I’m making a mindful effort to try and focus on what is simple and important about life this month and pushing my own limits in trying to write every day for 30 days (something I’ve never done before) as well as focusing on things to be grateful for- something that has lead me on the path toward happiness in the past and I am returning to in effort to find my happy place again- despite my everyday struggles with grief.

In continuing with my 30 Days of Gratitude this November, here is my list of five for today.

Today, I am grateful for:

• Waking up next to my beautiful sleeping boy. My first impressions this morning were filled with the sweet smell of baby head, the rhythmic sound of his breathing, the feel of his hand gently spread out on my chest, the taste of the salty sweat of his head on my lips and, of course, the breathtaking peacefulness of a sleeping baby cannot be contained in words- especially one’s own child. There really isn’t. I’m grateful for the awakenings cosleeping has given me- both for better and for worse. These images are drawn by Heather Cushman Dowdee. You should like, check her out and stuff. She’s pretty damn brilliant.

• Giggling girls. My step-daughter (who is 3) is with us overnight tonight & she and my daughter are exactly two years and two days apart. They haven’t seen each other in a while and they dove RIGHT into dress up, tea parties and the land of make believe. The belly laughs just keep coming- even if they woke the baby, I couldn’t possibly get mad.
• Good friends. I know I wrote about being grateful for my online parents’ group already, but I am also slowly developing an actual, in-real-life group of people that I can talk to, count on to come to birthday parties (and help throw them!) and share in their own progress as people and parents. Having a circle of friends is invaluable gift to be cherished everyday- no matter the size or the distance it encompasses.
• A full fridge. It might sound silly, but it only really happens at the beginning of the month- I participate in the WIC food program as well as in California’s SNAP program, too. I recently posted my gratitude for my faux-hubby’s megarad new job that will help tremendously, but there have been plenty of times at the end of the month where we’ve played How many ways can we prepare rice & beans? for longer than we’d like. I’m happy to have food and clean water available- even if it’s not the Karamel Sutra or coconut water I’d love to be indulging in.
• Pumpkin Ale. I love seasonal beer! Living in the Wine Country, I nearly never say no to a good glass of red, but, every Autumn, the Pumpkin Ales come out of the woodworks and I LOVE them. All. It’s like the warm coziness of fall, wrapped up in a bottle of instant relaxation. Ahhhhh…. 

And don’t forget the seasonally brewed bombness!