A gratitude list.

On Friday morning, I went to a yoga class before we had to take Cambria to her follow up doctor's appointment with a pediatric dermatologist after a bit of a health scare at her four month check up. I find that it is easy to have gratitude in the comfortable and beautiful moments of life, but a lot more challenging when there is something to worry about. However, those are the times, in the midst of feeling anxious, when practicing gratitude is most helpful to me. I was really worried about Cambria this week while we were waiting for our follow up doctor's appointment. 

As the yoga teacher began and we closed our eyes and deepened our breath, we were asked to set an intention for our practice. I focused on having gratitude for our daughter. It was a beautiful hour where I was able to be fully present and active. After the class ended, we were welcomed into the reception area and offered complimentary Dark Horse coffee, and everyone was smiling and friendly. As I walked to my car, the sun shone on my face, the warm coffee warmed me from the inside, and I was grateful for the simple beautiful things: yoga, coffee, sun, exercise, friendly people.

As I reached my car, the worry that I had tried to escape began to creep in once again, so I decided to take a moment to finish my coffee and make a list of everything I was grateful for that week.

It helped me to feel hopeful and positive, even though I still felt anxious.   

Grateful for:

• my beautiful children.
• sunshine.
• lots of time outdoors.
• picnics.
• playing in the water.
• photography.
• time to journal.
• yoga.
• the opportunity to create a fun and adventurous childhood for my kids.
• a career that I am so passionate about that I miss during time away.
• time off to be more present for my family.
• making new friends.
• dinner with long time familiar friends.
• reading books with Everett.
• living room dance parties.
• a rare moment of silence in our home.
• lots of loud moments of liveliness in our home.
• podcasts.
• nap time.
• baby smiles and giggles and noises.
• music.
• discovering animals with my son- gophers at the park, caterpillars on the grass, a lizard on a tree, hummingbirds in the garden, and butterflies in the backyard.
• having a garden.
• extra light at the end of the day to spend outdoors.
• a kind and caring husband.
• watching the sibling relationship between my kids develop.

***

Cambria and I have spent a lot of time lately lying on blankets in the backyard, while Everett rides his bike or scooter or literally just runs in circles around us. The weather has been beautiful, and I am loving it after all of the rain we had this winter.

Sometimes, Everett takes a break from his busyness to come cuddle with his sister. Seeing these two together brings me so much joy. These pictures crack me up, because Everett is being his crazy, loving self, and Cambria is like, really?