I’ve collaborated with a group of bloggers to bring you 21 Days of Gratitude this month. After loads of great, uplifting posts, today is my day to write about gratitude and thankfulness.
But, today I’m not feeling all that grateful. I’ve had a hard week and all I can see is the negative parts of my life.
- I’m angry that I don’t have family or friends nearby to give a helping hand when I need them. This week, both my baby and I are sick. That means that the 3 year old is the only healthy one during the day. It would be great to have someone help me. But No, it’s just me until my husband gets home from work.
- The days are getting dark and I miss being able to spend long afternoons outside in the sunshine. I’m feeling stuck indoors and yearning for some fresh air.
- I want my clothes to fit again. It’s been 10 months since I had a baby, but I have yet to drop that last 10 pounds and I’m tired of my jeans being too tight. I want to wear more than yoga pants or tights.
- My hair is a total mess. I lost a ton of hair after E was born and now I have all this new growth and it looks like a hot mess…at least it does to me.
Overall, I’m feeling very lonely and unhappy.
It’s days like today that I turn into the person that I don’t want to be. I’m not the wife my husband deserves. I don’t have the patience that my children deserve. I’m not nice to myself, and I deserve better.
It’s days like today that I need to be the most thankful. Today is the day I need to find the things that I am grateful for.
I’m going to turn this day around and I’m going to be grateful that I have this day with my family.
I’m going to find those big and small things that I am lucky to have.
I’m going to recognize that I am blessed.
Blessed with great friends.
Blessed with a loving family.
Blessed with a house over my head, clothes on my body, and a kitchen full of food.
Blessed that I get to spend my days with my children.
Blessed that my husband has a secure job and so we have steady finances.
Blessed that my husband is not currently in a war zone and can spend his evenings and weekends with us.
Blessed that my husband, children, and I are all healthy.
Blessed that I have a wonderful life. A life that, really, I wouldn’t change at all.
Even though I’ve had a rough week, I have a beautiful life.
It’s all about perspective.
Hum…I’m feeling a little better already.
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile – can’t even remember how I found it. Pintrest, maybe? Thank you for so honestly writing this post. I needed to read this! It’s been a very rough week here too. I live 4,000 miles away from my family & both my 2 1/2 year old & 10 month old have been sick. I love being a mom, but some days are just so challenging! 🙂 I will choose to be thankful for this beautiful life – even on the days where I want to curl up & take a nap. 🙂
So glad you’re following along Jamie, and thanks for the comment. It seems like we’ve had similar weeks! Hope your kids get better, and that we both remember to be thankful for our beautiful lives.
what a great post, I admire your honesty. it takes a lot to lay yourself bare like that. But I am so glad that you have found a few things to be grateful for today. Big hugs (i’m featuring your post on SPP this weekend, its so raw its wonderful to read)
Your article is so REAL. I admire your being able to tap into those blessings during such a bad day. I have yet to be able to do that. It’s really tough work.