Year 2/Day 28

After a lot of dates at Denny's (Grand Slam breakfast served anytime, $1.99), B and I said "I do." So, we thought it fitting on this, our 25th anniversary, to go to Denny's with the kids. M gave us a card she'd made--a collage with pictures that represented different things about us.

Sitting there, sipping coffee and chocolate milk, we didn't talk about anything major, just a little about how the year had been for each of us. But we were together; we were--we are--more than a couple. We are a family and I'm grateful for how ordinary and right that is, even as I'm struck by how miraculous it is.

Year 2/Day 27

I haven't needed any clothes for quite a while. Wanted, yes. Needed, no. But recently I realized I do need a pair of that wardrobe basic, black wool pants. I found a pair before Christmas that were on sale, but decided to take my chances they'd still be there after Christmas in the hopes that they'd be even more on sale. I'm grateful I was able to buy them today for about 40% of the original price.

Year 2/Day 26

The road to the barn was clear and dry--or so I thought. I'm grateful a pick-up truck ahead of me made a left-hand turn, forcing me to slow down. Once I hit the brakes, I realized the road had a coating of black ice on it. I took it slow the rest of the way and made it fine. Another driver wasn't so lucky. She lost control and rolled her mini-SUV just a mile north of the barn.

Year 2/Day 25

I'm grateful for sidewalks that are suddenly suprisingly mostly clear of snow and ice. Forty mph winds which made the temp feel like 15 degrees couldn't deter me from taking a long walk with the dog and it felt grrrrreat to be outside. As mom always said, you just have to dress for it.

Year 2/Day 24

M has needed new everyday shoes for the last six months. M does not like to shop much and the shoe situation was getting dire. Today her friend E came shopping with us, however, and we found new shoes and a few other things she really needed. I'm grateful E came shopping with us; it enhanced the shopping experience for all of us.

Year 2/Day 23

The weather has been lousy--snow, ice, rain, fog (no sun)--and we both wanted to get out of the house. I said "Let's see a movie." He said, "Let's go grocery shopping." We talked about other things for a few minutes and then he said, "So, you want to go grocery shopping?" and I said, "Well, if that's the only option for getting out of the house, then yes." We finished our glasses of wine, chatted a little more. "What are you thinking about?" I asked, because he was quiet. He said, "I'm thinking that if you want to go to a movie, we should do that." I think all of us have a little voice, like an indicator light on a dashboard that tells you when you should double back and check your tires. I'm grateful for a husband who didn't ignore the indicator light. We ended up going grocery shopping but it was because he paid attention that I could do it with a willing spirit.

Year 2/Day 22

Funny. It's days like this (Christmas, Thanksgiving) that I have the hardest time articulating something specific I'm grateful for, because there's so much in general. But I will pick one thing, because that is what I promised I would do. In many ways, this was not an extravagant Christmas for us. I'm grateful that my children are developing grateful hearts, too, and that they took a lean Christmas in stride.

Year 2/Day 21

My DH and I met for a bowl of soup downtown and on our way out, we met some neighbors who also go to our church. They have kids about the same ages as our kids and they played together a lot as toddlers. "Come over for enchiladas between services," Brian said. We did. I'm grateful for friends who have known our kids almost as long as we have and who think nothing of inviting us over at the last minute on Christmas Eve.

Year 2/Day 20

To date in December, we've received 3% of total available sunshine. How does that play into what I'm grateful for? I don't know, but it seems important to record because all this grayness, my friends, is one of the reasons I need to bake Daily Bread.

We've also received 40 inches of snow so far in December--quadruple the normal amount. Plus the city has cut the budget for plowing, so the roads are sloppy on top of slippery and the banks are so high you can't see over them so when you pull out into any street, you're taking your life in your hands. I'm grateful when I ran an errand today I didn't have a fender-bender.


(The picture is the view we had out the window on the farm, except the rainbow wasn't always there. I know it's not the right season for rainbows, but when do you need a sign of hope more than in the middle of winter?)

