Gratitude Brain Dump: 43 Things I’m Grateful For

Off the top of my head, 43 random things I’m currently grateful for today, as a newly minted 43-year-old today, in no particular order:

1. A healthy, functional body
2. A steaming hot cup of tea in a large, just-right mug
3. My wireless computer mouse. I despise the laptop mouse pad thingy..
4. For robust, loving family relationships all across the board- from Ivan/the boys to my parents/ sister and all of Ivan’s large, extended family… I’m so grateful that these relationships are all functional and strong!
5. My cozy house. My house really shines in the fall/winter months, with its earthy tones and fireplaces… I love it.
6. A good routine. I love when my routines are working and things feel easier. (Okay, this is not exactly currently happening as life has been nuts-o, but this makes me all the more grateful for when my routines ARE working right… ;))
7. Good friends. I actually don’t have many close friends, but the ones I do mean the world to me. You know who you are. 💕
8. Spicy food. Gosh I love me some spicy food. Preferably salsa verde or raw jalapenos.
9. People who decorate their homes for the holidays! It’s so fun and I love admiring it as I walk by.
10. The smell of fresh, crisp, fall air. I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. 😉
11. Charlie and how absolutely overjoyed he gets to see me. He makes me feel like the most special person in the world. 😅
12. That the boys can drive now….
13. Indoor plumbing.
14. My sunroom.
15. My piano! I played yesterday while waiting for my tea water to heat and I had this thought wash over me that I am just SO GRATEFUL for my piano. Not just any piano, MY piano, the Yamaha U3. It’s just beautiful and I’m so grateful that I get to own a really nice piano of my very own.
16. That my parents live close by now! And that the big hurdle of the stressful move is done.
17. For living somewhere that I can just walk out my front door and walk.
18. My gym! And that the largest gym in Wisconsin is 0.4 miles from my house! I mean, what?! How lucky is that.
19. Chat GPT. Hahaha okay, hot take, but there have been some things lately that Chat has just made SO much easier and I can’t lie- I’ve been grateful for its technological wizardry.
20. Quiet early mornings, alone in my office, with a steaming cup of tea and a cozy lamp lit and the whole house asleep. I am not sure I can really describe how much pleasure this gives me.
21. My parents still being alive and healthy at 76. No matter what happens at this point, no one can take away the fact that I got to have them through my entire childhood and my boys’ entire childhoods! This is a gift not afforded to all and I’m grateful.
22. Some amazing travels this year. A few moments that come to mind, off the top of my head: Snorkeling in St. John at Maho Bay out around to a private beach with the boys and Ivan- I’ll never forget how insanely beautiful that was. Snorkeling with sea turtles. The sunset boat trip in St. Thomas. Riding e-bikes in Zion National Park with amazing rocks towering all around us. Laughing in the casino in Vegas with my parents at 1 a.m. as we tried so hard to win at the Rich Little Hens slot machine! 😅The view from the VRBO on Water Island. Cruising around the island on golf carts with Ivan and the boys, feeling like we had the island all to ourselves!
23. The feeling of completing a really solid strength workout.
24. That I still get to play volleyball at age 43!
25. For my work friend Kim, without whom I’m not sure I would have made it through the past few years of extreme change in my role.
26. That my boys are good kids. They’re not perfect and they’ve both done dumb stuff, but they’re good kids. 💕
27. Trees and birds. I love beautiful trees and I love watching birds in my yard. I think as I get older I might get into the whole “bird watching trend”. 😬😅
28. Fireplaces. Ohhhhhh I love having not one but TWO gas fireplaces in my house.
29. For living in Wisconsin. It’s also not perfect- umm yes it can get really cold. But I’m so grateful to live here, where people are genuinely nice, we’re practical and down to earth and unpretentious folks – we’re just good people here. I honestly love the four seasons, too.
30. That I was born into a family that valued education and a super strong work ethic.
31. That feeling when you do something dirty, like a sweaty workout, or even better, a bunch of yard work (the kind where you have dirt under your fingernails and your skin feels all grimy), and then you take a long, hot shower and emerge to put on cozy clean sweats and clean socks. Mmm. I love that.
32. My little bookmark collection. I get great joy from sliding a bookmark between the pages of a paper book, even if I’m not reading as much as I’d like to be in this particular season of life. It’s my favorite travel souvenir.
33. Funny shows and movies. Never horror. Ha.
34. My boys’ friends. I’m so so grateful they each found “their people” and have great friend groups.
35. That I finally quit soda!! It will be 6 months now in 3 more days. I’m so grateful to have FINALLY broken free from that addiction.
36. Podcasts. I love listening to them and look forward to new episodes.
37. That the boys each got involved with sports. Yes I complain about the volunteering, but their sports – both club and school, over the years- have brought so much meaning, structure and happiness to our family.
38. The feeling when you spend a ton of time planning a trip, and then you get to the airport and finally through security and sit down at the gate, with the whole vacation stretching in front of you… it’s always like, ahhhh, yes. Everything that could be done is done at this point, and now it’s time to just enjoy.
39. That I married a truly good guy who always puts me first. And who is exceptionally patient with the amount of time we spend with my parents (especially on trips, etc.)! It’s never lost on me that many guys would NOT want to do that, but he never complains.
40. Those moments when one of the teenagers randomly pops into my room or office just to chit chat. It’s not as common at this age, so I don’t take it for granted. 🙂
41. Pizza. I just really like pizza.
42. That I can work from home. The effect of this on my work/life balance and overall wellbeing (for me) cannot be understated.
43. That people out there continue to read my blog after over 6 years now! Thank you. 💕

This is an interesting statement. Does it mean that a grateful heart “sees many blessings”, as in, it notices the blessings that are already around it? Or, does it mean that a grateful heart sees many blessings, as in many blessings are bestowed upon it, in exchange for essentially manifesting positive things through living with a sense of gratitude? 🤔 Either way, I’m here for it.

Happy fall to all who are living somewhere where October is Octobering! 🍂🍁🍂🍁And to those who aren’t…. well…. plan an October visit to see me sometime. 🙂

Off to the gym now for a birthday workout- gotta celebrate that this 1-year-older body can still lift heavy things!

Daily Gratitude:

I am grateful for a little 1:1 time with Asher today. I went to his final volleyball tournament and then we grabbed a quick lunch/ drove home together.