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 334 – I am grateful for family time together at the park.
Day 335 – I am grateful for the delicate beauty of dew-covered spider webs on the washing line.
Day 336 – I am grateful for the excitement of getting to open the first door in the advent calendars.
Day 337 – I am grateful that Sophie got a ‘WOW of the Week’ for ‘being an excellent role model for the class’. Well done Sophie!
Day 338 – I am grateful for the little ways that Jessica is remembered by others, especially at this time of the year.
Day 339 – I am grateful for my lovely new car.
Day 340 – I am grateful that we’ve been able to have one festive day out this year at least. So strange not having a full calendar at this time of year but it’s nice not to be quite so hectic too. We had a lovely afternoon at Chiltern Open Air Museum and picked up a few Christmas presents on the stalls there too.
It looks like you’s had lots of fun at the park.
We had the same excitement opening our advent calendars here.
Well done Sophie for getting WOW of the Week.
Those tree decorations are adorable and hooray for the new car. x
Advent calendars are so much fun, aren’t they? The new car is lovely, so nice to have one that works properly again!
Gosh that looks like quite a big web, but I do think your right they look lovely when covered in dew (or sparkling in the moonlight). Fab effort Sophie at school. Those are lovely Christmas decorations and another special memory. So pleased you managed to enjoy a festive day out, we haven’t got any planned this year, but fortunately my boys are a bit older so they don’t mind so much.
It was quite a big web! They are pretty when covered in dew or frost. It was lovely to have one festive day out – that will probably be the only one this year.
Glad you managed a festive day out. The new car looks lovely.
Thank you. It is a lovely car – I’m enjoying driving it.
Cool swing, great to see them all having fun. The spider web looks so intricate and amazing. Cool title, WOW of the week. Congrats! Lovely reminders of Jessica
Spider webs are beautiful – I love how intricate they are.
Awwww a new car!!! Yey! It looks very jazzy! That new car smell is awesome! 🙂 I promised to keep my car clean and tidy when I got it, totally failed! :/
That cobweb image is amazing, nature really is so clever! So glad you managed to get out on a festive day out, Christmas is so different this year, but need to keep the magic alive! Sim x
Lol, we go out to too many muddy places to have much chance of keeping the car clean for long (although I have put a plastic sheet in the boot to minimise the mud!)
Well done to Sophie on the ‘Wow of the Week’ and congrats on the new car!
Love the pic of the spider web!
Thank you. I do love seeing spider webs covered in dew or frost.
Well done Sophie. I’m partial to taking photos of spiders webs, although they always seem to be in awkward places to get to here. Love a new car – how are you finding it?
Yes, they’re not the easiest things to take photos of. The new car is lovely – it’s the same model as my old one, just a bit newer, so wasn’t too difficult to get used to.
That’s a fantastic cobweb! Yay to days out its been tough this year hasn’t it, we are normally the same with a busy calendar but in some ways, I have enjoyed the slowness. Although we decided to decorate so never a dull moment. The new car looks great hope you are enjoying it x
It is nice to slow down a little although there’s been plenty to keep me occupied! The new car is lovely 🙂
Love the new car – mine is limping but hoping it lasts until the new year. We have those named Christmas decorations too
Fingers crossed your car lasts – my old one only managed to last this long because of lockdown and all the restrictions.
ooh, new car, how exciting, well done to Sophie for doing so well at school, the swing looks fun and I love the christmas decorations for each of the children, it must be lovely knowing that Jessica still ives on in the hearts of others also
It is lovely – always means so much when Jessica is remembered by others.
We loved our visit to COAM but it was earlier in the year when all the stalls were shut 🙁 Well done to Sophie on her certificate. Ooh what car is it? #project366
It’s a VW Touran – same as our old car but a bit newer and a lot more reliable!
Well done Sophie ! Lovely to see Jessica being remembered 🙂 Oooh a new car – very nice ! Lovely to have managed a family day out – no mean feat in the current conditions ! xx
It was nice to get one day out at least. The new car is lovely – not that we’ve managed to go far in it yet though!