Parenting is not always glamorous or cute or even fun. The other day I was sitting on the couch watching both of my kids cry at me, for what felt like the hundredth time that day. These sweet, crazy, LOUD children were crying at me again. And in this moment I had a choice: I could succumb to the anger and frustration that were starting to boil up inside me, or I could be thankful. Yes, thankful.

Thankful for these sweet, crazy, LOUD children who I had desperately longed for and prayed for. Thankful that the reason I get to witness a hundred fits each day is because I am able to stay home to help raise them. Thankful that they have lungs that are strong and work well–really well. Thankful that I could comfort them in their time of need. Thankful–just thankful.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to document some of these ordinary moments of thankfulness–perform a little thankful project, if you will. For the last couple of weeks I’ve kept a notebook on my kitchen counter and, every time I’ve noticed them, I’ve written down the things that I’m thankful for. What I’ve found during this little experiment is that I’m looking for more reasons to be thankful–and, as a result, I am feeling more thankful. Some of the things that I wouldn’t typically pay any notice to are becoming fuel for my thankful heart. Things like:

1. The sound of Jacob’s sweet little toddler/man voice
2. The feel of David’s long body curled up on my lap
3. Morning snuggles with my boys in my bed
4. The smell and feel of Jacob’s hair
5. That I kept my cool during David’s hour-long tantrum
6. Hearing the sputter-breath at the end of a tantrum that signals the screaming is over
7. Having a BBQ outside in November
8. Meeting my friends’ kids and seeing my kids befriend these kids
9. Having a washing machine in my house so I can easily wash things any time I need to
10. That I have choices of schools for my children–even if, for the life of me, I can not make up my mind on which choice to choose
11. Solo runs to clear my head
12. Making my kids laugh
13. Getting the best parking spot in the lot
14. Friends who point me to Jesus
15. Building sandcastles with my boys
16. Bedtime.
17. Meeting new babysitters who can help us
18. Patient teachers who pray for my son
19. Getting out of my comfort zone and meeting new people. It’s always worth it.
20. Feeling transported back to Ireland every time I sip Barry’s tea
21. Working with an honest mechanic
22. Salted caramel cupcakes. Oh my yum.
23. Being the first shopper to walk in the door at Costco on a weekday morning
24. Reminiscing with old photos
25. Disposable diapers and rubber gloves
26. My handyman husband who fixed our stuck door–I probably would have just dealt with it forever, and been annoyed every single time I used it.
27. That I can turn on a cartoon for the kids and get a 20 minute break
28. Neighbors that have welcomed us to our new neighborhood and made us feel like family
29. Reading books with my boys
30. Hearing leaves crunch underfoot
31. Seeing David and Jacob give each other hugs on their own, just because
32. Amazon Prime
33. Baking muffins with my boy and hearing him squeal with delight when he cracks the eggs
34. The opportunity to pray with my boys when things aren’t going well and we need some help
35. Our weekly gardening service
36. David and Jacob signing their prayer song at dinner time
37. Jon’s dedication and passion for his job–that he works hard for our family so I can “work from home”
38. Watching Jon and the boys wrestle on the bed at night
39. Throwing marshmallows for the boys (it’s a Peterson thing…)
40. A full fridge and pantry that are only ever empty because of neglect, not need for resources
41. Stealing a few minutes to read a magazine
42. Welcoming visitors into our home
43. Baking cookies for the old man that reminds me of my grandpa who lives down the street
44. The boys eating carrots like they’re little rabbits while we walk through the farmer’s market
45. Parks that we can walk to
46. A garage that keeps my car toasty on a frosty morning
47. Watching our dog, Bota, watching the squirrels in our yard
48. Giant cardboard boxes that can be turned into hours of imaginative entertainment
49. Planning surprises for my boys
50. The smell of the earth after it rains
51. Splashing in puddles
52. Fresh flowers on my mantle
53. Spending one-on-one time with each of my boys every day
54. Organizing things in my house
55. The feel of Play-Doh squishing through my fingers
56. Drinking hot chocolate with my boys
57. Jacob doing “upside downs” (somersaults)
58. David getting dressed by himself
59. Talking to my mom and sisters on the phone
60. Hearing babies cry in church
61. Being able to find my way around with less and less help from GPS
62. Studying and learning at BSF
63. Hearing that David and Jacob wanted to sit together and hold hands during the large group time at church
64. Little notes from my cousins
65. Having a camera on my phone to capture life’s little moments
66. Feeling Jacob play with my hair in his tiny toddler hands
67. Playing at library story time with Jacob
68. Rest
69. Finding the perfect gift for someone I love
70. Listening to David playing Toy Story and using all the voices for the different characters
71. Yoga pants
72. Shopping for deals
73. Fresh, clean sheets on my bed
74. Kissing boo-boos better
75. The way Jacob snarls his nose
76. Receiving letters from our sponsor child at World Vision
77. Time to write
78. Jacob’s curly hair when he wakes up from a nap
79. Writing our annual Christmas letter and reflecting on the past year
80. Hearing my favorite songs pop up on Pandora
81. Listening to the conversations of my kids and their friends
82. Teeny tiny socks
83. Wearing pretty jewelry
84. Making blanket forts
85. The way Jacob calls DVD’s and CD’s “ABCD’s”
86. Stroking soft little baby ears
87. The way David sticks out his tongue a bit when he’s concentrating really hard on something.
88. The appearance of red cups at Starbucks
89. Rainbows on my drive home
90. Unexpectedly running into someone I know
91. Wearing flip flops
92. Jon bringing home dinner so I don’t have to cook
93. Watching the boys playing nicely together…for a moment
94. Hearing my kids say what they are thankful for
95. Friends around the world
96. The smell of coffee brewing–even though I don’t drink it, I love the smell
97. Jon making me chai tea before he leaves for work
98. That my kids are still little–this stage of life
99. David asking me, “Can I keep you forever?”
100. The clicking sound David makes with his tongue when he’s falling asleep
101. The sight of two sleeping babes curled up in their beds

…and the list goes on. My new goal in this busy time of motherhood is to continue this Thankful Project, to look for new ways to appreciate each moment. And to you, Friend, may you find many moments of gratefulness in your own life.

From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!