Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

As I discover a new routine and work through new challenges, I choose to set aside my To Do list, pause, and count my blessings. This on-going series posting periodically is medicine for my soul.

While in the midst of changing diapers, laundry, school runs, and meals, I forget how far I’ve come. Taking a moment to reflect and count my blessings cheers me for I am truly blessed.

Not quite sure how is it that I forgot how tired I would be after the first day of school, but I was depleted of energy last night. Though dealing with the school supplies, the picture taking, and the gifts is busy, the emotional tug between wanting to keep my children home and releasing them to learn was exhausting. For me, the emotional tiredness is more difficult to overcome than the physical soreness.

After posting a beginning of the summer Counting My Blessings article and squeezing in another post a little past the halfway mark, I continue to count these end-of-summer blessings:

90. Fantastic pediatrician practice. Not to bore you with details, but we switched practices. Oh my, I should have made this change long ago. Our new office files the claims accurately and completely the first time which saves me money, energy, and time! What a huge blessing in addition to the wonderful services provided at my daughter’s well-child visit.

91. Clean bill of health. Realizing how fortunate I am to have three healthy children, I know families who travel from appointment to appointment day after day searching for relief for their children. As my daughter received her annual physical this summer, I am grateful for her clean bill of health.

92. Quick rescue from water park lifeguard. On one of our many visits to the water park, we arrived as everyone cleared the pools. A little guy had wandered back to the pool as his grandmother ordered lunch. The preschooler had removed his life jacket and ended up floating face-first in the water. The immediate rescue from the lifeguard resulted in the child breathing without needing resuscitation. It was a scary time, but filled with lots of teachable moments from water safety, rescue personnel, and medical equipment.

93. Water park passes. So thankful we purchased our annual passes through a daily deal site. We enjoyed our times at the water park and look forward to returning in May.

94. Summer reading prizes. Though the prize package through our local library this year changed from last year, we made the most out of our prizes. I was especially thankful for the baseball tickets that we put to good use.

95. Rook Night. When Paul and I were dating, we spent many evenings hanging out with our friends playing Rook (a card game). The game is full of strategy, and we jump at the chance to play as often as possible. For some summer fun, we hosted a Rook Night at our home and enjoyed playing until the wee hours of the morning.

96. Long family vacation. Holding off our vacation until my mom retired pushed our time away to the very end of summer. We have enjoyed having her with us for the month and will miss her when she leaves this weekend.

97. Family. My children got to meet and reunite with many of my relatives. I’m so thankful I got to spend time with my Great Aunt Bonnie, who passed away a week after we returned home. On our last visit with her, my Great Aunt showcased her beautiful birds. I am so thankful my Aunt Bonnie made the visit memorable because my children remember her.

98. Olympic Games. Loved watching the Olympics and hearing my children choose their favorites. My son looked for “USA” or uniforms in red, white, and blue. My older daughter wanted to know what language each player spoke. She wanted to root for anyone who spoke English and all the gymnasts. I loved watching Misty and Kerri win another gold in sand volleyball, Michael Phelps winning over and over and over again, and listening to the behind the scenes dedication of the athletes.

Funny Olympic Story: In watching the sand volleyball tournaments, I had seen two prior matches where the players wore warmer clothing due to the lower temperatures during the evening hours in London.

The first daytime match I watched, the USA was playing Brazil. The USA players were wearing long-sleeved shirts with bikini bottoms while the Brazilian players wore a long-sleeved white shirt with their bikini over it. Their top had BRA written across the top. I made the comment to Paul, “Did they (the Brazilian team) really need to indicate which item was the bra?” After snickering, Paul reminded me that BRA was short for Brazil. 😉

99. Annual membership. Investing in annual memberships for frequently-visited establishments stretches our dollars and provides hours of fun. Between our zoo, botanical gardens, science museum, and recreational district memberships, we save hundreds of dollars for all the visits we get from our passes, including the awesome reciprocal benefits.

100. Nap time. When the rains came down and we cut our visit short at the zoo, we returned to my mom’s house for lunch and a wonderful nap. That nap was more needed than I realized.

101. Cheap airline flight. Though Paul had the time to take, he really needed to get back to work. Since the kids and I stayed in Florida longer than a week, Paul flew back while we remained to play. In keeping an eye on flights, we snagged a $40 flight (taking no baggage) back for Paul. He carried his laptop bag for his personal item.

I drove back with the kids and my mom a week later. The inexpensive flight allowed our family to break up our trip on the way down. We stayed in a hotel with a hot tub and swimming pool. It was so nice relaxing after the long drive with the warm water melting away the tension in my shoulders. 🙂

102. Safe trip. Our van received a tune-up and continues to operate well. Our trip was smooth and without incident. I am so thankful for a reliable vehicle that makes traveling fun and comfortable. Blessed to drive a minivan.

With our summer activities coming to a close, I have so much gratitude for these gifts. In counting my blessings, my heart is encouraged, my problems seem small, and my face wears a smile.

Whatever situation you may find yourself, there is ALWAYS someone who would love to be in your shoes. In using time wisely, redirect your focus from what you don’t have to all that you have received while counting your blessings.

Question: For what are you thankful today?