Gratitude Project – December

Today I’m linking up with Janelle over at Simply Love for her Gratitude Project. This link up is an opportunity to look back over the last month and pull together some of the moments you were thankful for. Last week, I posted another gratitude-themed post, and I’m not even the least bit sorry to post another! After Thanksgiving, thankfulness tends to be pushed aside. Which is pretty sad when you think about the thousands of little blessings we have to celebrate the rest of the year. I know, if I’m honest, I don’t spend nearly enough time looking at the beautiful gifts I’m given every day. It’s easy to miss them if I’m expecting God to look ground-shaking or miraculous. He is all of those things, but he’s also in the (seemingly) trivial or unimportant moment that goes unnoticed. I’d like to think this link up will remind me to take a few minutes every day and look for the little miracles I’m surrounded by.

This was a simple one. I strapped MJ in the ergo and we took a walk. There aren’t much in terms of nature trails in southern Mississippi, so I was excited to find this cute country road close to our apartments. There were goats, horses, and sheep along the road and birds hopping between the trees. It reminded me a lot of other places I’ve lived and of the drives I used to take before I was married. There wasn’t anything particularly special about it, except for that the warm beauty of it eased my heart a little. And really, that’s not a little thing at all.

Sorry about the terrible image quality. This was snapped from far back with my cell phone at D’s Hail and Farewell. His CO surprised him with two awards that day, a Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Junior Sailor of The Year. I can’t even tell you guys how proud I was. D takes his job very seriously. He’s the guy who stays late and volunteers when his plate is already full. He’s worked so hard at this command, and all the extra hours wore him down sometimes. It was a great moment to see him recognized for the work he’s done (though I think he would have preferred some advance notice, he wasn’t expecting to give a speech!)

MJ had just woken up from his nap in this photo and was so, so happy to see my face! Nothing is sweeter than the way his eyes light up when he sees me. I don’t feel like I deserve a love so innocent and complete, but he gives it to me freely every day. No matter how haggard I’m looking or how frustrated I was the day before, when he wakes up, he smiles. Maybe I have his goldfish memory to thank for that, but I like to think the kid just likes me.

We didn’t have a lot of money to spare this Christmas. We’re getting ready to move, paying off a mountain of medical bills from MJ’s birth and the few complications I had afterward, and we had just got home from a trip out of state. We gave each other modest gifts this year and made Christmas dinner out of what was already in our fridge/pantry (with the exception of a baguette and some cheese.) Our families know that it’s hard being away for the holidays, though, and they showered us all with gifts and Christmas cards with pictures. MJ got toys and clothes and books, D got techy nonsense I don’t understand, and I got a collection of baking supplies that would make Martha Stewart cry. The gifts themselves were a lot of fun, obviously. But checking the mail and seeing a package or letter from your family really is the best gift. Knowing that the people we’re missing are missing us too made this Christmas a little less bittersweet.

Christmas morning, I sat MJ on my lap in his Santa pajamas and opened his gifts for him. He didn’t understand what the commotion was about, of course, but it was a special moment nonetheless. D snapped some pictures as we laughed at the confused look on our son’s face. He’ll never be this little for Christmas again, and while his growing will no doubt bring beautiful experiences with it, I am so, so grateful for the Christmas where he sat on my lap and was completely uninterested. There’s magic even in that.

 
My mom (Gigi to MJ) brought a crib mobile with her when she came to help during my c-section recovery. MJ loves that thing. It’s like he’s seeing it for the first time every time you turn it on. A few notes are off and as of two days ago, it no longer rotates, but when he hears the “click, click, click” of it being wound up, he loses it with glee. Now, I know my son is just over 3 months old, but I can totally understand why so many parents struggle with telling their children “no”. I would stand on my head, recite Shakespeare, and roll out handmade pasta if I thought it would make him smile. Someday, it’s going to be a lot harder to do. Someday, he’s going to be a teenager and I’m going to be embarrassing and annoying and painfully uncool. So for now, I’m thankful for the plentiful grins I get and the beautiful lack of attitude.