Gratitudes

Hello Sunday. Welcome.
Life seems to be on fast forward lately. I can't seem to make it slow down. I know that I really need to make myself slow down, but it's so hard for me to do. Expectations (my own and others), obligations, desires and curiosity all keep pulling me to do, do, do... and rarely ever to stop, stop, stop. I guess it's just part of my nature. But I can't stop thinking about how much I would benefit from a silent week in meditation at a monastery.....
Despite the craziness of life, I do always make time to stop and reflect upon it. And my gratitude journal has been key to making that happen. I have been super successful with my gratitude journal ever since I started it in August. And the key was making it super simple. In the past, I kept a separate notebook in my nightstand and was supposed to write down a few things each night. But, it never happened. I was too tired. It was too regimented.
Now, I use my daily planner and write my gratitudes in the "notes" section for each week. I can write as many time as I want during the week and I since I almost always have my planner with me, I can write at any time, and not just before bed. And, viola! Success!
Anyways, here are a few of my gratitudes from this week:

• Having a mostly-at-home weekend with very few plans..... some much needed time to catch up on work, cleaning, my herb class, and life... 

• Sitting outside in the sun and reading, uninterrupted. I was only uninterrupted for about 7 minutes, but hey- I will take what I can get!

• The amazing forests we have here in the Pacific northwest. Even after living here for almost 9 years, I still feel a sense of magic each time I enter one.

• Feeling my body becoming stronger, more balanced and more centered. I have felt a recent change with my strength during yoga and it is exciting!

• The camera on my new phone. It is so much better than my last one! 

• Music! With my new phone I also have enough space for Spotify, and I have been having so much fun with the wealth of music at my fingertips.

• Adventures to look forward to!! I have a ladies adventure planned for next week and a trip to Colorado in my near future. I love adventures (see, this is why I have such a problem slowing down like I need to!). I guess I should just embrace my love of adventure, but learn to take some time in-between to rest. It's all about balance, right?

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Reflections and Gratitudes

It's been a hard week. A few days ago I posted about losing my dog, my loyal friend, of 15 years. What I wasn't yet ready to talk about during that post was that I also signed my divorce papers the following day. And this week I found out that a former student of mine, and amazing human being, passed away. I also had two very close friends lose important people in their lives this week as well. It has been a week of tremendous loss, for sure.
I surprised myself and didn't cry while I signed my divorce paperwork. I didn't feel much of anything really, except relief. I figured that I had already mourned that relationship as it began to dissolve a year ago.
But, I think that it just took a few days to fully sink in. Thursday night I began to cry, and I couldn't stop. And I really couldn't pinpoint what exactly I was crying about.... Puppy cow? My marriage ending? The death of my student? Really I think I was just crying about all of it. About life. About how quickly it goes by and how it can end so unexpectedly. About how relationships, even the good ones, always seem too short. About the fragility of life and the power of love.
I am still not finished being sad or mourning this week of loss. However, I have done a lot of processing over the past few days and have decided on a few things. Things I already knew, as I am sure you do too. But things that I am grateful to have been reminded of once again:

1. Life is short. Have fun. Do what you love as much as you can.

2. Make sure that the people in your life know how you feel about them. Tell your kids you love them a lot, even though they already know this. Tell your friends how much they mean to you. And cultivate relationships where you can be open with your feelings.

3. Be open to new experiences. Face your fears. Think outside the box. These are often the moments that make life worth living.

4. Life can be hard!  So.... be grateful, for everything that you DO have. Because you know you have a lot.

And with that, here are my list of gratitudes for the week:

• Love and kindness. The world is overflowing with it if you just know where to look. My friends have shown this to me this past week. Thank you, friends.

• Feeling comfortable with my decisions, even when I have been hesitant to make a choice.

• Silver linings (more on this to come soon)...

• New beginnings. Hope and excitement. Possibilities. I guess this is the official start of a new chapter in my life. I get to help guide it in the direction that I want it to go. I am looking forward to seeing where I lead myself.....

