early Christmas

I've never begun decorating this early for Christmas before now, but it had to happen.

The past couple of months have been stressful and lightly peppered with grief, so as I started thinking of ways to get in gear, I naturally looked to the calendar since time rules our world. This thought process began mid-October with Halloween preparations underway. I decided that once Halloween passed, I'd dive into decorating so long as my children wouldn't kill me for it. I figure that time marches on, and so must we, but we don't have to keep marching without Christmas lights and music to keep us warm.

Three days ago, I was shopping with my youngest son, and I asked him what he thought about getting out the Christmas stuff to start in on Christmastime early. Bracing myself for a You're weird, Mom and other such responses, I was surprised to see a big smile spread across his face and hear him agreeing with me that it feels like a good thing to do.

We haven't been able to crack open anything until today, but we got half of the outdoor lights placed (I promise we won't turn them on yet!) and my special toy reindeer collection set up along the edge of the sofa. We took inventory of what other lights we have that still work and have a plan for making our house so sparkly and cheerful. We wound down for bedtime by watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas! together and deciding that we will watch a Christmas movie a week until we get to actual Christmas. It was so fun. We really relaxed so much and were able to smile without any trouble. Oh yes! And we got out our essential Christmas countdown chalk board. No one wants to keep track, but no one wants to send it for donation either. Doesn't every family have something that no one wants but doesn't want to get rid of? Maybe we are weird, and that's okay.

I'm so grateful that I have some special and festive decorations to liven things up around here. I'm so grateful for Christmastime arriving relatively soon. I feel my heart welcoming the messages of peace, charity, and hope that come as we remember the birth of the Savior. I'm thankful for Him. I'm thankful for my sweet children wanting to decorate early and enjoy Christmas music and movies. I'm thankful that I can choose to begin celebrating Christmas a little early this year.

volleyball

In my efforts to get more physically active and actively meet new people, I decided to participate in a volleyball night once a week for singles. I had been thinking about it for months, but never really got the courage to try going until this past spring.

I was not very good at it for awhile (and it's debatable whether that's still true), but I have so much more confidence now, and most importantly, I have a good time. I have met some wonderful individuals, my volleyball skills are improving, and I have found an outlet for some of my suffocating stress.

Gratitude overflows as I think about how I almost didn't go that first time and for how long I put off that first time. Volleyball seems like a strange thing to be thankful for, but it has renewed my heart a little. I will always have gratitude as think of that, for this heart grows ever more weary, or so it seems.

marching band

Anyone who has every been in marching band knows that it takes over your life, but no one warned me about what it does to the parents.

Running back and forth to the school, mouthpieces, music, dot cards, food, snacks—endless snacks, water bottles but giant containers that are usually used on picnics for whole families, dirty socks, clean socks, athletic shorts and band shirts, sweaty kids, no chores getting done because they have to get sleep at some point, music, silence, stress, happiness, LOTS of money, LOTS of time, LOTS of happy musicians.

Marching band proves a parent's mettle. I never wanted to quit. I remember the fun I had in high school, but I sure did have my moments of thinking Wow, how is this even going to work! as I'd map out the band schedule on the calendar while pretending it wasn't my personal schedule.

I really hoped my son would find the fun and magic and joy of marching band. And he did. All the happiness on his face during Senior Night this week proved to me that all the craziness was more than worth it. And I'm thankful that I can say I got my first child through marching band. I'll definitely sign up for more. You can't put a price on joy—even if it is costly at times.

a special sense

This doesn't happen all the time, but it happens enough for me to want to recognize how lucky I am for when it does.

In the midst of important moments, I am able to feel their significance (and I'm talking about unique moments that aren't set aside in society as special moments per se). I don't always understand how very significant the situation might be until later, but I get this sense that I should pay a little closer attention and my heart and mind hold onto bits of conversations, feelings, smells, and other sensory input.

I'm grateful for this special sense for the treasured times in my life. Many times I have been able to reflect on that sense during a moment and have poignant gratitude that I could recognize significance in the making. I am thankful right now as I document it actually because I know that my writing will one day become part of my memory and how I can hold onto at least a few morsels of these moments that make my life what it is.

thankful for my life

The first day of the challenge and I'm barely making it. But it's not because I'm ungrateful. Quite the opposite.

I've had a crazy couple of days. After accidentally dropping my nice, expensive phone into the toilet and not being able to function properly in my job and photo hobbyist lifestyle for over twenty-four hours, I am feeling so grateful today.

My replacement phone got overnighted and was delivered so quickly. And it's a gorgeous pink color (I promise that if they had purple, I'd have that, but pink is a good substitute). I have been able to resume my work and photographic neurosis AKA hobby photography.

The experience has caused me to be more thankful for the technology I enjoy, the ease by which I can do my work with credit due to a nice piece of equipment and really wonderful apps, and being able to share snippets of my day with those around me who choose to.

I am thankful for my life as it is.

Throughout this month, I will focus on breaking down the parts of this life into smaller portions and savoring the many blessings I enjoy. I hope you will join me.

Please feel free to put a link to your own blog posts in the comments section or write something right there in the comments. Either way, I very much hope to share this month with more of you by getting to read what you are thankful for. Let us embrace the goodness that surrounds us and share it together.