September 29

Tonight I am grateful for so much.  Five minutes may not cut it, but I'll try.

I am grateful for the gift of a midweek day off with my time and my kids all to myself.  I am grateful for adventures and trains and the very kind volunteer conductors who helped me get the stroller up and down the stairs. 

I am grateful for my well-behaved children, for their laughter and curiosity and engagement.  I am grateful for passengers and passers-by who are kind and gracious and complimentary, who play peekaboo with my baby and smile at my boy.  I am grateful for the nice man who let Jack hold the coyote pelt for a very long time.  I am grateful for my little scientist of a boy and the way he just soaks up the world.

I am grateful for picture-perfect front yard gardens and red water-pumps in the side yards of meticulous century homes. 

I am grateful for train tables in restaurants and kind hostesses who seat mommas right near them so kids can play and mommas can drink their coffee.  I am grateful for coffee.  I am grateful for my kids who can play at a train table together.  I am grateful for my little love of a daughter, flirting and chasing and charming everyone she meets; kissing babies and laughing and daring life to keep up. 


I am grateful for lovely evenings with friends, for saying "We should do this more often" and really meaning it, for the gift of kindred spirits and bonding over our shared parenting experiences.  For the mutual support and the laughter and for seeing our truly adorable children playing together in the other room.

I am grateful for the people who have taken the time to tell me how this month of gratitude has touched them.  I am grateful that it is not just my own life I am changing. 

I am grateful I had more than 5 minutes to write tonight.