Tag: gratitude

Thankful Thursday – Friendship

Slowly, gently, she grew into my life like a beautiful, flowering vine: mom of Tween's friend, friend of a friend, eventually, my friend. And way too soon, she moved a world away. Of course she would. She came from across the world. She and her sweet family were always on loan to us. I just didn't … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – Friendship

Thankful Thursday – Every Breath I Take

The last few weeks have cycled through deep soul excavation, self-reflection, confession and forgiveness, and difficult, honest conversations. These weeks have been hard, tearful, and also so good, resulting in helpful new insights. Growth can be hard work. One of the healthier ways I've managed all the feelings has been to get active. Moving my body … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – Every Breath I Take

Thankful Thursday – My Awesome Doghouse

No matter what you do, how hard you work, how much you invest, how great your love or commitment, you will disappoint people. The junior high and high school popular kids. Certain teachers or college professors. Friends and neighbors. Bosses and authority figures of all stripes and spots. Family members, community members, and church members. … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – My Awesome Doghouse

Thankful Thursday – 2017 Gratitude Journal

Tween was diagnosed with ADHD this fall, which makes two-for-two of my kids with ADHD (one Hyperactive, the other Inattentive). For him, it was the missing piece of his health puzzle: ADHD spins his brain leading to insomnia, and enough accrued sleep debt leads to cyclic vomiting/migraines. He felt so relieved to have new information and … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – 2017 Gratitude Journal

Be Still…

“Stillness can be an adventure,” says Pico Iyer, and so on my birthday I gave myself the gift of stillness. I left my phone on airplane mode and turned off my email. No news, no social media. I went for a longer-than-usual run. I gave myself a mani-pedi. I lit a candle, sipped a cup … Continue reading Be Still…

Thankful Thursday – Forced Detox

I'm back! For the last few weeks my computer has either struggled to function or has been in the shop (don't even get me started on the several internet technicians who spent hours at my house replacing brand-new modems with other brand-new modems or moving brand-new modems to different locations in my not-big-enough-for-this house; or the … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – Forced Detox

Thankful Thursday – Poke-Cation GO!

We had a long family conversation before we left on our Southern Oregon vacation. The kids wanted to bring computers and games to play during down-time. The parents wanted everyone unplugged, but mostly we wanted peace. Kids got their way this time with the caveat that they had to instantly put it away when asked. … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – Poke-Cation GO!

Thankful Thursday – Southern Oregon Summer

My gracious in-laws offered us the use of their home in Medford, Oregon while they're travelling (French & Italian Riviera). We had been planning a camping road-trip around college visits for Teen, but our kids gently pointed out that, ahem, as Scouts they camp all the time, and could we please not camp on vacation? Especially … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – Southern Oregon Summer

Thankful Thursday – Week of July 4th, 2016

Today didn't go as planned. I had to work through, pray through, a few unanticipated and frustrating speed bumps before I could return to gratitude. Yet my issues are annoyances, mere splinters compared with the unanticipated life-demolishing road blocks others have experienced today, this week. My reasons for gratitude remain huge, while others grieve. I don't have … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – Week of July 4th, 2016