wasn't even unburied from all of the random things accumulating on the counter when I just stopped and soaked it all in.  The chaos around me that will one day be still and quiet was being missed out on.  I was trying so hard to plow through it and get to the next thing that I was forgetting that I can find joy in even the things that make me feel crazy.  I looked around at the onions simmering next to the crock pot of soon-to-be cooking black bean chili, my daughters covering the table in paint, glitter, crayons, and whatever else they could find to create with, my youngest child around the corner trying to figure out how to plug random things into the outlets (thank God for plastic covers!),  and my reflection in the mirror that looked like someone I'd become somewhere along this road of motherhood....greasy hair, black yoga pants, a stained t-shirt and a look of craze in my eyes.  I looked at these things and smiled.  I realized that they were my life and even though I'd much prefer the chores to be done, the dinner to be made, and to be instantly beautiful and presentable when I wake up, this crazy scene was MY life and I remembered to smile. 

My friend Tayarra's blog today at Honesty was inspired by A Beautiful Mess and was all about recognizing things that make us smile.  I love how she wrote about all the things in her life that make her smile.  Reading her words made me smile.  Isn't that usually true of smiles?  When I see someone else smile, I almost always find myself smiling too.  So, I decided that I really must get in on this Project Smile action.

Here are some pictures from today that make me smile, even if they also make me crazy. 

Okay, so this one isn't from today but here are my three biggest reasons to SMILE

This is what I saw this morning when I just stopped and let the chaos make me smile.  This mess means that I have little ones in my home to make the mess.  I know the day will come when I'll ache for finding glitter in random places throughout my home.  I'll miss the kid art and the spread out crayons and paint that are a sure sign that creativity and creation are in progress.

This little man knows he's doing something that gets a reaction out of Mom!  It makes me smile that he has a curious mind and wants to figure out how things work but I'm not so keen on his fascination with plug sockets. It makes me smile that someone invented plastic socket covers.

More crazy mess that I was able to find a smile in today.  This spread of mess is a sign of life!

Such joy came from digging in the wet sand box today!  A mess for me but so much fun for him.

Okay, this really does drive me crazy but also I squeezed a smile out at this shoe chaos.  This is  sign of little feet in the house and my running shoes on top of the shoe box pile is a sign that I will run again tonight...definitely smile worthy!

I will never NOT smile when I see these treasured shoes.  The "Fancy Green Shoes."  Smiling because she still fits in them and too soon they only be collecting dust in her baby box.

Black Bean Lime Chili and Wine

One Happy Baby Boy Loving His Chili!

What makes you SMILE? 

Amanda

Gratitude and Goals

I had nothing but good intentions for today.  After getting away with a close friend last night, I came home determined to be a better me. My vision for the morning:

*  Wake up before the kids to get some quiet coffee time
*  Computer off and removed from the counter until quiet time/nap (now)
*  Fully engaged and present with my children
*  No yelling or raising my voice.  Instead, modeling calm and composed communication when things get crazy
*  Take the kids some place fun like the zoo or children's museum.

Reality of the morning:
*  Got to sleep in a bit but unfortunately woke up with the kids so my day started off with everyone needing me at once. Sleeping in until 7 wasn't worth it. 
*  I did make time to be creative and we made a Thankful Can to fill with our words of gratitude until Thanksgiving.  Pictures included below.

* Samuel whined the ENTIRE morning so he was lovely background music while I tried to remain present and focused on my quality creative time with the girls and get him involved too. 

* Called the doctor to make an appointment to get Samuel checked out.  Thinking his incessant whining and snotty nose might mean something more than just a cold and teething and plain annoying. 
Got an appointment at 11:10 (still remaining calm).  It was only 10 so we had a good hour!
*  At this point we are finishing up our Thankful Can and Samuel is still whining and nothing will make him stop.  I couldn't even put him down to put my bra on without him letting me know he expected better from me. My mood was  quickly going from passionately positive to positively pissy. 
*  After not being able find my keys, having the neighbor offer to loan me her van and take my girls, and then come over to knock on my door just as I was growling (okay, maybe more of a husky yell) at my kids to get in the house and get their shoes on, I was left flustered and embarrassed and feeling like I could definitely do better.
*  I ended up getting Samuel to the doctor to find out he has an ear infection and possible sinus infection.  Thank God there is an explanation for his mood and not just part of his personality. 

Now it is nap/quiet time and I have a moment to collect myself and recharge for the rest of the day. Despite the fact that my 5 year old is pissed off that I won't let her watch Barbie Breaks Up with Her Boyfriend movie, I'm feeling pretty good about my day in motherhood.  Overall, my goals were not completely unmet.  We can all do better.  Grateful for goals to help me do just that, be a better Me. 

Here are some snap shots of our Thankful Can.  A great start to our morning.  Even with Samuel's mood. 

            It started with our empty coffee can, a glue stick and Samuel's whining (poor thing).

                 Writing down things we are thankful for.  We hope to fill our can up by Thanksgiving. 

 Even Samuel wrote down some things he is thankful for.  Note the lovely teething drool down his chest. 

              A few moments of peace and love as E and N reflect on things they are thankful for.

Amanda