Daily Gratitude Journal: I'm Grateful for the Sea

It's been a while since I've written a "Daily" Gratitude Journal Post. Today is the day to get back on that way of thinking. However, today it's easy to sit down and take a few minutes for myself. We are on vacation with my in-laws down at the beach so there are two extra people to keep our three children entertained while I quietly slip out to the front porch, latte in hand, by myself to smell the salt air and feel the familiar chill of a beachy summer morning that provides the perfect lazy backdrop of relaxation in it's overcast, misty air. Some might call it gloomy. Today I call it glorious.

Armed with a newfound optimism, I'm grateful for so many things and since we're not home drowning in piles of clean laundry and piles of dirty laundry and piles of the yet-to-be-determined-by-the-sniff-test-only laundry that resides boldly between the two; I can breathe. 

Since I'm not walking through a crumbling kitchen held up by stacks of paper, stacks of school books and stacks of dishes; I can see. 

Since we have the rare one-to-one ratio of adults per children in our home-away-from-home beach house (even with me sitting on the porch alone); I can relax.

"This," I loudly proclaim, "should occur more frequently!"

Today I'm grateful for:

1. Family. We are so blessed to be surrounded by two sets of grandparents who are loving and generous. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have my parents close by to see as often as we do. At this point we see them at least weekly; sometimes more, sometimes less. The kids will always have fond memories of growing up with their maternal grandparents firmly planted in their everyday lives. They live close enough to attend a Monday afternoon dance class, or meet for lunch in addition to the once a year holiday blow-out events where everyone comes together. I'm thankful for my in-laws who go above and beyond to create wonderful vacation memories with us, like renting this house for us all to stay in. We may not be as close in distance to do all of the year-round events, but we make the most of our time when we are together a few times a year. As paternal grandparents they bring a fun perspective with them filled with water color painting lessons and hot wheel races.

...now if we could just get our brothers to move closer for regular cousin visits...

2. I'm grateful for cold, chilly, misty beach mornings where the espresso is warm and the chair is cozy, smiles are genuine, voices are friendly, laughter flows easy and the day holds promises of sandy excitement once the sun burns through the marine layer. Summer mornings at the beach. Doesn't get more relaxing than that. 

3. I'm grateful for vacations because regardless of what the calendar says, every afternoon is Saturday, every morning is Sunday and every evening is Friday night.

4. I'm grateful for Mother Nature for without her, none of this would be possible. The ocean, the hummingbirds coming by to say hello!, wiry branches offering me tiny purple orchids, the fruit tree in the back yard behind us; the palm trees and waves swaying to their familiar, breezy song. Thanks Mama Nature. You're a real peach!

5. I'm grateful for clarity and perspective; for fresh starts and long journeys and the necessity of putting one foot in front of the other and continuing the walk down the mountain or up the mountain - whichever way your brain imagines life to be. For slogging onward and having faith; for getting back on Spirit the horse after it reared up it's legs sliding me and two others off it's back when I was 5 years old (true story); for not backing down when intuition is screaming at me and for trusting the chills up my spine and the way my nose hairs tingle just before crying. I'm grateful for possessing the strength to just be me and to take my family on this journey; this detour in our lives right now I believe so whole-heartidly in and trust; and for not backing down - never backing down - to the bears and the wolves circling the fire. I'm grateful for the ears to hear the wise owls and for the ability to tune out the cackling crows. I'm grateful for the steadfast gut that has served me well and has gotten me in and out of the jams that give my life the bold flavor I crave. I have my family's best interest at heart and from there is where I make my decisions. I do not apologize for that.

...and to my children who may be reading this someday, some advice from Mama:

-Always listen to your inner voice and believe what your heart is telling you.
-Trust yourself to make your own decisions but keep going if it was the wrong one. It will be the wrong one from time to time and that's okay. That's how you know what you want and what you don't want out of life. You will find the right path someday. Enjoy life's daily lessons.
-Always hold love in your heart. For a heart full of love will always seek the good and the truth of what you deserve.
-And lastly (for now anyway), I hope you find a love like Daddy and I have someday! It's been a beautiful ride!

My Daily Goal: I will take a picture each day that brings me happiness and I will post it along with my list of 5 things I'm grateful for. I invite you to do the same!  These are not listed in order of importance. That is too much pressure for this writing exercise. I am just free flowing as I write and trying to be genuine in my thoughts and emotions and writing what I feel at the moment. Please join me! @coco_cana #DailyGratitudeJournal

For further reading: My Daily Gratitude Journals

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