One Hundred and something days grateful??

Ok so I hate false starts, inconsistency. Most people who know me know I am pretty committed. was at my last job 18years,met married and settled down with my best friend, my hobbies usually turn into full blown obsessions. I commit damn it! So It is with a bit of chagrin that I come back to this 365 grateful blog having missed quite a few days. I am grateful everyday for something often many things. I am often grateful for being busy, so busy with the stuff of life that its a task to sit down log onto blogger and document it. But that said I like rituals , I believe in the magic of them , I believe in their value. Coming here putting words and photos to a feeling is a ritual, a reminder , an offering to the universe in gratitude. So that said due to the complex algorithms of life I may not make it here everyday, but I hope to keep the ritual up, at least as often as I can.

365 grateful 1/9/14

I started reading to my daughter in the womb. Being an English major there was no question in my mind that books would play a huge part in the lives of my children.I solidified this fate by marrying a writer. We started slow with the kids, typical picture books, classic stories, Seuss, Silverstein, etc...
as soon as we realized our oldest could follow a story from one night to the next we continued on to book series. Emma grew up listening to us read the books of Roald Dahl, an awesome tradition we have now begun with Dylan. I am grateful for the ability to end my day reading these beautiful imaginings to my children, watching their anticipation as the story progresses and imagining  the pictures they are creating in their minds as I read. There is no better way to melt off the efforts of the day, than snuggling close to your little ones, and drifting off together into an imaginary world.

365 grateful project 1/7/14

I hate the cold, every cell in my body feels offended when the thermostat goes below freezing. I come from Southern Italian stock my Mediterranean blood is impatient all winter. I count days till March because at least in March you feel like there is hope. I usually fall off a cliff in February the most insidious of all the winter months. But its not February yet, this was not supposed to happen! 4 degrees 4 freekin degrees today and that's before you factor in the bleeping wind chill. So Here I am a month before I was willing to truly give up, here I am ready to surrender to winter. You have won. I am defeated. Today I am grateful for my cars heater. It gave me the ability to get my kids to school in relative comfort. It gave me some peace to know that even though winter sent me a knockout punch my heater kept it from kicking me when I was down.

365 grateful project 1/6/14

I am blessed with the vehicle that houses my soul, it always surprises me . It is stronger that I think, I feels eternally grateful for the ability to run, dance, lift, push up, plank, squat. Every 20 mountain climbers, or burpees that don't defeat  me tell me go for 10 more and every time I do, its a small victory. The harder I work the better I feel, the less gravity has a hold on me. I am grateful to be strong and to have the ability to work to grow stronger each day.

365 grateful project 1/5/14

I grew up in a household where movies were revered. We had a second refrigerator  in our kitchen that held the overspill of my dads elaborate video collection. We had a reel to reel projector as well. I grew up on the classics; musicals and  dramas, to this day my favorite film is Cool Hand Luke. There is nothing quite like a film hitting that sweet spot in your soul.
Yesterday I was planning to go to the movies, I spent a lazy Sunday afternoon filled with domestic responsibilities the day was somewhat adequate but uninspired . Just before the time came to go to the movie I got a surge of laziness, cold temperature  outside coupled with icing on the roads caused me to reconsider my movie plans. But I remembered the one piece of advice to myself that I reserve for these moments "always act in the affirmative" which is exactly what I did. I bundled up and headed out to the movies. I am glad I did. I am grateful for film for the beautiful collaboration of acting, direction, music, lighting, dialogue and magic that creates this well rounded art. I was transported in my short trip out of my house. Adequate becomes extraordinary small worries fade. For the run time of the film you escape your own head into someone else's, perhaps allowing everything to recharge. I rarely leave the movies without feeling refreshed or inspired in some way.

365 grateful project 1/4/14

I had my first asthma attack at my sisters engagement party. As far as I remember that was the only asthma attack I ever had. Sometimes I wonder if I ever really had asthma or if it was my young mind being so overwhelmed by the prospect of my sister getting married and leaving that it caused my body to react. I remember the feeling of trying to take a full breath but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get enough air.

When I was young I would sit in my sisters room and watch her put her makeup on. She would burn the tip of a extra black eyeliner to soften it. With precision she would line her beautiful eyes. Blondie played in the background. I don't know why but I always just felt good around my sister. Later in life when I first moved away from home she was the one I turned to. She helped settle me into my first apartment , where I took my first steps into independence. I lived just under her in a rented basement apartment. She was always there within reach to share a cup of coffee with. It just felt good to be around her. My sister gave me the comfort of family and a friend all in one.

In time I took further steps into independence got married, had kids, and moved to NJ. As happens with family and friends life and geography sometimes creates a divide. I often miss the connection we had but always honor and cherish it. like I said in previous posts I believe that nature abhors a void. I had always had wonderful male friends who I had kept close connections with they have sustained me kept me inspired and laughing. I have an amazing husband who I consider my best friend but somehow that combination of sister and friend remained illusive that space needed to be filled.

I met Jess when my son was  born . We both joined the same moms group and shared much in common in those days of raising babies. Our boys have grown up together while we have grown  as parents as well. We have seen each other through all the trials and tribulations of raising kids. But I must say even if we did not have all the common things that prompted our friendship. We would be connected. Like my sister, Jess just feels good to be around.  Though Jess and I are not related by blood there is a link I feel that is reminiscent of the peace I felt sitting in my sisters room. I am grateful for our friendship for that feeling .

365 Grateful 1/3/14

I got a late start today. I kind of dreaded getting any closer to the snow and cold then my view from the kitchen window. But it was inevitable that a snow day held responsibilities of snowballs and shoveling out. Joe was tied up with work calls all morning and wouldn't be able to get out till much later in the afternoon, when the midday sun would have glazed a thick layer of ice over the topmost coat, making shoveling even harder.It made sense for me to get a start on it before that happened. I reluctantly layered Dylan up in the absurd amount of layers only possible by an overly paranoid Italian mom, put on some snow gear and made my way out, ready to take on the snow. What I found outside was just beautiful. One of my neighbors had plowed out my entire driveway and my other neighbors  shoveled the walks and cleaned off my car. They continued to do the same for other neighbors. I am grateful for these wonderful people I get to share a block with. For their kindness,thoughtfulness and giving spirits. Our house sits on a lucky stretch of land between good people.