Year 2/Day 19

There was a time when I thought TV was a great evil. But as we all sat around watching "Elf", I realized I'm grateful for it. It's one of the few things that we all equally enjoy and that we can do together. Sometimes we are all in the same room together but plugged into respective technologies--iPods, computers, the Wii--so I'm just glad that there's one thing we can do together! My kids are great at connecting to technology. I just hope they understand the importance of connecting to people.

Year 2/Day 19

Blizzard over the Lakeshore! I'm grateful the 9 a.m. hockey game in Muskegon was cancelled, that my nephew made it back to Chicago safely, that my niece way out in Washington (also having a snowstorm) made it home safely for the holidays. The roads here were a nightmare all day, with white-out conditions and multi-car pile-ups on many of the highways. Also, today is my mom's birthday. I'm grateful she's in good health and close by.

Year 2/Day 18

I did think it was a little odd when my sister B asked me yesterday at the Kole family Christmas what anniversary was coming up for my DH and me. We were married just a year after she was, and she and A celebrated their 25th last year, so. . .yeah. And then my dad had a few questions, too, related to our wedding day. Still, I didn't suspect anything and was totally surprised and touched when my sister pulled out a huge cake for us, complete with a wedding picture of us in the frosting (edible!) and red roses made of frosting (my bridal bouquet was red roses). My sister is so fun and thoughtful. She gets a kick out of planning and implementing surprises like this; I'm grateful for her cheerful and regular presence in my life.

Year 2/Day 17

My SIL had surgery this week and she's had a rough couple of days. I'm grateful the doctors were able to get on top of her pain and that she'll be able to come home a day early.

Year 2/Day 16

Today is the anniversary of my graduation from college, 25 years ago. Because I was getting married a week later, most of my family was in the state, and some of them came for breakfast in the cramped State Street apartment I shared with three other girls. I made scrambled eggs and toast, and I can't believe they were very good. But I remember feeling loved--all these people were taking time out of their adult lives (I'm the youngest) to celebrate with me.

It's funny. I thought I'd write about being grateful for a good education that has stood me in good stead. And then I find myself writing about a bad breakfast where people had to share knives because we didn't have enough placesettings! I'm grateful for a large and loving family that doesn't care much about placesettings or runny eggs, but cares a lot about me.

Year 2/Day 15

The teachers are quick to post exam grades and final grades, which is why we already know both the kids did well this semester. I'm grateful for C's efforts--especially, that he didn't let his grades slide at the end of the semester and that he really stepped it up in Spanish--and I'm grateful that M has learned how to study for exams. Finally, I'm grateful exam week is over!

Year 2/Day 14

I can't remember a time when business has been this slow for me; my clients are not immune from the bad economy. This afternoon I got a call to work on a project that will start after the first of the year. I'm grateful I have a decent chunk of work to look forward to. Just knowing about it will help me relax and enjoy the holiday a little more.

Year 2/Day 13

M and I foolishly went out to the barn this afternoon. The temp was 12 degrees and windchill ranged between 3 below (when the wind was merely 20 mph) and 12 below (when the wind was gusting to 40 mph). After we got home, I drained the hot water tank to thaw out (an environmental no-no; sue me) and then I thought, gee, I'd really like to talk to Julee. And then she called. Not right that minute, but pretty soon after that. I'm grateful she thought of me when I was thinking of her and that she took the next step of dialing the phone. Unlike me.

Year 2/Day 12

I'm grateful that both my kids had good attitudes about studying for exams today. They weren't exactly happy about it (oh, how C despises Spanish!), but they stuck with the program with a new level of maturity today.

Year 2/Day 11

Every year we do that lovely "Yankee Swap" gift exchange at our 'hood holiday party. In the past, we've come home with a shoe phone, a miniature sleigh (perfect size for stuffed animals), and child-sized butterfly wings. This year's "top stealers" (as opposed to top sellers) were an ash tray with a picture of Jesus that read "Jesus hates it when you smoke," a pair of racing nuns, and an Obama tree ornament--which I ended up with. I'm grateful that sometimes you really can get not only what you need, but also what you want.