• My patient children, who have accepted me for me this week, sadness and all. I couldn't give them the energy they deserved, but they showered me with love nonetheless.

• My sweet Moshi. Losing a dog is a teeny bit easier when you have another great companion by your side.

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Sunday Gratitudes (and Complaints)

Hello Sunday. It's a rainy one here in Portland. This week was a bit tough- can I complain for a moment, even though this is a gratitude post?  Phoebe was sick. ALL week. I pulled my neck muscles while getting dressed (you know you are old when you injure yourself getting dressed, right?). And I have a bunch of mysterious bites all over my legs.... after the first 9, I figured a spider got stuck in my pants. But when I got a bunch more bites a few days later, I figured it had to be something else. Maybe fleas, but I can't find any sign on any of the pets and the kids don't have any bites. And once my mom suggested maybe bedbugs, fleas started to sound pretty awesome. I am actually surprised I fell asleep last night.... I spent most of today cleaning, and have my fingers crossed that it was just a freak thing.... Anyways, my gratitude journal kept me focused on the good things that happened this week- and here they are!

• Getting to see the premier of a documentary film that a couple of my friends made and stared in (It's called Kharma Bums and it was so good!). I was super impressed. It also inspired me to think about trying to travel again. I haven't gone on a big out-of-North-America adventure since before I had kids, and I think that time is getting near. So fun to think about where to go!

• Acupuncture. It was a big help for my injured neck this week.

• That the kids' dad has been so accommodating. It's really hard for me to take the day off of work, as I have a class full of students depending on me. So, when Phoebe was sick this week, he worked from his home with her on Tuesday and Thursday so that I could still go to work. Made my life a whole lot easier.

• That my ex-sister in law and I still have an awesome relationship. She recently moved to Portland and I wasn't sure how things would go between us. But, we are still solid, and that makes me happy.

• That Finn and I have managed to not get sick despite Phoebe being down for the count for all of last week (I am knocking on wood right now).

• Love. Right now I am surrounded by two amazing kids, and 5 snuggly pets (who may or may not have fleas).  There is so much love happening in my house!!!

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Sunday Gratitudes

Happy Sunday! Hope you all had a great week. Here are a few of the things that I have felt grateful for this week:

• Flowers, flowers everywhere! Spring is on its way!!

• That it is no longer dark out when I leave for work in the mornings. It makes it so much easier.

• That Phoebe's 5th birthday party was a success, and that it is over. Of course I love throwing my children birthday parties, but I am also always relieved when it is all said and done. Phew.

• That spring break is right around the corner. We have a mini adventure planned, and I am very excited!

• My sweet Phoebe. She is always so full of joy and excitement. It's still hard for me to believe that she is already five! I am trying to soak up my days at home with her while I can, as she will be off to kinder in the fall.

• Hope. Life has thrown a lot of punches at me lately, but I feel like things always seem to work out. They may not work out exactly the way that I want them to, but they work out nonetheless. Over the past few months, my worries have started to subside. Instead, I feel hopeful that life will lead me where I need to go and that in the end, everything will be just fine.

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Sunday Gratitudes

Happy Sunday! Here are some of the things that I have felt grateful for this week:

• Flowers! I just love this time of year when everything begins to bloom and splashes of color appear everywhere!

• Making the time to cook more thoughtful meals. Lately I seem to have been just slapping dinner together with whatever is easy. But this past week I have planned and enjoyed cooking (and eating) a few meals that were just a bit less mundane. I really enjoy cooking, when I allow myself the time to stop and enjoy it!

• The sweet notes that Finn writes to me all of the time. He is such a kind soul.

• The way that the kids' dad and I are communicating and being flexible with scheduling. It makes this whole mess a lot more reasonable to deal with.

