At the start of 2016, inspired by a friend, I started a daily gratitude challenge – posting one thing that I was thankful for each day on Instagram. I enjoyed it so much that when I reached the end of that year, I carried on and have kept going ever since. Finding one little thing to be thankful for each day has now become part of my daily routine and I’ve loved seeing friends joining in along the way too.
Finding little things to be grateful for isn’t always easy, especially when living through scary and uncertain times. I have found though that trying to find something, however small and trivial, to be grateful for has helped me through some of the hardest days of my life.
My eldest daughter Jessica, who died in April 2018, was an inspiration to me throughout her short life. She had so much strength and such a wonderful zest for life. Her godmother described her once as a “joy carrier” and it was the perfect description for her. She was a little ray of sunshine, full of smiles and gave joy to all who knew her. I am, and will always be, grateful to be her mummy. She taught me to enjoy the little moments and to make the most of everyday because tomorrow is never promised. And even though having to live life without Jessica is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do, I will continue to look for those little things to be thankful for, and keep going with this challenge in honour of my beautiful brave girl.
Here are my grateful moments from the past week:
Day 264 – I am grateful for some time on my own with Jessica this afternoon.
Day 265 – I am grateful that we’ve finished the jigsaw we were working on as a family and I can have the table back again.
Day 266 – I am grateful that we’ve been able to make the most of the sunshine over the last few days and for all the time we’ve spent out in our garden over the last few months. It’s been lovely to sit outside and work while watching the children play.
Day 267 – I am grateful for time to go exploring with Thomas.
Day 268 – I am grateful for the excitement over another expected visit from the tooth fairy.
Day 269 – I am grateful that my lovely friend has made face masks from the material taken off my bridesmaid dress so we all have matching masks for my twinny’s wedding tomorrow. I love that she also made a little heart with the remaining fabric in memory of Jessica which Sophie will carry.
Day 270 – I am grateful for a lovely new brother-in-law. Congratulations Twinny and Tony!!
That’s a lovely thing your friend made with the heart as well as the masks. Hope the wedding went well. It’s been so cold this week, but it’s nice that it’s not been too wet.
Thanks Emma, we had a lovely day and the weather was nice for it.
How lovely your friend made the masks and the little tribute for Jessica. Hope the wedding went really well for you all. Really pleased you’ve managed to eek out as much time outdoors as you have throughout the summer
Thank you, it meant a lot that Jessica was remembered and included. The wedding was lovely and thankfully the weather was nice for it too.
Well done with the jigsaw. That is a tough one. My teen couldn’t manage to complete it.
Those masks look fab! Congratulations to your sister and her husband. I hope you all had a lovely day x
It is a tough one but we were all very determined! The wedding was lovely, thank you x
So lovely that Jessica was part of your sister’s wedding and that the weather held out for you all. Great to have matching masks too #366
It meant so much to have Jessica included and it was such a lovely day.
I love that you got matching masks for your sister’s wedding. Hope you had fun.
It was a great way to use up the leftover fabric from taking up the bridesmaid dresses!
Awww a lockdown wedding! I hope you all had a fantastic day – your sister looks gorgeous!xx
That is one seriously impressive jigsaw and well done on finishing it! We have enjoyed doing jigsaws this year, but I do love having my floor space back once they are complete! Hope you are all having a lovely week! Sim x
Thank you, it was a lovely day. I do like doing a jigsaw but I’d like it more if they didn’t completely take over our dining room table!
How lovely that your friend made the masks to match. I hope your Twinny had a lovely Wedding Day and you all had a great time. That is huge jigsaw I would be the same as you and want my table back.
Thank you, it was a lovely day.
Aww that’s such a lovely idea, making matching masks from the bridesmaid dress material – a stroke of genius, whoever came up with that one ! Lovely to have the little heart for Jessica too 🙂
Thank you – I’m glad we had the leftover fabric to make them with 🙂
The masks from the wedding dress and heart is such a lovely idea, and congrats to your sister on he rwedding! #project366
Thank you Laura. It was a lovely day.
Congrats to the bride and groom. How lovely of your friend to make the heart.
I know what you mean about getting the table back after a jigsaw is done!
Thank you. It was lovely to have Jessica included in so many ways.
That looks like a really big jigsaw. I always feel the same when we finally finish one and I reclaim my table (or floor!). What a lovely photo of your sister, congratulations on her wedding day. How thoughtful of your friend to make the heart too.
Thank you. It was a huge jigsaw – too big to fit in the puzzle case we have so we couldn’t pack it away at all until it was done.
I love the colour that the bride chose and how lovely that she included Jessica in the day
It was such a lovely colour, wasn’t it? Meant a lot to have Jessica included.
I hope you had a nice time with Jessica, once again may her soul rest in peace. That jigsaw is huge! Thomas looks like he’s having fun. Masks made from your bridesmaid dress? Aww congrats to their wedding.
Thank you. Yes, the masks were made from the fabric trimmed from my bridesmaid dress after it was taken up.