Year 2/Day 10

Around 12:30 I ran out to do some errands. I had thought about calling my DH to see if he wanted to meet me for soup, but decided he had probably already eaten. When I was almost to B&N, my cell phone ring. It NEVER rings (I don't give out my number), so I was shocked enough to pick it up. DH: "Hey, I just drove past you! Have you had lunch?" And that is how we ended up having a spontaneous lunch date. I'm grateful for serendipity.

Year 2/Day 9

During a writing day today, L gave me an "early birthday" present that was wrapped in paper that looked suspiciously like Christmas paper, but never mind that. It was a pair of socks that she knitted in my favorite color of blue. I'm thankful for those socks. And L. And the socks! But most of all L. Because socks wear out eventually but good friends never do.

Year 2/Day 8

We're cutting way back on spending this holiday, so I'm grateful that today I found some really good sales--and I'd better leave it at that, lest the family sleuth is coming here to look for clues.

Year 2/Day 7

I was up in my room right before bed and C, who goes to bed later than I do now, came in to say goodnight but got distracted by something on my bookshelf. "What are you looking at?" I asked. "These pictures of me when I was little," he said. I smiled and said, "Sometimes I wonder where my cute toddler has gone." He made a fist and thumped his chest right over his heart twice. "Still right in here," he said, grinning. I'm grateful for the way my teenage son touched my heart today by thumping his.

Year 2/Day 6

A whittled Christmas list is a sign of the times. I'm grateful for friends and family who understand when we tell them we're cutting back, and say they are, too. And I'm grateful that my DH and I finally managed to hole up in our bedroom, Christmas list in hand, and agree on shopping assignments.

Year 2/Day 5

J is a middle-schooler in our neighborhood, the daughter of one of the couples in our Torch Lake group of friends. This year she came up with a brilliant idea: the Torch Lake families could sponsor a needy family. She's orchestrating the whole thing, from sending out the list of needs to planning the delivery of goods. We just got back from dropping off the items we bought. I'm grateful for J, who saw a way that we could cast the warm glow we all feel from our friendship a little wider and do some good in our own community. Thanks, J!

Year 2/Day 4

We went directly from a lake effect snow warning Friday night to a winter storm warning this morning. As B says, what difference does it make? The end result is the same--snow, and lots of it. At times, we had blizzard like conditions, and during one of those times B drove back and forth to the rink twice. I'm grateful for safe travel, and for pan-roasted chicken breast stuffed with mushroom duxelle, which B made when we all returned home. It felt good to be in our warm kitchen while Mother Nature threw her hissy fit all around us.

Year 2/Day 3

Throughout this semester I've been mentoring a Hope College student through Hope's Center for Faithful Leadership. This consists of going to a few presentations together and the rest of the time meeting for coffee. As far as I can tell, K doesn't need mentoring--she's a senior with a clear plan--but we've had a good time getting to know each other. Anyway, I wasn't able to get tickets for Vespers this year through normal channels and I asked K if she would keep her ears open, since it's a Hope event and she's right there on campus. Vespers is my absolute favorite holiday event (I don't just enjoy it, I need it) so I am extremely grateful that at the eleventh hour, K found me tickets.

Year 2/Day 2

M has been struggling with math lately--feeling like she knew the material but then tanking on the tests. Today she stayed after school and got some extra help from her teacher, who declared her completely ready for the test. I'm grateful M made the effort. She came home happy and confident. And on the other side of the country, my BIL got good news about his health, which gave me a gratitude surge. Not bad for a gray, snowy Thursday!

Year 2/Day 1

I thought I was done baking bread, but I'm not. Turns out I miss it. I need it. When things aren't going that well? That's when I need gratitude the most and it's also when gratitude is the most difficult to come by. So it seems that the smartest thing to do is keep those muscles in shape.

I took C in to see the doctor today; it seemed to us that his cold was developing into a sinus infection. The doctor prescribed an antibiotic (Part I of my gratitude for the day) but recommended C take it with yogurt. Sadly, I forgot to buy yogurt and thought I was going to have to venture out in the sleet this evening to buy some. But then I found some in the fridge! I'm grateful for containers of yogurt hidden behind the pesto and strawberry jam.