Attitude of Gratitude

Today I am grateful! 

via

Grateful for so many things, including...

Christopher Columbus

I'm very grateful that Christopher Columbus found America...and very happy that the bond market is closed today to honor Columbus and his fabulous discovery! Thank you, Christopher Columbus, for sailing the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria across the ocean blue in 1492.

Weekend with my mom

My mom spent the end of last week and the weekend with us in Dallas. I love love love having her in town. Her only request is to have as many meals as possible on a patio, weather permitting, of course. 

I'm often told how much I look like my mom. That is such a compliment to me. I can only hope I age as beautifully as she has. I love that lady so very much...and I am beyond grateful for the close relationship we share!

Upcoming Anniversary Trip

We {finally} decided where we are going to celebrate our first anniversary...and our trip to Napa Valley is officially booked! SO EXCITED! Just a few weeks away...

This Guy

Speaking of our anniversary trip, I'm grateful for an A-MAZing husband who makes this journey through life worth traveling. I'm thankful he loves me even at my worst {pretty much any morning before 8:00 am!}

Jayhawk Basketball

Last Friday night, "Late Night in the Phog" marked the official kickoff of the 2014-2015 basketball season! ROCK CHALK!

I'm so grateful that I'll be meeting several of my college roommates in Lawrence the last weekend in January for the KU/K-State basketball game.  Can't wait to {Re}live the college life...for a weekend. Or just one night.

March 2013: the last time we were all in Lawrence together! 

For what are you most grateful?

Today I'm linking up with Emily from Ember Grey for "Grateful Heart Monday." 

Year of Gratitude

At church several weeks ago, the pastor announced that the general theme for 2014 is going to be "The Year of Gratitude."  This idea stems from the book "365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life," by John Kralik.  I have not read this book, but it details how the author turned his life around by writing one thank you note each day for an entire year.  This really struck me...possibly because we'd just finished writing all of our wedding thank you notes...and it has stayed on my mind.

I LOVE writing and sending notes, but the thought of writing 365 notes is a bit intimidating. The more I thought about this, the clearer it became that committing to this project would benefit me far more than anyone I may send a note to.  Off the top of my head, I could think of people I'd send notes to that would cover at least the first month.  Then I started thinking about all the people I haven't expressed adequate appreciation to in the past. Whoa....that's embarrassing.  That will probably get me at least through July.  But then what? That's when it hit me.  Hard.  Like a brick wall.  It's the little things...the things I've come to EXPECT rather than appreciate...the things I've taken for granted.  

Sooooooo...I'm taking on this massive challenge! I hope it doesn't take the entire year for me to develop a true attitude of gratitude, to realize how incredibly blessed I am.  I'm doing this to better myself, but I also hope that it benefits the recipients of my notes.  It absolutely makes my day to receive personal notes in the mail, so I'm hoping to share a little bit of that over the next year.  

Good thing I've got some stationery on hand.
On another note, this would be a fabulous gift idea!  ;)  I promise I'll send you a thank you note!

I'll update the blog throughout the year as to how this project is impacting me (another way to hold myself accountable!).  Watch for the label "Year of Gratitude" to follow my progress in this challenge.