Gratitude A Little Early

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie

Gratitude. That is the word that swirls around our heads all November long, isn't it? I have loved reading the posts of friends and family on facebook and blogs that list the things they are thankful for. Your gratitude bolsters mine! Gratitude has been flowing through our home as well. We've had a family night devoted to the topic of thankfulness. We've read quotes from the scriptures and from church leaders every morning about gratitude. I love this month because I love the constant reminder to be grateful, a feeling I do all I can to foster in myself and in my children.

Because isn't gratitude what makes us truly happy? Whether we have a lot or a little, whether life is hard or breezy, isn't it gratitude that makes it good either way? Gratitude can be the difference between us wallowing in the challenges or embracing them. Gratitude is what brings us the joy in the journey.

I have so much to be thankful for, and I am, every day. I have some posts coming up the week of Thanksgiving, from all the Chaos, on things we are grateful for. But after yesterday and today I have to post a bit of gratitude a little early.

Yesterday Josh took one of his gifts out of the packaging for only the third time since he received it for his birthday. It was an art kit, full of various items to make any masterpiece you could dream up, from tissue to buttons, sticky-bumpy paper to pipe cleaners. It was one of Josh's favorite gifts and he had been careful not to use everything in it up too quickly. His brothers were sitting nearby and were watching him work with a bit of envy on their faces. Josh looked up from the craft he had been diligently working on, and seeing the desire on his brothers' faces offered his brand-new, easily used-up craft items to them, free of obligation, free of repayment. It was so generous of Josh! And all three were incredibly happy for two post-school, too-cold-to-play-outside, witching-hour hours.

Today Ben came home from school down in the face and, as a tear rolled down his cheek, he said, "Mom, I had a really bad day." It turns out one of his buddies, the buddy Ben considers his best buddy, gave another boy a BFF bracelet. Oh, kids! You can be so cruel! We sat on the living room couch, talking for awhile, I listened to his woes and shared stories, advice, commiseration and love. Ben was so sad and both of our hearts were hurting. But then Zach brought Ben a little after-school snack to the couch that included a dear little note. A genuine smile broke across Ben's face that stretched all the way to his tear-filled eyes. After that he was much better, a little healed. And by the time he listened to a message the same buddy left on our phone later this afternoon, asking him to come play, Ben hardly even remembered the incident, thanks to his big brother Zach.

This morning Ben had some extra time between being ready for school and the time school began. So we were sitting in the kitchen, he was drawing, I was making his lunch, and then he started asking me all kinds of questions about earthquakes here in the U.S. Next he asked me what we would need if we had an earthquake here. So we talked for a bit about it. He's kind of fascinated by 'natural disasters,' so I figured that was the direction this was going. But instead, after about 5 minutes of quietly working on something, he presented me with a list. He told me it was his Christmas wish list. On it was a long list of things he wants to be given so he can send them to Haiti, including: 5 tents, 3 tarps, lots of clothing, canned food, some toys, a little candy, boxed cereal, 5 mini stoves, pasta, soup and medicine. At the bottom he had a little list of things for him. It included 2 items: tons of animal erasers ($4.99 for 144 at Oriental Trading Co.) and an art kit like the one we got Josh ($9.99 at Michael's--only $6 if you have a 40% off coupon). My heart smooshed.

I am beyond impressed with the amazing kids these boys of mine are becoming. No, they are not perfect. They fight and bicker, they can be obnoxious and whiny, they are so messy, and that's just to name a few of the things that drive me bonkers on a daily basis. They make a lot of crummy mistakes and get lectured a lot. But boy, they are pretty amazing. They sure can shine when they try. And they try so hard so often, they really do. I am so proud of them and who they strive to be. It's the times like these that make the wrinkles, the stress break-outs and the {ever increasing army of} gray hairs worth it all.

I am incredibly grateful for my boys...and all they teach me about love, giving, kindness. I am grateful for how often they choose the better path. I am grateful that they teach me to take joy in the the triumphs and remember those triumphs in the frustrating times, as well as remember that frustrating times are also times to be grateful for because they are times of learning and growing. But most of all I am abundantly grateful for the gratitude I feel every day because I am their mother; I am so grateful for them, in their successes, such as those from the past two days, and their imperfections. Because ultimately it's gratitude that gives us the joy in life. Thank you, boys, for making mine a joyful life!