Daily: Reflect on 5 things for which I'm grateful.

Boy have I missed it. Today, I’m grateful

1) to be back on 43T and to have cheers waiting for me. And to be able to dole a few cheers out.
2) for a plan to look at my exercise and nutrition goals anew this weekend.
3) for my job, even if it’s challenging these days. My sister lost her job a few weeks ago & even though she says she’s “funemployed,” I know the uncertainty is difficult (Though yeah for her for going to museums, and seeing friends and fixing up her house.)
4) this being my daughter’s first Christmas when she’s on the lookout for Santa
5) for a nice Thanksgiving with my Mom, stepDad, husband and bambina. Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free.

1) Cdngirl2 keeping in touch on 43T and Facebook. I love our virtual Mommy friendship!
2) My little girl. She is so sassy and funny and her own person and I love her so much it makes my heart hurt.
3) Boxing class. I don’t like to overemphasize losing weight, but I recognize myself in the mirror again and I LOVE that.
4) My J-O-B. I’m glad to have it.
5) My sweet husband.
6) Finding a little boutique with a huge sale downtown. Got a pretty necklace for me and a book and a set of blocks for the bambina.
7) Summer.
8) My husband just handed me an ice-cold mojito. See number 5 on this list.
9) Carmen Miranda movies!

1) Grateful for writing the forgiveness letters and crossing something off of my 43T list. It’s a slow, but deliberate journey I’m on.
2) So thankful for my daughter, she’s 2 years, 3 months and just exploding with language, personality, energy. What a miracle!
3) Grateful for my husband. We’ve had our rough patches, but more than anything we’ve got each other’s back and I’ve never had that kind of love and support before.
4) Was feeling really sick, most of the week, grateful to be better.
5) Did back to back spin classes today. Super cardio summer, here I come!

1. For my online Mommy friendship with Cdngirl. Go Canada!
2. For a date with my husband tonight, it’s been awhile.
3. For strength to complete the New York body plan, 2 weeks before my goal. I’m on day 12!
4. For faith in the good things,to paraphrase the title of a favorite novel.
5. Mistresses on BBC. What great escapism. I’ll be glad when all the TV wraps up so I can get back to books and my reading goal.

(Plus: I’m grateful for my daughter, my job, finding the time to exercise, organizing my office, seeing friends this weekend, my sister, still too little sleep, an average of 6 hours a night, but I’ll get there!)

Today, I’m grateful:

1) For an hour on my own to sort things out and gather my thoughts…
2) My daughter. She’s two now and so big! She’s standing on the porch now, calling out to the barking in the distance, “Hi, doggie! Hi!!!”
3)My aunt who has always encouraged me even when I felt so very alone.
4) A girl’s night out with a group of really positive, kind women. I only knew 2 of them before, but I left feeling that I’d made three new friends.
5) The Dara Torres story in More Mag this month. I’m not where I want to be yet—physically, financially and a few other categories. (So much clutter!) But I’m not giving up on myself, ever!

I’m grateful today:

1) For my boxing class. Every week, it makes me understand why they call it a sweet science.
2) Putting my daughter to sleep last night… A lot of nights I get home too late from work to do it.
3) To be back on 43 Things after nearly a month away and everyone who has given me cheers!
4) For my husband, even if we’ve had some rough patches lately.
5) For the privilege of being able to compose my life, as Mary Catherine Bateson once phrased it.

Not a lot of time but wanted to say quick gratitude:

1) For date night tonight with my husband. He thinks it’s corny, but I find it really rejuvenating.
2) For longer days and not coming home in the dark.
3) For boxing class and feeling strong.
4) For the two people who said today, “You’re losing weight!” Makes me feel like those 5 am workouts are paying off. Even if I’m still a long ways away from my goal.
5) For my little girls’ smile and the possibility of some pool time with her next month.

I’m having such a tough time right now. It’s literally brought me to my knees. I heard this during a yoga class New Year’s weekend and it feels appropriate now. So instead of listing 5 things that I’m grateful for, which would require me to go all book chapter and verse, about how I’m struggling right now, I thought I’d just post this—and a deep, sincere, wish for good things blooming this spring for all my 43T friends.

May the long time sun shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light within you
Guide you all the way on.

But I am grateful for:

1) Having a job that I enjoy.
2) Coming home to my daughter who screams “More Whee!” when I spin her around.
3) My husband staying home when my daughter was sick because he knew it’d be tougher for me to miss work.
4) Fitting into a size “M” top from the Gap. Honestly, it’s been awhile.
5) Feeling a little closer to fine.

I’m grateful for:

1) time with our extended family and the delighted expression on my daughter’s face. She’s almost two and starting to make jokes, dance, crack herself up. She’s her own person and I can see how clearly my job is to step back, encourage, feed the fire of her curiosity, create opportunities for her to explore.
2) our home, which we don’t own, but we are very lucky to rent. it’s a happy house with a lovely energy and hopefully when we can buy, we can get a place that feels as good as this.
3) for health insurance, since my husband needs surgery again.
4) Showing myself a little tenderness when I’m under huge pressures at work, and feeling very behind the eight ball.
5) Beah Richards’ words: “everything we need, we got. Maybe not fully realized, but perfect and complete.”