Since I made a committment to live joyously and tune out negativity, I’m finding so many little things to be thankful for.  It is like a sunbeam in my heart each time I find something new. Like a good coffee, I’m finding gratefulness awakens me. This week I’m thankful for:

• A beautiful piece of music by Yo-Yo Ma which I shared with my children to reduce anxiety and stress at homework time
• Finding my voice as a mother which I had to use a few times tonight with my mum, gently explaining to her that there were boundaries she needed to understand in how she can deal with my children.
• Sunflowers
• The monthly goals which are being worked through
• A school which cares about my children, has small class sizes and includes emails from the Principle herself with updates on how my children’s day is progressing!
• Birds, owls, butterfly’s and trees. Four massive joys in our lives.
• Beautiful photos of my children which adorn my desk at work and home
• My online friend Kathleen. I don’t email her nearly enough, but she brings me joy!
• Wonderful, gentle friends in my life who returned from a long holiday today. I saw one fleetingly tonight and it was lovely for me and my children to see someone who we care so much about and who cares about us too!
• Good colleagues at work who are supportive and bring laughter. I find more and more a couple of good people in your life can help you tune out more challenging people.
• Beginning to see the benefit of deep breathing and gently putting my hand on my children’s shoulders or back when they are stressed or anxious. I’m finding they are now doing it on their own and noticing their levels of anxiety, independently of my pointing them out.
• A working car which may be banged up after our accident, but it gets us from A to B!
• A lovely sign I saw on a car parked in front of us tonight which said “Adoption is Love”;  it made my heart swell.
• A meeting being postponed
• My heath insurance claims being paid (should be deposited in my bank in 3-5 days!)
• My two wonderful children
• All the learning I’m doing as a parent not to fall into patterns of what you know from your own childhood, but instead understanding we can make new patterns of behaviours, new connections with our emotions and new ways of coping with stress.
• Two mums I was able to offer empathy to this week, one who was upset over her son’s behaviour in an elevator, and another the grocery store. I was able to quietly and gently smile and say that we’ve all been there and tomorrow is another day. Both reached out and hugged me. So moving, so wonderful to connect with others.
• The readers of this blog who encourage me constantly.
• The lovely comments on yesterday’s post - I learn so much from each and every one of you. My sincerest thanks to you all.