Gratitude Month 2025: Family History

I am pretty sure I have written about this in past years, but I have such an excitement for doing family history work that I feel required to state my gratitude over and over again. There is something extraordinary about seeing a headstone, doing research, and discovering that the feeling you got was because that person is a distant relative. I love it. Another thing I love about doing family history is seeing how far and wide the branches of one family tree can spread. Lately, I have been working with records for distant cousins from Scotland, Ireland, and Canada (French). The waves of joyful connection enliven my mind and keep me researching and looking for more, watching for ways I can contribute to the family tree's accuracy and validity. Not many people know this, but I have a hobby of taking portraits of headstones to share on my family tree and into the database for headstones I find that belong to people not related to me. In past years, I have received thank you messages from all over, including one that was in French. I thankful I stumbled upon, picked up, and have ran with this special hobby I have, and I am thankful for family connections, even if they are distant. 

Gratitude Month 2025: Dishes

 One of my favorite things to do over the past year has been learning how to set a formal table. It all started with my thrifting love, yet it has become a real hobby. The time (and not too too much money) I have spent collecting dishes and other tableware is a little shocking, but I try not to focus on that because I have had so much fun with exploring different styles and mixing and matching fun tablescapes for holidays and other special occasions. It has become a small way to give to my friends and family. Seeing their delight when coming over and having something unique and thoughtful greet them before book club or a birthday or just a random dinner has been so lovely to observe. It feeds my fire and helps lift my heart from the dredges of life that I linger in too often. I am thankful for finding such a simple way to show love and get such happy returns in smiles on faces, let alone all the lovely memories we make. 

Gratitude Month 2025: Decorating

I was invited to attend a wedding this weekend, and because of my reputation for making things pretty (and being quite the unapologetic perfectionist about it), one of my other friends volunteered us to help with setting up the decorations for the tables for the wedding dinner and transition everything into reception mode, and I cannot tell you how amazing it was to jump into helping and creativity and making things aesthetically pleasing. I am thankful my one friend volunteered us because I probably would not have thought to do it with all the other things going on right now. 

Every time someone would say, that looks perfect, my little perfectionist heart just smiled. I even said aloud, "That is my favorite word," at one point. And to see how much my friends were loving the way things were arranged and not needing to worry about if it would turn out nicely was such a representation of the trust we have in our friendship. The whole experience infused me with energy and joy. 

I am thankful for the chance to serve my friend and her daughter getting married and to enjoy such a fun time being given carte blanche with moving things around and decorating with care and beauty. 

Gratitude Month 2025: Tradition

When I was talking with my students this past week about doing this thing, Gratitude Month, I realized that I have been doing this consistently for a very long time. What a gift it has been all these years to slow down each November and think about how utterly surrounded I am by blessings. All the years I have been doing Gratitude Month have all been very hard years, yet I have written proof that life has been very full  and beautiful and even wonderful. I love this tradition, and I look forward to taking time each day to reflect on the good and sharing it with anyone who will read it. 

For anyone who wants to share with me your gratitude or thoughts on what I write each day, I welcome you to comment. I would love to hear from you. 

This month is a month of family, food, and tradition. It will be a good one if we make sure to focus on all the good. Happy November AKA Gratitude Month. 

50 Things by 50 Ten Days Out FINAL COUNTDOWN

Progress reports happened in October and December, and here is my check-in with a mere TEN DAYS left before the end of birthday month! 

I have accomplished all but the following goals: 

3. Publish a poetry only book. 

    I am about 80% finished with this project. Cross your fingers for me, people.

11. Go on a sibling(s) trip. 

    There are plans to accomplish this along with the golf thing on Monday. 

13. Visit a lake.  

     I almost did this but had to cancel. Plans for this are set for the final days. 

16. Find something meaningful to do for others in honor of each of my parents' birthdays. 

    I made my mom's homemade bread in honor of my mom's birthday, and I decided what to do for my dad, but execution has not been possible yet. Hopefully, it will happen.  

20. Complete the revisions on my will. 

    Still needs to happen. 

21. Revise and renew life insurance. 

    Still needs to happen.  

33. Play at least one round of golf (probably go to the driving range a couple of times first). 

    This goal will be achieved on Monday during the siblings trip. 

36. Attend a city council meeting. 

    I am attending this tomorrow!  

46. Brush up on Spanish. 

    Finishing strong for the last week!