November is upon us already – it is hard to believe. In this busy season of life, it seems I no sooner get used to it being a new month than it’s time to turn the calendar page again. I’m sure I actually blog just as often as I always have – it’s just that the time in between is passing quicker than it used to!
November always feels like a good month to focus on thankfulness. Trevor showed me an article a few weeks ago on a blog he’s read for years that really got me thinking about appreciating the little things in my life. (You can read the article here, on The Simple Dollar). So I thought I’d take up the challenge of finding one thing for each day of this month that I am thankful for. I probably won’t actually post every day, but I’ll try to catch up when I do.
I am thankful for:
1. Birthdays (and also a break from birthdays now that October is over!) Last month I hit a milestone that feels entirely too old to be my real age. Although I can’t say I’ve completely made my peace with my new first digit, I am so very happy with the life God has given me, and with the season I am in right now.
2. Adoption. This is by no means a “little thing” in my life. It has changed the entire landscape of our family, and I am thankful for it every single day. Both for the opportunity to be the mom of these four precious souls, and also for my loving heavenly Father who adopted me into His family at great personal cost. I see my own adoption struggles reflected in my children daily: to trust, to feel secure, to rest; and I have learned so much about my Lord and myself through them.
3. Quiet nights after the kids are in bed. Time to reflect, process, and just breathe. And as a bonus: a bit of extra quiet time tonight thanks to the clocks going back!
4. Friendship. Tonight my best friend Mary and I celebrated 35 years of friendship. We met in the first week of kindergarten. The Lord has absolutely spoiled me in the friend department. I just love the relationships He brings into my life, some that last for years, others that are only for a season, but every one precious. (Trevor sometimes teases me when I come out of a store or the bank with a little grin on my face after chatting with an employee: “What are you smiling about? Oh wait: you were connecting with another human soul again, weren’t you?”. Yep!)
5. This baby. She is 13 months old today, and at one of my absolute favorite stages. She is waving and saying hi to everyone she sees (an extrovert like her mama, perhaps?), clapping her hands, nodding and shaking her head yes and no… Just suddenly bursting with personality. She brings us so much joy.
Stay tuned for the next installment. What are you thankful for today?