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 something to be grateful for each day isn’t about trying to give the impression that life is perfect and wonderful. It isn’t. Those little moments of gratitude can be hard to find at times; particularly after my eldest daughter Jessica died in April 2018. Some days, I struggle to find my grateful moment; some days I just feel broken and bruised. But even when it has been hard to do, I have still managed to find something. Even if it is something small, and silly, and trivial.
Jessica 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 40 – I am grateful to have arrived back home safely and to be inside and sheltered from Storm Ciara (until this evening at least when I have to take hubby to the airport for his flight to Australia). Thomas’s trophy from last night now has pride of place next to Sophie’s one from three years ago.
Day 41 – I am grateful for warm blankets and a short school run!
Day 42 – I am grateful for fun in the garden trying to fly a homemade kite.
Day 43 – I am grateful for getting to see a whole album of ‘new’ photos of Jessica that were taken on a photo shoot for Action Medical Research a few years ago to help raise awareness of some wonderful research they were funding to help improve surgical outcomes for children with HLHS. This week is #CHDAwarenessWeek and while I haven’t been as vocal about raising awareness as I have been in previous years, it is still something that remains very close to my heart. We are so very thankful for all the research, all the medical advances and skills of the healthcare professionals that gave us six and a half years with this beautiful girl. What a wonderful gift it was to see so many photos of her beautiful smiley face. I could almost hear the giggles coming from some of them. Such precious memories.
Day 44 – I am grateful for video calls and being able to talk face-to-face with my lovely hubby earlier today even though we are more than 10,000 miles apart at the moment.
Day 45 – I am grateful that I managed to fix my washing machine after it stopped working yesterday with the help of YouTube videos and some advice and tools from my father-in-law.
Day 46 – I am grateful for time to bake cookies with Sophie.
Well done on fixing the washing machine! It’s amazing what can be done with a YouTube video I’ve found.
YouTube is brilliant for things like that 🙂
What a lovely photo of Jessica. Her smiling is just how I remember her in all your posts.
Love that colourful blanket
Thank you, it is such a lovely photo of her 🙂
I hope your hubby is havign a good work trip.
How lovely to see some new photos of Jessica.
Good on your fixing the washing machine. x
Thank you Kim, it really made my day seeing all those photos of Jessica.
Way to go on fixing the washing machine. That’s awesome. I hope your hubby has a good work trip. It must be nice to see some photos of your little angel xx
Thank you Susan. It was amazing to see so many new photos of her.
Woohoo well done on fixing the washing machine – I’m very impressed ! Lovely photos of the kids – so special to get some new photos of Jessica. Hugs xxx
Thank you Cheryl, it was such a lovely surprise to get them 🙂
What lovely photos, especially the one of Jessica. How wonderful to have a whole ‘new’ set of photos. Thomas looks very cosy in his colourful blanket. I am in awe of you fixing your washing machine! Mine hasn’t been working as well lately, maybe I should find a YouTube video too.
Thank you Sarah. The washing machine is still being a bit temperamental but the YouTube videos have been brilliant for helping to keep it working until hubby gets home and can take a look.
Great job on being able to fix your washing machine. Isn’t tech brilliant for covering the miles – I’d be lost without Skype. That’s such a priceless gift for you all xx #366
It’s been amazing to be able to see and speak to my husband so regularly even with him so far away. Technology is certainly a wonderful thing at times!
how lovely to see an album full of unseen pictures of Jessica, she looks so happy.
Love the colours on the blanket
amazing how technology can make him seem like he is in the next room.
The photos were amazing – they captured Jessica’s personality so beautifully.
Oh wow well done on fixing the washing machine yourself! Calling someone out would have been pretty expensive.
How nice to be able to see some unseen pictures of Jessica, lovely picture of her x
Thank you, it was a relief to get it working again! The photos of Jessica were lovely and that one was one of my favourites from the set.
What a beautiful photo of Jessica! How lovely to discover photos which you haven’t seen before.
The blanket is so pretty. Baking cookies at the weekend is therapeutic.
And big well done on fixing your washing machine.
Thank you, it was so amazing to see so many ‘new’ photos 🙂
Very lovely pictures. Cute blanket. OooOo cookies. I’ve studied cardiovascular system last year in my MBBS and I can tell how tough having such a disease. Once again, so sorry for your loss
Thank you. Jessica certainly went through a lot with her ‘special heart’ but she was a little trooper and always had such a beautiful big smile.
Glad your husband got to the airport safely, what a lovely colourful blanket. Such a lovely picture of Jessica, how lovely to have so many memories of her
It is lovely to have been able to capture so many memories. The photos and videos are so precious.
I wouldn’t be able to cope without my hubby especially at such a distance! How lovely to get extra pics of Jessica #project366
It’s such a part of our normal now that I just automatically slip into my own routines whenever he goes away. Much nicer when he comes home though!