Grateful for 21 days...

I listened to a really great TED talk today.   
Shawn Achor The Happy Secret to Better Work

21 days of 3 new things that I am grateful for...

Day 1 - Feb 3rd

1. Jaxon's beautiful smile and run at me when I pick him up at school.
2. Feeling the sun on my face today.
3. Smelling the flowers on a walk today, thinking of Spring

Day 2-  Feb 4th
1. Having a nice warm apartment to live in.
2. Having plenty to eat.
3. That Jaxon comes in to say good morning everyday after he wakes up.

Day 3- Feb 5th
1. That there are people in the world that can bid outrageous amounts at my son's school auction to help raise money for the school.
2.  That Jaxon and I have a friend to watch the Superbowl with.
3.  For Thai food, especially Indochine which we will be having later today.


Day 4 - Feb 6th
1. Hot tea
2. That I became a Mom and that Jaxon is my son.
3. Jaxon brushing my hair.
4. That I noticed the misspelling in the title before everyone else did... ;) and that I can laugh at myself... :) It has been corrected.. but I am still Greatful too! 

Day 5 - Feb 7th
1.  That good friends stand up for each other.  Thank you Sean.
2.  That many wonderfully serendipitous events come into my world.  I am grateful for serendipity itself.
3.  That many people follow their dreams.


Day 6 - Feb 8th 
1.  Having good food to eat.  Yum Pancakes.
2.  To be getting ready for our trip with my Mom and Step Dad to South Dakota.  
3.  Seeing a beautiful sunrise.


Day 7 - Feb 9th
1.  Having time to be and meditate this morning.
2.  Playing cruncher with Jaxon.  Having all the memories of when he was tiny and I had to let him slip out... to now when I can hardly hold him for even a minute.  Playing this game, and remembering past games, both give me huge smiles.
3.  Being healthy!


Day 8 - Feb 10th
1. Grateful for a really fun walk home today with my boy.  It was all about being playful and enjoying the moment.  Today we traded roles.. he was Mom, I was Jaxon.
2. Having three really nice conversations with friends, one on the way to pick up Jaxon,  another on the field while Jaxon played and and the last one on the walk home from school.  It is nice to live in a small community.
3. Having a very comfy bed.

Day 9 - Feb 11th
1.  For having amazingly wonderful friends.  Insightful and caring...  Thanks to Gary and Carlos for a really great lunch... The conversation is what made it.  Thanks!
2. I bought I new pair of boots today.  It feels great to have something new that I like.
3. Music!  I love music.


Day 10 - Feb 12th
1. Birthdays everyone's personal holiday and going to help celebrate them.
2. Walking on Marsh Island with Jaxon and his friend Shane.  For feeling so peaceful and happy, while they were running and enjoying being carefree.
3. Having a washing machine to clean up after the clay extraction project was complete on foster Island.


Day 11 - Feb 13th
1. Having the chance to try a new French Bakery - Belle Epicurean - a very yummy Brioche.
2. Having a really nice chat with Jaxon right before he went to sleep.
3. Making Jaxon a Valentine's card and getting the book out for him that Michael and I bought and wrote in for his very first Valentine's Day.


Day 12 - Feb 14th 
1.  Seeing Jaxon's face as he read through the book that we got him for his 1st Valentine's Day.  He was all smiles.  And it continued when he read my card.  It was a really nice morning.
2. Warm Showers.  I am grateful to be able to take warm showers when ever I want.
3.  Having nice neighbors.  

***


NOTE - I will be doing the updates on paper for a while and will update on here soon..

 *** 

Phew... okay a little break .. a trip to South Dakota .. returning home... and some lag time to finally complete my 21 days of appreciation...


Day 13 Feb 15th
1. The excitement of an adventure. We left on our trip to South Dakota.
2. Having a reliable car
3. Being a good driver.


Day 14 Feb 16th
1. Having the chance to see so many Elk at Naches, WA.
2. Playing with Jaxon in the pool.
3. Watching the snow fall while we were swimming.


Day 15 Feb 17th
1. Having the chance to see 50,000 Silver Dollars.
2. Enjoying some very yummy nachos.
3. The super warm pool in Bozeman.


Day 16 Feb 18th
1. Having a safe drive.
2. Getting really good food.
3. Finding a knife souvenir for Jaxon.

Day 17 Feb 19th
1. Getting to see so much wild life on our drive, especially all of the antelope in Wyoming.
2. Finding out about Jewel Caves and getting to see the info about them.
3. Arriving safely in Custer, SD and to StoneMeadow Ranch.  Staying at the WayBack Inn.


Day 18 Feb 20th
1. That Jaxon got to go hunting with Grandpa Ron.
2. That Mom and I got to see the buffalo on the range from the lodge.
3. That we will be able to enjoy the meat and have memories of our trip.


Day 19 Feb 21st
1. I am truly enjoying being in a beautiful, quiet place.
2. That I hit the target when I shot the 22 rifle.
3. That I am on this trip with Jaxon, Mom, and Ron.

Day 20 Feb 22nd
1. That I got to see Mt Rushmore
2. Seeing the joy in Jaxon as he ran all around Mt Rushmore
3. Learning about Crazy Horse.

Day 21 Feb 23rd
1. Driving safely thru the snow from Custer to Sheridan.  Thanks Ron!!
2. Driving thru the Big Horn Mountains.  It is really beautiful!
3. Having the surprise of our own room in Cody.

Day 22 Feb 24th
1. Enjoying time with Mom and Jaxon at the Yellowstone Natural History Museum.
2. Waking up with Jaxon.  Then he tells me, "Mommy I don't tell you this very often, but I love you as much as you love me." 
3. Seeing the joy in Jaxon as he was whittling.   


Day 23 Feb 25th
1. Enjoyed seeing Jaxon with Ron in the Fire Arm Museum.
2. Seeing the earth house and sweat lodges in the Plains Indians Museum.
3.  Really happy to see Jaxon expressing himself, letting me know he needs something from me.


Day 24 Feb 26th
1. Clean Clothes.
2. Having a Mom that is a very creative problem solver.
3. Have the chance to watch my amazing and beautiful son sleep.


Day 25 Feb 27th
1. Getting to see a bald eagle pair very close up on our sleigh ride.
2. Finding a nice thank you gift.
3. Jaxon's joy at finding his tiger hat.


Day 26 Feb 28th
1. That we had a safe drive from Jackson, WY to Pendleton, OR.
2. Grateful to have had the chance to spend this time with Mom, Ron, and Jaxon.
3. Getting to see the craters of The Moon national Monument.


Day 27 Feb 29th
1. That it is leap day.
2. That we got back to Seattle safe and sound.
3. That I got to sleep in my own bed.


Day 28 March 1st.
1.  Playing tennis with Jaxon.
2. Jaxon having the morning with Michael.
3. Enjoying my tea.




Interestingly I did not keep count of the day as I was traveling and ended up with 28 days of 3 things I liked about each day.  In entering them into this blog I am reliving the joy and happiness of each of those days... a very nice exercise that I highly recommend!!!