Adventures in Grattitude

Today is the last day in November, where in the world has the time gone?  We have almost lived one more year.  WOW!  The month of November always encourages people to reflect on what they are thankful for.  I have enjoyed reading posts on Facebook from friends.  It's made me reflect, although I have not been one to do the project.  Anything I have to consiously write every day tends to not get done, thus the long days between blog posts.   I think about it a lot and I think about how I should post it, but I just never get around to actually doing it!

This past month has made me really realize how much of a complainer I am.  Reading other people's thankful posts has made me stop and think.  I want to, no slash that I need to, strive to have an attitude of grattitude.  I'm not saying that we don't need a time or place or good friend to vent to.  That is completely acceptable and very much necessary.  I'm talking about just an overall attitude of thankfullness.  I would like to exude that, you know.  I want people to remember that about me.  How can I do that?  How do I strive to recognize in my daily life what I am thankful for, rather than dwelling on what I don't have, or can't do, or what I could do better, or how I could make something easier.  I seem like a hard person to get a long with, geez, I hope that is not the case!!!

You know, we never really know the company we keep when in a group of people.  I think when standing in a group of friends complaining that my husband is late for dinner every night, there is someone who is wishing thier husband was home so that he could be late.  Or when complaining that my daughter is insistant that she wear only purple clothes, there is someone who is wishing thier daughter was able to talk and tell her that she wanted to wear purple that day.  Or when complaining that my son won't eat the food I fix him, there is someone wishing she had just one more day with her son to feed him one more meal.  When realizing this, I recognized that I am probabally unwillingly hurting others, and that makes me very sad.

 I guess my point is that I am striving to be more thankful EVERY day.  I'm trying to remind myself EVERY day that what I complain about others are thankful for.  I am not perfect, and I don't claim to be.  I don't want to be either.  I think all of us can use a reminder at times, it's easy to get caught up in the chaos of everyday life and just forget that what we have is enough. 

This is what I am thankful for today!

 

Such blessings!

 

"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thes 5:16-18

Adventures in Voting

I admit it.  I want a redo.  I regret my decision.  I need to change my mind.  UGH!  I am so disappointed with myself, so not happy with myself.

On Monday, I voted.  I had to.  Well, I didn't have to vote on Monday exactly.  I had to vote early.  I had not registered to vote, so Early Voting was my only option.  I guess I didn't HAVE to vote at all for that matter, but in my eyes that is not an option.  Voting is a right, it's a privilege, it's a must.  There are people, and even more women all over the world who are not allowed to vote.  So, for someone who is a legal citizen with no felonies in the USA to not vote, in my opinion it is inexcusable.  As a military spouse, I, 100% understand what the wives of the men who shed blood for our right to vote went through, and I believe it is important for me to exercise my right...otherwise the blood was shed for nothing.

So, I picked Monday to be my day!  Why did I pick Monday?  For many reasons...1) I thought Monday morning would be a slow time and the line would be super short, 2) I remembered that the voting site is down the street from my house, and 3) the BIG one, both my kids are in school at the same time!  This last one was key.  This is the reason that pushed me over the edge and made me decide that yes, after dropping them off, I would go vote.

I was right.  It was a perfect day and time.  No lines, I went right in, placed my vote and was out in about 2 minutes.  I got my little early voting sticker and was on my way.  Nothing makes you feel more "adult" then voting.

Then I realized, I messed up.

If you have read some of my other posts you know how I feel about making sure my children know from an early age the power of volunteering.  How can I be so passionate about that and equally passionate about voting and not realize the golden opportunity I had to teach them about this process.  It was the perfect day for it.  The lines were short.  It was super fast.  It was down the street.  We could have left the house 5 min early and still been on time for school.  It would have been a fantastic opportunity to insert some practical application of what I try to teach them here at home.  CB is still a little young, but J......that kid remembers everything.  He would have soaked it up.  He would remember.  He would understand, ok maybe not understand, but he would get it at least a little bit. 

I'm not very political.  I do have very strong opinions on whom I voted for and if you would like to know reasons feel free to message me.  Probably from reading previous posts you are able to gather where you think I might stand.  I just prefer not to get into an online debate.

I want to throw out there that this is what I did.  What you do this year is going to be best for you.  I am not advocating that you must take your children with you to vote.  In fact, I live right down the street from the voting center and I have been offering childcare to my friends who want/need a few moments child free to vote.  I am not saying that you are a bad mom if you don't take your kids to vote.  I am just saying that I wish I had done things differently!

 I also wish that most political figures would be more honest. 

I wish there were some better examples for our children, in all areas of politics, from the local to the national level.

I wish I had taken my oldest with me to vote.

Next year, my friends, next year...there are elections every year, not just every four you know!