• My spring term classes filling in a day. When I decided to teach 2 classes next term, instead of just one class like I have been teaching for the past 5 years, there was a little bit of worry that both classes may not fill. But, I had a waitlist for both classes, on day 1 of registration. So both of my classes are a go! That means I will be much busier next term, but will also have a little bit of extra money for some fun adventures this summer.

• My full life. It may not be perfect, or anywhere close to what I imagined, but I have what I need. Amazing friends, amazing kids, a job, lots of pets, and plenty of hobbies and adventures to keep me busy. My life is far from dull, and I feel lucky.

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Sunday Gratitudes

Happy Sunday! For me, this week was a week of emotional ups and downs, feeling overwhelmed, and lots of indecision. However, my gratitude practice helped me to find things to be grateful for, even when times were tough. And that is something to be grateful for! This past week I have felt grateful for:

• Snowboarding! On Tuesday evening, I had a chance to go up to the mountain for the first time in 2 years. And it was Ladies Night, so it only cost me $20!

• Powerful Films. A friend and I went to see 100 Yen Love, a Japanese film that was shown as part of the Portland International Film Festival. A couple of days later, it still has me thinking.

• Making plans! I just planned a mini-road trip for part of spring break. Having adventures to look forward to makes me super happy.

• A really amazing field trip this week. I took my students to Reed College to see their nuclear reactor. It was a first for me, and the trip was very interesting (even though I have many hesitations about creating electricity from nuclear reactions).

• Friends. I had a great night out on Friday and had a chance to spend time with a whole group of my friends, including a couple that I hadn't seen for awhile.

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Sunday Gratitudes

Hello hello hello! Happy Sunday. Popping in here late in the day to share some gratitudes with you all. This past week I have felt grateful for:

• Happy Finn. Finn has been in a super sweet and wonderful mood quite often lately. He has been going out of his way to be sweet to me and his sister, he has been smiling every day at pick up, and he has been in a really good groove.

• Sweet Phoebe. Lately she has been trying really hard to be helpful and to be more independent. (After a few pretty rough weeks where she was being very un-helpful, this is a much welcome change!)

• Feeling strong. A change hit me last week while I was at the gym, and I feel like my body is getting stronger. I guess I was just at a plateau for a bit, and have now made it past. Running seems a little easier, weights seem a little easier, and my lungs seem a bit stronger. It's a good feeling.

• Finding my motivation. The past few weeks have brought a return on my motivation. I have been knitting and sewing, making plans, and getting organized. Oh motivation, how I missed thee. Thanks for coming home!

• Science! Last week the kids and I went to a show at the planetarium on evening spent a couple of hours at the local science museum another. They don't really get much science at school, and as a science educator, I feel a responsibility to make sure they have lots of exposure in their lives. Finn usually complains about science "learning", but lately I have seen a shift happen and he is starting to get excited about science. Apparently, during his free time in school he has been writing research papers for fun. Who knew?!

• Moshi, my amazingly wonderful and snugly dog. I feel so lucky to have her.

• Longer days and sunshine. Need I say more?

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Sunday Gratitudes

Happy Sunday everyone! Hope you have all enjoyed your weekend. This past week I have felt grateful for:

• Honesty, and the people who appreciate it.

• Ladies. There is just something about a group of women that is amazing. The collective energy of a group of women probably can, and should, save the world.

• Family, in whatever form it may be. My entire family lives east of the Mississippi River, so living on the west coast does not offer me many chances to be with my actual family. And although no one can replace my parents and my sister, I have made a new family along my journey. A family of friends and neighbors. And I am so lucky to have each and every one of them in my life.

• My kids. I caught them in a moment of snuggling this week where they were holding each other in their arms and Finn was brushing the hair from Phoebe's forehead. I seriously just about melted.

• The kindness of others. There were several times this week when someone reached out and offered me help when I needed it. I can't even explain how good it felt. 

• Music! It powers the soul. 

• The moments of sun we have had this week. They were mostly fleeting, but felt wonderful.

