Gratitude Journal — January 5, 2015 — My Girls

Originally posted on my blog at From Drunk to Monk

I am grateful that my girls are turning into amazing young women. I know I have written about this before and I’m sure I will do so many more times. They are good humans and watching them navigate the twists and turns of their young lives is a blessing. The fact that I get to play a guiding role in their journeys is icing on the cake.

Of course they have all the regular struggles that young kids have but I love the way they handle them. Their hearts tell them to do the right thing and they listen to them. Chloe recently had an experience where she wasn’t sure whether to invite someone in the class to her birthday party. There were a bunch of extenuating circumstances that I won’t bother going into. My advice was that when you are uncertain, err on the side of being inclusive — but that the choice was hers and no one here was going to judge her. Watching her work through that in her mind and talking to her about it was amazing. What did she decide? It really doesn’t matter because she made a considered choice that felt right to her.

I’ve said it before, but Melody is wise far beyond her years. I was talking to her about our thoughts. I told her how that when I was on vacation I was dreading going back to work. Of course, when I got there yesterday it was fine and I had a great day. My point to her was that I chose to allow that into my life and I spent too much time creating something that was a pointless waste of time. She tied that back into somethings that are going in her Grade 5 life that told me she completely understood what I am saying. Then she wrote me this note :) She’s cool that way.

Despite the fact that I love my girls I still fear the estrogen storm that is headed my way. Our dog is male but barely. He’s mostly female. There are dark times ahead.

I am grateful for today. What are you grateful for?