Is January over yet?

Hi, I'm Alana.

(crickets)

Normally this is the part where everyone would say "Hi, Alana!" but since this is day numero uno for me, there isn't anyone else out there waiting to say Hi back. yet, hopefully.

Anyway. This blog is about being grateful. (never would have figured that one out, huh?) whew.
Why am I writing a blog about being grateful? I guess I would say it's a daily reminder for me. Or maybe a daily challenge. Something to ground me and help me remember that at the end of the day my life is amazing. And the little (or big) bad things that happen in life don't define me. or my family. To remind me that things aren't always as bad as they seem....

And lately? Things have seemed REALLY bad. I consider myself a pretty optimistic person, with a healthy side of cynical. I'm also a very happy person.

See?



But my family just keeps getting bad news. It started on Christmas Eve. We found out my father-in-law has cancer. Stage 4 cancer. He has since started chemotherapy and seems to be in okay spirits, but still, it's hard. This is my husband's Father. My children's Grandfather. We want him here for as long as possible.

....it's been pretty downhill in the news department since then. BUT I am determined to not let it get me down. If it was possible to just cancel out January 2012 from the face of the planet, I'm pretty sure my family would have done it by now, but we can't. But this is something I can do.

I can be grateful. for something every single day. I don't want to feel like I'm taking things for granted. Or that all this bad news is making me crazy or negative. I'm just not willing to not be happy! Make Sense? No? Good, glad you're following. So from now on, every day I will attempt to post at least one thing that I am grateful for. Hense 365 reasons to be grateful. Some will be heavy, (I apologize in advance for all the mushy lovey stuff that will come forth on days when I speak about The Marsh and my kids) some not so much. I guarantee you at some point I'll be grateful for Captain James T. Kirk. Or cupcakes. That's how I roll.

Who isn't grateful for peanut butter frosting and chocolate fudge?

I figure I'll start Day 1 tomorrow. Which is perfect because tomorrow is February 1st, and then this month-that-shall-not-be-named will FINALLY be OVER.

I hope along the way this blog inspires others to be grateful and realize that things aren't always as bad as they seem. And if they are? Well, grab a glass of wine. It won't fix everything, but it helps. :0)

Thanks for reading!

Lana.