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Sunday Gratitudes

Happy Sunday everyone! It has been a dark and dreary weekend around here. This past week I have felt grateful for:

• My seriously awesome friends. It is such an amazing feeling to know that you are loved. Divorce has certainly been tough but has also come with quite a few silver linings, and more time with friends is at the top of that list.

• A girl who loves her dog. Fiercely. 

• Making my finances work. With the new year came a new post-separation financial learning curve for me. Bank accounts have been separated, bills are all in my name, and I have a pretty limited budget to work with. But, so far, I am making it happen. It is a bit stressful, but it also feels good to be completely in charge of my money.

• My job. On Thursday I took my class out to a farm where we got to dig around in the soil. I love that I get to expose my students to these sorts of trips, and love that everyone, even the more girly-girls, just dug right in and scooped up handfuls of dirt. I get to be around a whole lot of amazing people, and although they are there to learn from me, I feel so lucky that I also get to learn from them. 

• The acceptance of myself. Lately I have begun to feel OK about my imperfections, and to realize that no one is perfect. As long as I am trying my best, and striving to improve, I need to be OK with my faults and my mistakes. Would have been nice if I had felt this way before I was 38, but now is better than never....

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Gratitudes!

Happy Sunday everyone! Hope you all found lots to be grateful for this past week. This week I have felt grateful for:

• Snow! It didn't last long, but it always makes it feel like winter. And it was pretty fun to have two snow days in a row. The kids were ecstatic.

• And sun. After several cold and icy days, a 45-degree sunny day is pretty awesome.

• Making plans for the spring and summer! I love having trips and adventures to look forward to.

• A smooth transition to a new term of teaching. The first day of a new term still makes me the teeniest bit anxious, and it's always a great feeling to have it over.

• My bed and the two sweet children, one huge dog, and three cats that share it with me most nights. I'm lucky to have one big enough to fit everyone who wants in, even if we are a bit cramped.

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Holiday Gratitudes

Hope 2016 is off to a great start for each and every one of you. Over the past week or so of holiday-craziness, I had many moments to feel grateful for:

• For snow! It's snowing right now. Such a rare treat for us Pacific Northwesterners....  

• Finn and his big brothering. He is always including Phoebe in his games, and is truly excited to spend time with her. I'm pretty sure that I was not so inclusive with my little sister when I was his age, so I feel that I got pretty lucky. I am so grateful that they are a team.

• That despite divorce, my ex and I can still get along. Having to shuffle the kids back and forth between houses added a new stress to the holidays, and there was more than one time I was teary-eyed when we were not all together. However, I feel really lucky for the relationship that we do have. We spent Christmas Eve and day together, and had a few other family events during the holiday time. He has taken the kids for an hour or so on his off-days so that I could go on a run, or to yoga, and we are still trying to have family dinners once a week. We were amazing friends for many years before we ever dated, and I am hoping that we can be headed back down that path. Divorce has not been easy, but I know it could be so much worse.

• For the friend time I have had over the holidays. With no family nearby, we have always relied on our friends during holiday-time, and in a way, it has become our tradition. And this year, during the times when I was kid-free, I had a chance to spend time with so many lovely friends, old and new. It was wonderful.

• For yoga and the way it makes my body feel. I have managed to get to a couple of classes lately and it does wonders.

• For my health. The kids and I got rear ended a few days ago, and everyone was fine. The car had minor damage, but no big deal. It could have been so much worse.

• For fun adventures. I took the kids ice skating last week-- Finn complained the entire way there, saying he didn't want to go. Thirty minutes in, he didn't ever want to leave and has asked to go back every day since! The kids and I also went sledding on Mt. Hood last week, which was a ton of fun.

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Gratitude Sunday

Amidst the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations, I have been trying to take the time to notice the many things I have to be grateful for. This week I have felt grateful for:

• The time that I got to spend with my family (in Florida!) this December. It is hard to live so far away from my family, and getting to see them around the holidays is a treat!

