Gratitude: December 2015

Working on my gratitude list since October has helped me focus on the positive things happening in life, instead of the negative. It is true that finding something NEW every single day can be difficult at times because once all the "big ticket items" are listed, you have to really try to find something else to add. What I noticed about it is, it makes me realize how the small things really help in making me happy. I've managed to work on my gratitude list every single day since I started.

There was a lot to be grateful for in December! Here's my list:

• My happy giggling boys.
• Learning to deal with new toddler behaviors from Little Guy. Because hey, I get to go through ALL stages with him - the good, the bad, and the ugly :) 
• Sunsets over the ocean. 
• Lunch with dear friends 
• Spending the day leisurely with my son 
• Forgiveness 
• Technology to help with infertility 
• Daily Advent readings and lighting of Advent candles with my son. He likes to blow the candles out! 
• How independent and secure my son is, I hope it sticks! 
• Celebrating my son's birthday! 
• Making new birthday traditions. 
• Celebrating my son's birthday with friends. 
• Realizing just how blessed we are here with great friends. 
• Organizations that provide Christmas gifts for foster and adoptive kids. 
• Friends to lean on. 
• Conveniences of text messaging. 
• Reconnecting with old friends. 
• Having my son kiss, hug, and say "hi" to all his stuffed baby friends in the morning. They all have names now :)
• Being blessed with adoption leave from work.
• Being able to open the windows and air out the house. 
• Revisiting fond memories.
• Holiday celebrations
• Boys sleeping past 7am!!! Woohoo! 
• Little Guy looking at our Adoption/Christmas card and saying "Wow, cute." 
• Getting rid of clutter! 
• Letting go of the past. 
• Moving forward. 
• All my foster babies from over the years.
• Being productive.  
• My fostercare agency. 
• Reminders List on my iPhone/Mac - keeps me organized! 
• Receiving Christmas cards in the mail. 
• Little Guy sitting in a grown up chair at the dinner table. 
• Random acts of kindness 
• Being complimented that my kids are well behaved 
• Receiving mail with my son's new name on it 
• Celebrating the holidays with special friends. 
• My son enjoying the holidays
• Giving presents 
• Finding a church to join
• Planning my son's baptism  
• Swim class for my son 
• Baking cookies 
• Warm showers 
• Christmas Eve with the boys 
• Surviving Christmas Eve Mass with the boys by myself! 
• Putting the presents out on Christmas Eve, after the boys went to sleep. 
• Watching the boys enjoy Christmas 
• Friends that help with flat tires! 
• Learning how to change a flat tire. 
• Getting my son's new birth certificate. 
• Hearing Little Guy talk more. 
• Road trips 
• Adult conversations 
• Visiting my childhood "home" 
• The smell of the Pacific Ocean 
• The National Anthem