Oh yay! It’s November! It’s time that I get to post my gratitudes every day!
Gratitude is a big part of my life. I did 365 Days of Gratitude in 2014 and I was interviewed about it by the lovely Hannah. Every November, I take the time to photograph and post one thing for which I’m grateful. I’m pretty sure this is my fourth year practicing gratitude in the month of November.
I know that it’s important to me to begin to slow down at this time of year. September and October are both busy, hectic, loud months with school starting, routines being developed, Halloween excitement, all that. In November, we begin to pause, we begin to quiet down. We get ready for Advent and the meditation and introspection that comes with that season of preparation. It gets darker and darker as the days get shorter and shorter. Nature starts to shut down and pack up for the winter. November is just a natural time to turn inside and give thanks for those things that surround us.
So, please join me in giving thanks for the month of November. There are so many hashtags on Instagram that point to gratitude, but the ones I use the most are #30daysofgratitude to be part of the larger community of gratitude, but I also like to do my own #30daysofgratitudeATT (for And Then They…) so I can keep track of my, and my friends’ posts more easily. So, if you post some gratitude posts this month (there are no rules saying you have to do it every single day), please add those hashtags so we can all follow along with each others’ months of gratitude. I’m carolynfwilliams on Instagram if you want to follow along.
I’m grateful for you!
I’ve missed listing my gratitudes, after having done it almost weekly for an entire year in 2014. I’m coming up on my 35th birthday, so I thought it would be fun to think of 35 things for which I’m grateful.
10:02 – I want to remember this time with Harriet. I totally hate this age when she has so much to say, but she doesn’t have the words to say it. This moment, she had something terrible to tell me about this ball, but I just couldn’t figure out what she was saying. Then she spent my entire shower yelling at me to help her find her backpack (that ended up being on the floor in the hallway…). She is whiny and screechy. I’m not sure why I want to remember all of this, but I get the feeling it will be funny to look back at it all. Right? 
10:57 – I want to remember their wonder (and their happiness at being out of the car). Right here Alma said, “I don’t want to smell the flowers because of allergies.” The she smelled the flowers. She doesn’t have allergies, by the way.
11:03 – I want to remember all the beauty of Autumn. Snowberries are a favorite, and it was fun to be able to share them with the girls. We also call most wild berries ‘bird berries’ because I want the girls to know not to eat them – they are only good for birds. So far, this has worked to keep them from eating random poison berries. 
11:17 – I want to remember these sweet friends. I love that our kids won’t remember a time that these kids weren’t in their lives. Since it was a holiday, a lot of my friends (and their kids) had the day off of work and school, so we made plans to meet at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History. I’d never taken the kids there, so it was especially fun. Not to mention the cool backpacks that each kid got to wear. And the fact that Harriet’s was almost bigger than she is.
12:03 – I want to remember how these kids were curious, engaged, interested, and awesome. The museum is set up so well, and our kids did a great job exploring.
12:05 – I want to remember how this girl tries (and succeeds) to keep up with the big kids. She’s difficult these days, but watching her learn and grow is a joy, truly. 
12:32 – I want to remember these friendships. 
12:48 – I want to remember how we got lunch at one of the dorms, and ate outside. I’d like to forget how crazy it was trying to wrangle two girls (plus the others), pick out food for us, order it, pay for it, and not lose either kid. But I want to remember how, as we were leaving the food court, Jane said, “And as they leave, they throw condoms to the audience.” I’m sure watching all of us with our kids was enough to inspire abstinence in at least a few of the college students. 
3:49 – I want to remember how Alma likes to take my camera and take photos. This one worked out because it’s nice to have photos of me in these posts, since I’m the one usually taking the photos. I also want to remember how busy I’ve been getting some Christmas things ready.
4:41 – I want to remember how, whenever Rory comes over, it becomes a dress-up party. They change and play and run and dance.
4:57 – I want to remember these three. Right now they’re the big kids (Poppy will catch up soon) and they are the best. I want to remember the way Harriet still sucks on her fingers and rubs her eyelashes. I want to remember Alma’s dramatic flair (look at those pinkies!). 
I want to remember how I forgot to take any more photos because we were just having a good time with our friends, getting pizza, eating pizza, talking about god and God, and Heaven and heaven. Sometimes it’s better to just put the camera down and live and remember.
2015: Wow! So many kids! So many people! No pregnant women (as far as I know!) Nineteen kids! 
6:54 – I want to remember these mornings when Jesse and I play a game of chicken – who can last the longest before getting out of bed to get Harriet, or to get some milk for the girls. This morning I lost, but I usually win.
