A Year of Gratitude

So I'm reading '1,000 Gifts' by Ann Voskamp and I have to say, it's really hitting me.  The need to be grateful.  Thankful.  To see beauty in the everyday.  To practice gratitude in the midst of the chaos of life.  When the boys are fighting and driving me crazy, I am learning to discipline myself to stop and thank God that they have each other.  When I don't want to drag myself to the grocery store, taking a moment to be grateful that I can afford to buy food for my family.  And the list goes on.  It's a completely different way of looking at the world, and one that I suspect I won't ever get right, but I figure it has to start somewhere, and that maybe in starting I will learn to have more peace and joy in the life God has given. 

With this in mind, I've decided that I want 2012 to be a year of gratitude.  So, we're starting a family list of things that we are thankful for.  A journal that we will all add to as we see fit.  And the boys and I are are going to try to complete one 'act' of thankfulness per week.  Up this week:  making thank you cards for the neighborhood people with the over-the-top Christmas light displays that gave us so much pleasure.  And on this blog?  Well, I think this is where I will chronicle things that I am especially grateful for each week.  I'm sure it will be a mixed bag of homeschool photos, goofy kids, homemade projects, random pictures and shameless plugs for products that I've run across and love, but that remains to be seen.

So, without further adieu, this week's entries:

 The sloppy, drooling mess that is our nearly eight month old daughter -- she has completely changed our lives and caused us to slow down and enjoy each other more often.

 Sweet Chase who just adores his baby sister and takes every opportunity to hold and feed her.  That truly cannot be expected of a six year old boy, but I sure do love seeing him dish it up anyway!

 Kids who think that:
A) Math games are fun (let's be honest, they were just adding time) and
B) A big bowl of raw veggies with hummus and ranch is a completely acceptable snack to be eaten happily.

 Quirky Jake who made me laugh by doing his math wearing a Santa hat.  In January. 

 Need I say more?

 Grandparents who send fun gifts :-)  Jake has been having a blast building funnels and ramps with this Contraptions set, and his Hexbug has been the crash dummy.

 Family game time.  We love playing games in the evenings, especially in the winter when it gets dark earlier.  A friend gave us this 'Pick and Draw' game, that has everyone drawing cartoon faces -- too cute!

And so it begins . . . the journey into a year long project that I hope will give us all new eyes to see how blessed we are, and maybe even help us learn to be a blessing to others.  I guess we'll have to wait and see, won't we?

Until next time,

Crystal