Things I Know I Am Thankful For

I know that I have already stopped for one lot of thanks over at APL this week but you know what? I also know you can never be too thankful.

So here I am with a two for one whammy and sharing some of the things I know I am thankful for this week.

I know I am thankful to live under such a beautiful sky

This week I am thankful for

• A child who went to sleep last night without a major drama and at a fairly reasonable hour. This same child has been refusing to sleep for what feels like forever so last night was more than a welcome change.
• A child who slipped straight into her new class without fuss or fan fare. As much as I felt a little lost and redundant my heart was swelling with pride at her comfort and adaptability fit into her new class.
• A child that has been happy to entertain herself while her sisters are at school.
• A child who knows when I need a cuddle most and gives me one.
• A child that tells me she thinks I am the best mum ever. Even if I do yell sometimes.
• The forgiveness from children whom were subjected to my yelling (even if they did deserve a slight growl for wasting precious paint supplies on more than one occasion recently).
• Knowing when to walk away and knowing when to run.
• Actually being able to run. Albeit slow and not as long as I would like but these are but minor details. The other day I did two laps of the block in nearly the same time as it once took me to one so I am by no means really complaining about my speed, I just know I can go further.
• A blog that gives me the chance to try things I wouldn't otherwise.
• Wonderful bloggers and readers that offer me kind words and support.
• Days of endless rain. The perfect excuse to stay at home snuggled in bed, all day long. Though at no point have I actually spent the day snuggled in bed I just love that the excuse is there if I wanted it.
• A dryer so that despite days of endless rains we are still able to have clean dry clothes.
• A covered veranda so that the dogs have somewhere dry to lay that is not inside my house.
• Wonderful friends, both old and new.

Have you got some thanks that you want to share? 

Join in over at A Parenting Life

Or perhaps some stuff you know?
Join in with The Miss Cinders

Making Up For Yesterday

Over at A Parenting Life I set myself, a bit of a write every day challenge. Nineteen days in and it has not exactly gone all that well. There has been back dating, missed posts and only a few days where I did actually manage to sit down and write.

One of the reasons I didn't write yesterday
was because I was making this little fella.

Sure I might have written lots when I did write but that isn't quite the point. I want to write every day. I need to write every day. It just has to happen.

Yesterday was another missed day.

Just as today is a brand new day.

Having gone to bed super early last night I was awake super early this morning. Zany climbing into my bed didn't help either. Rather than toss and turn in a space inhabited by more than it could comfortably fit I decided to get up and use the time wisely. I reasoned that if I could get a post up before the sun came up then it wouldn't be so bad to backdate it to yesterday.

As it turned out the post got written but published with today's date. All so it could link up with some other blog in the hope to pull a few more new readers. Because I am greedy like that some days.

That and I am slowly realising that every now and then my words do make a difference to someone's day. Often when least expected. To both them and I.

So really I am obliged to try and share my wisdomous words as far and wide as possible aren't I?

Leaving me wondering what to do about a post for yesterday.

On the one hand I know that it doesn't really matter whether there is a post there or not. And if there is a post there that has been backdated then does that matter either? Really all that matters is that I am writing isn't it?

Though I am acutely aware that I run the risk of writing too much boring stuff and overloading with too many of my crazy inner thoughts. Oh the dilemmas.

You see the real benefit about me making myself write each and every day is that it means I will have instilled just a teeny tiny bit of discipline into my daily life. On the days where I am brutally honest with myself I know that a lack of inner discipline is my biggest enemy.

Nothing that some simple brain rewiring won't fix. I like to think of myself as work in progress. As awesome as I might be there is so much more awesome I could be. I just need to keep slowly chipping away at it all.

Rather than waste time beating myself up about all the things I didn't do I can see the things I did do. Like make that little owl up there and a couple of little fish.
For now though all currently feels well with my little world. I may not have blogged at APL yesterday but I have more than made up for it today.

It won't happen over night.

Mr Awesome is on the couch practising his French. For no other reason than he found a free app that claims to teach you basics for a whole range of foreign languages. The Little Two are watching some My Little Pony DVD that we got earlier. There is sense of calm and peace through out The Shoebox.

Me, I am here.

Forcing myself to try and write something.

The start of a new year is always my favourite time to try and start new things. Especially new things that involve some sort of lifestyle change for the better. You know new things like every day exercise, clean eating, positive living and all that kind of thing.

Which is the complete opposite to Mr A, who point blank refuses to start anything on January 1st because it is sure to be doomed for failure. There are just too many failed new year resolution stories to convince me of otherwise. The fact that I don't have new years resolution success stories to put up in defence doesn't really help either.

And in so many ways he is right.

It doesn't have to be the first of January to make a life affirming change. You can resolve to make changes at any point in time. Just like actually making that change take place. It doesn't have to be only on January 1. It can be whenever you want it to be.

In fact unless you really want to make the change and are committed to making a change, the change you desire will just never come about.

For me, the appeal of resolutions starting at the new year is because it just makes it easier to keep track of. Part of my required inspiration to remain committed to something (anything) is being able to see the length of time that I am able to remain committed. Naturally the first day of a new year is easier to remember than something like the 18th February. Unless of course that is your birthday or some other significant event.

So far this year the only thing that I can say I have done each and every day is sit down and write. But that is ok, because at least it is something. And even if it is something I am forcing myself to do this very moment that is ok as well.

Sometimes we need to force ourselves. In fact I am certain that in order to get the very best and most out of life then we must force ourselves at least at some point, and if not regularly.

The other benefit to have forced myself now, is that now it is done and dusted and out the way. If I feel like writing again later then so be it, but my daily commitment for today is at least out the way.

As for all the other daily things I haven't yet managed to introduce?

Well I am positive that their day will come.