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 348 – I am grateful for a semi-virtual parade and Christingle service. So lovely to see some people in person again that I haven’t seen (other than via a Zoom call) since March.
Day 349 – I am grateful that the Christmas tree is finally up!
Day 350 – I am grateful that I can still create a festive photo with all three of my children thanks to the magic of Photoshop.
Day 351 – I am grateful for home-made Christmas decorations.
Day 352 – I am grateful for brown paper and Christmas stamps.
Day 353 – I am grateful for Zoom Christmas parties.
Day 354 – I am grateful for Christmas dress-up outfits – especially ones that have been worn for several Christmases.
It sounds like a lovely, festive week.
The photo with all three of your kids did make me smile.
I hope you have a lovely Christmas x
Thank you Kim. Hope you had a lovely Christmas x
That’s one cute elf. Zoom has been a life saver for so much of life this year hasn’t it. Have a merry Christmas
She did make a very cute elf. Zoom has definitely been a life-saver – we’ve used it so much this year! Hope you had a good Christmas.
Love the photo of Jessica as an angel. Sophie looks so cute as an elf. Lovely you managed to run Christingle with others. Hope you all have a very merry christmas.
Thank you, it was from her nativity play in Reception and I’ve used it a couple of times now for Christmas photos. Hope you had a good Christmas.
Lovely Christmas tree and festive photo!
Home made decorations are always the best I think.
Thank you. I do love homemade decorations.
Aww the festive photo is very cute and so special – a lovely idea 🙂 Lovely to see you managing to have some festive celebrations too. Happy Christmas to you all xxx
It’s become a tradition to do a festive photo with the children – it’s harder now to try and keep including Jessica but I love that it gives me a photo each year of the three of them together. Hope you had a good Christmas.
What a lovely festive week! I think the photo of the children is lovely. Nice to get the tree up and also the home made decs always the best!
Thank you, I was really pleased with how well the photo came out.
Love your special photoshopped pic: did you do it yourselves? We have no Christmas dressing up clothes but we need new Christmas jumpers next year so may try to get to the sales online! #project366
Yes, I did the photo – was really pleased with how well it turned out.
What a lovely photoshop picture, so clever doing that, wish I was more skilled in photoshop. What a fab homemade Christmas decoration. very colourful. What a cute Christmas outfit, hope you had a fabulous Christmas x
Thank you, I enjoyed putting that one together. Hope you had a good Christmas.
I missed doing Christingle this year, although a virtual service sounds like a great idea. I love that Christmas outfits can be worn again and again
It was lovely to still be able to have a virtual Christingle. Christmas outfits now packed away for another year but we’ll hopefully get some more wear out of them yet!