7:02 – I want to remember these breakfasts of smoothies for me, Jesse, and Harriet. Alma doesn’t care for smoothies. Jesse also doesn’t really care for the chia seeds I put in the smoothies, but I’m not going to stop doing it. I love the weird little gooey seeds. 
7:48 – I want to remember how much the girls love ‘talking’ on the phone, usually to their grandparents. This morning it is a princess calling her grandparents. I also want to remember these moments when the girls are entertaining themselves and each other. 
9:18 – I want to remember how daunting most sewing projects seem before I start, then how I get in a groove and really enjoy seeing something appear out of nothing. It’s magic, and I love magic. 
10:14 – I want to remember how my mom sometimes brings books to share with the girls. Today it is Ladybug Girl and Llama, Llama, Red Pajama. I also want to remember how the girls attach themselves to all their grandparents and soak up all the love being given to them. They are lucky girls. 
11:04 – I want to remember the adventures we took this summer. We went to the farm a lot, to lots of parks, the library, and to concerts all over town. It wasn’t boring, and it wasn’t hard, thanks to lots of grandparents who were around to play with us, and help us out. 
11:07 – I want to remember how Harriet is still a little scared of the farm animals. I mean, she loves them, but she doesn’t want to have their mouths anywhere near her. I think this is a healthy fear, and she’ll outgrow it quickly. She loves the animals and never wants to leave them. If I mention the goats, she says, clear as day, “goats!” and holds her hand out like she’s feeding them, then says “money?” because I often don’t have quarters to feed the goats. She’s a planner, and I want to remember that. 
11:21 – I want to remember how the girls play together and help each other out. Harriet loves when Alma involves her, and Alma is realizing that Harriet is a playmate who can actually play. 
11:28 – I want to remember the taste of Detering’s Apple Cider. It’s a memory of my childhood, going out to the farm, getting the sample cup, begging my parents to buy a gallon to take home. It’s still just as good, and takes me right back to childhood. I love that it will be a memory of childhood for my girls, too. 
12:07 – I want to remember how Harriet is eager to help with the chicken chores. She loves to feed them, gather the eggs, and most of all, carry them inside. She even likes to eat them, so that’s a huge plus. I also want to remember her sweet pudgy arms and wonderful cheeks. 
2:16 – I want to remember Alma’s first haircut and how she chooses to have me trim it up. She looks so sweet and grown-up. 
3:25 – I want to remember the letters the girls get from their new teachers before school starts. Both girls are so excited today to open mail addressed to them. Alma ‘called’ her teachers and talked to them, and pretended it was school for a good hour after opening her letter.
5:07 – I want to remember these last moments before Jesse gets home. I’m certainly watching for his car to drive up, and I think the girls are anticipating it, too. I’ve been trying to get the girls interested in doing something so they’re not just whining, which is what they usually do. Today it is dancing and playing with babies. I also read a lot of books between 4:30 and when Jesse gets home. Harriet loves Pigeon and Llama Llama books. Alma likes pretty much anything.
5:54 – I want to remember how Jesse takes the girls and plays with them while I make dinner. They usually do funny things like pretend to sleep, and he is right there with him. He is seriously the best dad and husband. 
6:59 – I want to remember how good it feels to get the dishes done before the kids are in bed! Usually we wait until after, but tonight we finished dinner early, so we just did the dishes as the kids played. Phew, that feels really good. 
7:05 – I want to remember how we all cuddle in bed for a story before we put the girls to bed. I want to remember how we do kisses before bed, each person giving each person a kiss, then one big kiss all together. Then, Jesse and I trade off who puts whom to bed. Harriet is easy – a song, then in the crib, tucked in, and out of there. Alma is a different story. She won’t go to sleep unless one of is sitting in her room. I know that this isn’t the best routine, but for now it’s better than having her come out over and over and over again. We’ll figure out another routine soon. It’s also kind of nice to just sit in there with her, and catch up on Instagram and blogs. 
9:34 – I want to remember how I feel and who I am right now. I have a good, happy life. I have a warm, comfortable home. I have a loving, funny family. I have support, guidance, friends, and love. And that’s good enough for me. 
I’m not often in front of the camera, so I’m so happy to have these. I could write a whole blog post about body image and moms missing from family photos, but I’m sure you’ve all read it before. The main thing is that I don’t want to look back at my life and not see myself in the photos. I also don’t want my daughters to see me missing. 
My beautiful, silly girl, with those sweet freckles. 
I love Harriet’s closed eyes here. And our strawberry blond curls. 
Courtney wanted to try this hand photo, and Harriet didn’t want to play along. I’m astonished that Courtney was able to catch the split second all our hands were stacked up. That’s talent, folks.