• That my children are at an age where they can fly on a plane without a major disaster ensuing. Our two (long) flights home from Florida were filled with crying babies, screaming toddlers, and frustrated parents. I remember those days, oh-too-well... and am not sad to see them go. As the kids and I sat in our own row, surrounded by chaos, I was so amazed and thankful that my children were content. It surely makes life a lot easier.

• Our warm, dry house that has sheltered us during this very rainy month. We have had over 14 inches of rain in December so far......My thoughts go out to all of the Portland homeless who probably haven't been dry for weeks.

• That the rain (mostly) held out tonight while we walked down Peacock Lane, an annual tradition in Portland. 

• My break from work. I really need some down time-- time to organize, to ponder, and to take care of the things that always get pushed to the bottom of the list when work and school are in the equation. It is unlikely that I will have my teaching job within a year or two, as I need to find a job that is full time.. something that is oh-so-elusive in the community college environment. Once I have a "real" job, I won't have weeks off around the holidays, so I am trying to really appreciate this time while I have it. And if I am lucky enough to be able to teach full time one day, I will appreciate it even more!

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

May the Christmas force be with you!

Pin It Now!

Gratitude Sunday

Hello! Hope you are all enjoying your weekend. I am just stopping in to share some of my moments of gratitude from this week. This week I have felt grateful for:

• Friends. I am so lucky to have such amazing friends. I have had such great support while going through my divorce transition; friends who come over to see me at my house after the kids have gone to bed (since I have very few nights that I can actually leave my house), friends who listen to me cry, complain and hope for hours on end, friends who send me a message when they can't be there to give me a hug, blog friends who support me from so far away, and friends who stand by my side no matter what. Thank you, friends.

• Sunshine. After a week of some serious rain, we have had a couple of days of sunshine. It was much needed. My favorite part was driving past Mt. Hood yesterday; the sky was full sun and a lovely blue, and Mt. Hood was covered in a fresh coat of glistening white snow. It was Oregon at it's best.

• Snuggles. Phoebe has been a snuggle machine lately. She has been sleeping in my bed almost every night, and not just in my bed, but snuggled close to me at all times. If we aren't touching, she wakes me up to make sure we get closer. A year ago, I would have probably been annoyed, and felt like I needed more space. But I now realize that we are both going through a transition, and I must say that it is nice to have her next to me. Plus, as she gets older and older, I know that these moments are fleeting. I have decided to embrace the snuggle with my entire self. ;)

• Choices. Actually, this one is a bit of a double edged sword.... as I am making this transition into a single mama, and figuring out my plan for the future, I have lots of decisions to make. Lots of choices. Which honestly is a bit stressful and overwhelming at times. However, when I stop to think about it, having these choices is amazing. How wonderful that I have options--some may be more viable than others, but it is still nice to be able to steer my life towards the direction I want it to go in. I suppose that these options were always available to me, but as my life has been forced into a major change, I am now finally seeing my options and seeing different paths that I can follow.

• Puppy Cow. My eldest dog, almost 15, is very near the end. And while I am not grateful for having to watch him suffer, and knowing that sometime soon I will likely have to make a hard decision about when to end his life, I am so grateful to have had him in my life for such a long time. He started to go downhill, fairly rapidly, about a year ago. For an entire year, I have felt like I have only had weeks or months left with him. And it has now been a year. So I am grateful for this "extra" time and grateful for every moment I can share with him.

• Medicine. It's almost ironic that I am putting this on here. I am taking an herb class right now and have been fascinated by what I am learning and am so eager to transition away from regular medicine and work on improving my family's health with herbs. But, at the same time, we are rather dependent on pharmaceuticals, and this week has been a week of meds. Phoebe has been sick and has had a fever and some serious asthma issues and I had hives randomly appear all over my neck. If we lived 150 years ago, our survival would probably be bleak!

Long list today, isn't it?

