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Friday, November 14, 2008

Of fiery joy and gratitude

"Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm,
and our intelligence aglow..."
-Helen Keller

Inspired by a talk with Jonathan, and a subsequent revelation at Mass yesterday on Maui, Mom had some thoughts on gratitude and joy. Specifically, on cultivating an attitude of gratitude for all things at all times...

Obviously, this isn't a ground breaking revelation, but it was definitely what was needed at the time. As we finished up the last few days of our vacation and prepared to come back home, you could almost feel a sense of the "real world" creeping back in. It was tough to balance the euphoria of the sunshine and warmth with the reminders of all that was to come upon arriving at the airport last night at 11 pm, and getting home around 1 am to the house. Doc and I jumped right back into the world today for a full weekend and week ahead.

So here's a quick list of things I'm grateful for. Right now. Things that give me a joyful heart.
  • A healthy baby boy.
    Even in the midst of balancing high blood pressure, carpal tunnel, difficulty sleeping, and a recent fear of gestational diabetes. He is growing and kicking and ready to arrive in a few short weeks.
  • Awesome grandparents.
    Seeing Mom's joy at being a grandma, how she talks to Angus like he's already out of the womb. Knowing that we have one grandma and grandpa in heaven watching over us, and another grandma and grandpa who are here with us...what a gift to be able to share both the heavenly world and the earthly world with both of them.
  • A week away with Jonathan and my parents.
    So needed. Our time together recently had been so limited, and we were able to just be. Dad's and my time has been relatively stressful recently, given the market, and this was just what we needed.
  • My brother holding down the fort at the office.
    Taking good care of our clients during a market when there's nothing calm or stable about it, and focusing nonstop to keep things flowing. Thanks, Mike, for your hard work for our team.
  • My husband.
    Who loves me unconditionally. All the time. Even when I'm unlovable. Especially when I'm unlovable. I can't wait to welcome Angus into this world with you. You will be such an incredible dad. No, wait...you already are. ♥

2 comments:

Kristin said...

Hey there! I've been reading for about a year...my best friend since middle school, Samantha (of Back To Me) turned me on to your blog and it's my first time commenting.
I just found out today that I'm pregnant...like 5-6 weeks...and we are super excited. However, I have hypertension. I remembered that you were diagnosed in the beginning of your pregnancy and am wondering what medication you are on (if you don't mind me asking) and how well your hypertension has been managed.

Glad to hear you've had such a wonderful babymoon in paradise!

Noreen said...

Yet another lovely post. It's hard to turn our attention to gratitude when everything is swirling around us. But, it's a nice reminder to see all the amazing things there are to be grateful for. We are blessed. I am so excited for you, Jonathan and Angus!

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