Gratitude/Blessings 2015

Since January 1 of last year, I have kept a jar on the kitchen counter and little pieces of paper nearby so I could jot down a quick note of something I was grateful for or blessed by on any particular day. I’ve tried keeping a journal before, and just don’t have to discipline to sit down at the end of a day when all I can think about is going to bed, and writing about my day. The days of “Dear Diary” are long gone. But I CAN take a few seconds to jot down something on a piece of paper and pop it in a jar. It’s amazing how many positive things that take place over the past year that you tend to forget about. It’s easy to do in a negative world. Going over these pieces of paper brings them back. Even when tears are involved. I’ve shown some of the highlights of my past year. I started to put them in month order, but since there were so many duplications, I decided to just list the various “experiences”. The one exception I will mention chronologically is about Emma, our granddaughter that was with us for such a short time.

January…learned Sarah and Kevin were having a girl and her name would be Emma Skye
February…went down for Lia’s birthday, and got to see Sarah’s “Emma” bump
March…finished crocheting the baby blanket for Emma
May…baby shower at a friend’s house in Fresno
June 23, 2015…Emma was born
July 15, 2015…Emma was taken home by the Lord. And YES, this was a blessing.
July 24…Emma’s memorial. Paul flew out and Marv’s brother and sis-in-law came up

Dinner/lunch/game night with a friend or friends
New kitty figurine from the antique store
Watched the old Audrey Hepburn movie “Charade” on TMC. I LOVE that movie!
Marv found a GREAT pen in a parking lot! I LOVE parking lot pens!
Made various favorite meals/desserts
The times one or the other of my kids called me UNSOLICITED!! That means a lot! THEY had to take the time to CALL ME!!
Read awesome books
Had prayers answered
Learned a new crafting technique involving an embosser and soda cans
Spending time with Lia, either in Fresno or here in Oroville. Doing LOTS of crafts!
Falling down and NOT breaking anything! I don’t fall often, but when I do…yikes
Marv planted petunias in the front planter and they looked GREAT!
Talking to my brother. REALLY wish he and his family lived closer!
Spending time doing stuff on the computer while listening to youtube music
Had my cat Sheba put to sleep. May sound like a weird thing to include in this subject, but Sheba was a real blessing. And it was a blessing to help her attain rest.
Our first REAL vacation in years in Trinidad
Taught Lia how to blow bubbles with bubblegum

Kind of a long post, but hey, it encompassed a whole YEAR….wonder what the pieces of paper in the jar will say about 2016???