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Weekend Gratitudes

I just realized that I haven't been in this space since last Sunday. This past week was busy with appointments, job applications and meetings, which didn't leave me with much free time, or much interesting to write about either!
I spent the weekend in Tacoma, Washington. I headed up on Friday night and spent all day Saturday in a teaching workshop focused on bringing case-studies into the classroom to enhance discussions around sustainability and diversity. It was great-- now I just need to find some time to incorporate what I learned into my teaching plan for next term.
This was my first time actually spending time in Tacoma, so this morning I gave myself a little tour of the city. It was perfect, as the sun finally came out after a long two days of constant rain. I went to Point Defiance Park and found a quaint little northwest natives garden and some huge mushrooms, I stopped into the Tacoma botanical gardens, and then before I left town I went to the bridge of glass that was made by Dale Chihuly (if you don't know of his work, you should google him-- it's pretty rad!).

And, since it is Sunday, I guess it's time to share my weekly gratitudes with you all! This week I have been grateful for:

• Watching some back-lit yellow leaves fall from a tree today. It looked liked golden glitter falling from the sky. 

• My brave Finn! He had some dental work on Monday and took it like a champ. Only a few years ago we couldn't even get him to open his mouth for a dentist. He has come such a long way!

• Finishing a run, coming inside, and then watching a torrential downpour begin. I had some perfect timing!

• Hand-me-downs. Phoebe gets clothes passed down for two separate friends and I can't even tell you how lucky I feel about this. It is so nice to only have to buy her a few supplemental things each season.

• Leftovers. Like hand-me-downs, they are perfect. Free and ready to go!

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Gratitudes

This week was full of ups and downs, but throughout it all there was so much to be grateful for:

• Arriving at Phoebe's preschool at pick-up time to find her holding hands with her new friend.

• Heading to the City Hall meeting in downtown Portland last Wednesday to find a packed house (three overflow rooms packed to be exact!) in support of stopping oil trains and preventing future fossil fuel infrastructure in Portland. It made me happy to live here, surrounded by so many like-minded people who are motivated to change this world.

• Obama's rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline! Woohoo!

• Finn having an easy (for me) and fabulously fun birthday celebration at a water park in Washington. He was ecstatic for 24 hours straight.

• The smile on Phoebe's face as she rode down the big water slide at Great Wold Lodge (which we sort of had to sneak her on, as she was a wee bit too short!). She kept screaming "This is the best thing ever!".

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Sunday Gratitudes

Hello! Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.......  Here is what I have felt grateful for this past week:

• Amazing people who inspire me to be better.

• Good books. I just finished The Miniaturist and I could barely put it down.  I love the feeling of being pulled into a novel.

• The courage to do things alone. It wasn't long ago that going most places alone felt awkward and lonely. Now, in my single-lady days, I have found the courage to do what I want, whether or not I have someone to join me. I must say that it is quite liberating.

• The way that my kids smile and yell "mom" and run to me for a huge hug after a few hours or a night away. I know someday, probably soon, they will grow too old to do this any longer, but at those moments there is nothing more that I want to be than their mother. 

• For my sweet Finn, who is so kind and caring, and becoming so mature so quickly. Lately, after the kids have had a moment of not listening, or choosing not to follow family rules, Finn will often come up to me and apologize, for him and his sister. I know that apologies are hard and take lots of courage. I know that I wasn't very good at them when I was a child.... and I am maybe still not that good at them.... So for him to own his mistakes, to simply acknowledge them, is so heart warming (and a bit inspirational).

• That I was able to run my 10k this morning! About two weeks ago I injured my foot and wasn't sure that I would heal in time for my run. I have been resting my foot as much as possible (which means that I was NOT running), and although it was not a super speedy run, I did it! And I am still in once piece.

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Gratitudes

 Happy Sunday! Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.......  Here are a few things I have felt grateful for over the past week:

• The beautiful October weather we have had. As I write this, it is raining, which we need desperately.  So I am very grateful for the rain. But, I can't deny how lovely it has been to have many warm, sunny days this month. We have spent a lot of time outside, and I feel like we have really soaked up our October.

