Multitude Monday: One Thousands Gifts 21-35

Continuing the list of things I am grateful for this week… with Ann and the gratitude community…

21) Veggie Tales

22) Starbuck’s Peppermint Mochas

23)  Libraries

24)  Sleeping cats

25) Silence

26) This quote:

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have made their way out of the depths…Beautiful people do not just happen.” -Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

27) Rescue inhalers (tons of cleaning + dust allergies = not fun!)

28) Homemade garlic rolls

29) And the therapy of baking them by hand
30) And the fact they came out really well even though I put in a few wrong ingredients (oops)

31) Friends who listen and help me feel a little less alone

32)  A.A. Milne’s The Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh
33) And the experience of reading it to my little boy (which was the highlight of the day for both of us)

34)  Friends who connect their friends who can help each other out

35)  Not having to act like everything is okay… at least to God (who knows that anyway)

Friends, Peace… just being me.

I’m starting to feel content with my life. I’m starting to feel like I finally have a niche, like I can make plans, like I have some support in life. The last time I remember feeling anywhere near this much at peace was over five years ago. The irony is that then… and now… were times filled with chaos, uncertainty, and much change. Somehow through the chaos, I managed to find peace.

The last few years of life have been filled with emotional and financial upheaval. They have seen my family weather multiple job losses, career changes (YES becoming a SAHM counts as a career change!), moves, depression, and some typical and atypical relationship issues that accompany those changes and learning to be a parent to a rapidly growing bundle of curiosity. I’ve spent some of that time feeling alone and unequipped into handle life. I’ve spent some of that time surrounded by support I didn’t even know I had — from my church family, my extended family… and most importantly a small group of women I’ve grown to know over the last couple of years who I can be myself with. Whatever “being myself” means.

Over the last few weeks and days… I have suddenly realized how much support I do have. I’ve realized that somehow I’ve developed a group of friends I can call on during tough times… who won’t think less of me for doing so. I’ve realized that I have friends whose families are becoming intertwined with my own, whose kids love mine, who are there for both superficial and heart-to-heart chats over coffee. I’ve realized that… while I’ve been trying to figure out who I am in the midst of change… they are there regardless of who I am. I am eternally thankful. It is nice to belong. Today… I am thankful for my friends. I am thankful for the few who have I have known for most of my life… and especially thankful for those who have seen me through life the last few years. I’m starting to trust that it is okay to be me… whatever that may be.