Happy Thursday! Jen shared that she was doing a gratitude challenge series of blog posts this month and I’ve decided to join her! This is my third week of gratitude and I am loving looking for specific, little things each day to appreciate.

The challenge is from Mirabelle Creations on Instagram and I love that account. Deanna makes fun enneagram graphics, holiday graphics, and other cute images.

Day 15: 3 books you are grateful to have read

Oh my goodness! Can you imagine only being grateful for three books??? I could never. I will say I am so grateful I stumbled across I Love You Goodnight right before or after Jack was born. We read it almost every night for years. Jack and Luke called it “Mommy’s favorite” for the longest time.

I am grateful for The Nightengale by Kristin Hannah and Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. Number the Stars was the first historical fiction book I remember reading and it made a huge impact on me. The Nightengale was the historical fiction book I read recently that made an impact on me. I read it on an airplane on the way to Mexico and gasped audibly in the middle. Gosh they are great books! I don’t always reach for historical fiction books first, but they usually leave me thinking long after I’ve read them.

I am grateful to have read The Baby-Sitters Club series. They are the books that introduced me to how fun it is to read a series. They also are the first books I remember reading for pure enjoyment. As an adult, I love reading a series and I read for enjoyment 99% of the time. In my memory these are the books that established me as a fiction reader.

Day 16: A skill you are grateful for

I am grateful for the skill of packing a car. I can play real life Tetris and get every single thing in the back of the van even when it looks impossible. Often, I can do it and still leave room to be able to see out the back. That skill came in handy this week when I had a very full freezer and we had a Joe Corbi pizza order pickup. I played Tetris and got way more in there than anyone thought possible.

Day 17: Something that comforts you

I’d say warmth and talking. I am so comfy when I sit on the couch or chair with an electric blanket. I am also comforted by talking to Jeff, my mom, my dad, or my friends when something is bothering me. It is very comforting to know that I am not alone and someone else is helping me think through something.

Day 18: Something that makes you feel safe

My quick answer is the Ring cameras in front of and behind my house. It also makes me feel safe to know my neighbors. We are all looking out for each other and there in a pinch if anyone needs anything.

Day 19: 3 things about your body that you love

Last week, one of the things I said I loved about myself was my curly hair. I never know how it’s going to turn out each day, but that doesn’t bother me one bit. I woke up at the beach on Sunday morning and took a quick shower. I did nothing special and my hair turned out great. I did the exact same thing to my hair on Saturday and it was not my best hair day. Either way, I love having curly hair.

I love that my body is strong. Lifting weights makes me feel so good. I love when I can lift or move things and don’t have to ask for any help. That independence and power feels good. (This is a reminder that I love feeling strong and I need to get back to that lifting habit!)

I have a pretty high pain tolerance. I am grateful for that.

Day 20: A risk you are happy you took

A few days after I graduated from college, I drove to Charlotte, NC with two friends to find an apartment and start looking for jobs. I did not know anyone in Charlotte. I had never been to Charlotte. I wanted to go south and joined two girls I knew from college. We had so much fun! I only stayed for one year because I met Jeff and moved back to Maryland. I am so glad I took that risk. One of the girls still lives there and one of my roommates from college lives in Charlotte now. I’ve been back to visit a time or two and still love the city.

Day 21: Something from your childhood you are grateful for

This was an easy one. Growing up, my mom called herself the meanest mother in town. She was not mean, but she was pretty strict. I didn’t always appreciate it, but now I am so grateful for it. She always said that once you let the rope out, it’s nearly impossible to get it back. My parents did a great job giving me independence and freedoms gradually as I was ready for them. As a mom now, I am trying to emulate that!

These prompts stretch me to find the number of things to be thankful for and they make me reflect on my life, and I am enjoying it! Here on day 21, I am finding it easier to notice things I am grateful for each day. Have a great day full of sunshine and books and gratitude!