Sunday, January 31, 2016

12:34 January 31

At 12:34, I was waiting at a stoplight on our way home from church. On our left was a street preacher with a bullhorn. A Bojangles separated him from the nearest church, 500 feet up on the left. Across the street from the church is a lingerie / video shop, which is across another street from a local hot dog restaurant that we like a lot. I'm thankful for Durham and all its idiosyncrasies and eccentricities.

Saturday, January 30, 2016

12:34 January 30

Almost every Saturday starts with pancakes around here. After sleeping until 8:00 and then enjoying pancakes, Lauren cracked me up when she wandered into the den where Matt and I were drinking coffee and watching TV and asked, "When are we going to school?" I reminded her what day it was. I'm thankful for family traditions and a funny daughter, who loves pancakes and school.

Friday, January 29, 2016

12:34 January 29

I'm thankful for good rest last night and good chicken soup today to ease my first minor cold in a while.

Thursday, January 28, 2016

12:34 January 28

I'm having a pleasant, productive morning and feeling a flurry of gratitude for many things. I've been exchanging texts with neighbor friends, my sister and my aunts, making plans for good times ahead. Matt and I have texted about Panthers football and long- and short-term parenting logistics. I'm folding laundry and watching folks on the TV say important, thoughtful things about my favorite quarterback. I'm thankful for my family, my friends and sports emotions. Keep Pounding!

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

12:34 January 27

I was grading quizzes at 12:34. I'm thankful for teachers in my life who took the time to read my work, encourage, and correct me.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

12:34 January 26

The sun is out. I can hear the melting snow drip-drip-dripping. Snow is still infrequent enough around here that this whole process is fascinating. I'm grateful for the hopefulness that comes with a thaw, a good reminder that things are cyclical--seasons of cold, seasons of warmth.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Snow day sledding

We've gotten to play in the snow lately.

snow day 1-23 from matt smith on Vimeo.
snow day 1-25 from matt smith on Vimeo.

12:34 January 25

We're suiting up for our third day in a row of sledding with friends. I'm thankful today for memory-making, laughter, snowballs, numb toes, and warm showers.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

12:34 January 24

Today is day three of being snowed in, with a good possibility of school being canceled tomorrow. But we have power, good friends, sleds, sunshine and exciting football (Go Panthers! Keep Pounding!) ahead.

Saturday, January 23, 2016

12:34 January 23

I'm thankful for safe sledding, good friends, electricity, and a warm fire.

Friday, January 22, 2016

12:34 January 22

I'm thankful for a truly fun snow day. The snow was mostly sleet but I spent the day inside with my favorite people.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

12:34 January 21

At exactly 12:34 today, I got a text from Allison. We've celebrated her birthday over the last few days, and I've been especially aware of how thankful I am for her in every aspect of my life.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

12:34 January 20

I've spent the morning doing one of my least favorite things: shopping for clothes. But I am grateful for the generosity of gift cards from family that meant I spent very little of my own money and for new opportunities.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

12:34 January 19

I've been feeling generally anxious and fretful since waking up around 4:15 today. I'm doing my best to remember that my anxieties aren't enormous in the grand scheme of things.

Monday, January 18, 2016

12:34 January 18

Today is a holiday. I'm grateful that we're sharing lunch together, even if it is a somewhat chaotic scene.

Sunday, January 17, 2016

12:34 January 17

Today I was getting lunch ready before the kickoff of the Panthers game. I'm thankful for family and sports, and the big Venn diagram in the middle of those in our family.

Saturday, January 16, 2016

12:34 January 16

Lauren spent the morning at a Tae Kwan Do class after being invited by a friend. Tomorrow, Evan will go to his best friend's birthday party. I'm grateful for my kids' friends.

Friday, January 15, 2016

12:34 January 15

I was listening to music randomly shuffling while eating my lunch. De La Soul's "A Rollerskating Jam Named 'Saturday'" came on. I'm thankful for De La Soul. 3 Feet High and Rising was the first CD I bought. De La Soul is Dead is still one of my favorite albums ever. I have almost three decades of memories associated with them.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

12:34 January 14

I had a good customer service experience this morning. I ordered T-shirts from a small business as part of a charity promotion and one of the shirts delivered was the wrong size. I sent one little email and within a half hour, a new shirt was shipped. I almost didn't bother because it seemed like a hassle, but I'm grateful for the reminder that it is okay to ask for what I want.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

12:34 January 13

I'm thankful for friends at work who can embrace, accept, and power through the absurdity that is public schools sometimes.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

12:34 January 12

I'm thankful for our neighbors. My neighbor locked her keys inside her house, so she called to see if she could borrow my van to drive to another neighbor's office to get a spare key. I was happy to be helpful, which undoubtedly was reciprocating kindness my neighbor has shown me over the last year and a half. I'm grateful to have these friends in our lives, just down the street.

Monday, January 11, 2016

12:34 January 11

I'm thankful for the internet. I'm fortunate to be able to take it for granted most of the time.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

12:34 January 10

Midday found us riding home from church. I'm grateful for a morning at church that felt like time together. We sat in the pew, singing, praying and listening together.

Saturday, January 09, 2016

12:34 January 9

I'm putting away Christmas decorations. Lauren is telling me what she wants for lunch, and promising that when she's a grown up she'll make me food to keep me big and strong. I'm thankful for the three children we've been blessed to raise and get to know (especially our inimitable Lala today).

Friday, January 08, 2016

12:34 January 8

Just a few minutes ago, a new pair of running shoes arrived at my door. I'm thankful for the convenience of Amazon Prime. I needed those shoes because I've run about 400 miles on my current pair. I'm grateful for the opportunity to lace up and log another 400 over the next few months.

Thursday, January 07, 2016

12:34 January 7

I'm finishing the swirl of the end of a semester of school. Today I'm thankful for the cyclical nature of my job: reflection, improvement, and fresh starts are built-in components of what I do.

Wednesday, January 06, 2016

12:34 January 6

I'm grateful for the breast cancer support group I have been attending monthly for the last two and a half years. Last night was my monthly meeting. More than anything the women in that group have taught me to accept what I am experiencing/feeling and learn from it, instead of rejecting or trying to control it.

Tuesday, January 05, 2016

12:34 January 5

At 12:34 today, I was talking to three former students who stopped by on their winter breaks from college. I haven't felt great about the job I've done in the classroom this semester, but their visit was a reminder that the non-academic part of this job is an important one, too. I'm grateful to have had a little part in the lives of so many young people. And I'm thankful for the ones who make a point of keeping up the connections we began in the classroom.

Monday, January 04, 2016

12:34 January 4

Today I'm thankful for the chance to take a breath and continue the work of settling back in after two weeks away from home. I miss the kiddos and Matt, who returned to school and work, but I'm enjoying the quiet and peace of moving through my to-do list at my own pace.

Sunday, January 03, 2016

12:34 January 3

I'm working on my running spreadsheet that I've used on and off for over four years. For the last three years, I've made an annual distance goal for running as part of an effort to be mindful of my physical health and well-being. I'm grateful for Allison's encouragement and a mostly injury-free experience as a later-in-life running enthusiast.

Saturday, January 02, 2016

12:34 January 2

I am riding in our van with my people, homeward bound. We're in the mountains of West Virginia, where it's 34 and sunny. I am thankful for traveling mercies.

Friday, January 01, 2016

12:34 January 1

I'm on the couch at my mom's house. I'm grateful for a job that allows me vacation and travel time to visit family. And for a family willing to live out of suitcases for weeks at a time.