• Phoebe. She is so cute and so silly and so.... four and a half. I know it won't be long until the baby is gone from her, so I am trying to relish her sweet snuggliness as much as possible.

• My calmness while teaching. For several years, I had bouts of anxiety (with panic attacks!) while I was teaching. Last week, as I was giving a lecture, I realized how wonderful it was not to have that stress in my life anymore.

• The luxury of having a weekend to relax, catch up, and find myself. Life has been crazy lately, and I was starting to feel a bit run-down. Additionally, I injured my foot last weekend, and I am signed up to run a 10k next weekend. So, I am trying to take it easy on myself, and my foot. I was luckily able to cancel some of my weekend plans, and take some time for me. Time to think, time to be still, and time to heal.

• For my amazing friend, who brought over dinner for us to share last night after my kids went to bed. Now that I am a single-mama, I have more restrictions on when I can leave the house. I love how many of my friends have been willing to come to me so that we can still spend time together. Where would I be without friends?

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Gratitude Sunday

Hello! Just wanted to pop in and give a quick list of my gratitudes for this week. This week has been a mighty mixture of tremendous fun and debilitating stress, which made looking for (and finding) the good things in the week that much more important. This week I have been grateful.....

• That there is snow on Mt. Hood again! Finally! It has been looking oh-so-bare.....
• For the beauty of Oregon.
• For October! October is always full of so much excitement, fun events, and lovely color. I just love it.
• For the feel I get after a good run.
• For my sister, who had the perfect intuition to send me a care package exactly when I needed a little cheer.
• For freshly cleaned sheets... seriously, is there anything better?
• For dancing with friends.
• For my sweet little Finn who, at not even eight, often seems to be much wiser than I.
• For quiet moments, to read and to think, to sit and to just be.

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Gratitudes

Hello! Happy Sunday! I have not been writing here much (nor reading your blogs much lately either) because my mom was in town for two weeks and we used up every minute. I did manage to jot down a few moments of gratitude from the past week though:

• For my mom. She was here for two weeks and she did so much to help me, spoil me, and keep me company. She just left yesterday and I am already so sad that she is gone.
• For my sweet little Casanova, who knows exactly how to put a smile on my face when I am feeling down (see above photo).
• For coffee. 
• For fall. For the gorgeous colors. For cold, sunny mornings. For warm, cozy clothes. 
• For my running buddy. Running is so much easier with a friend. 
• For the nicest pest control guy in the world who I have hired to help me deal with my rodent issues. He is fairly affordable, and honestly, I think the money is worth it just so I don't have to stress about how I am going to do it myself anymore!
• For the new skills I am learning. Managing a household alone now means that I have to do things that I could normally ignore. And although tackling those new tasks can sometimes be a pain, I love the feeling of learning something new and becoming more self sufficient.
• That my new term of teaching has begun and day one went well. I always have anxiety about work after having a summer off and having to go back. Once that first day is under my belt, I am so much calmer. Plus, I am happy to be back at work and back into more of a routine. 

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!

Gratitudes

Happy Sunday! Hope you are all having a fabulous weekend. This past week I have felt grateful for:

• My mom. She is here visiting for a couple of weeks and has been a great help as well as great company.
• Getting organized. My mom and I spent many hours cleaning and organizing my garage. I have been battling some rodents over the past 6 months or so, and the cleaning was not fun. Let's just say it involved a dead rat and a whole lot of poop. But everything is in bins with lids, my art shelf had a major overhaul, and I was able to bring another load to Goodwill. Feels good.
• For the huge hugs and smiles I get from Finn when he comes back after spending the night with his papa. Finn doesn't always express his happiness openly, so when he does, it feels amazing.
• Friends, both old and new.
• Cool mornings that remind me that autumn is almost here. Yay!

What have you felt grateful for this week?

 

Joining in with the other Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots

Pin It Now!