Gratitude day!

When Cocoa, the great author of Chocolate on my Cranium, invited her readers to choose randomly a day in the following week and count all the blessings they will have that day, I couldn't not do it! So Monday was chosen. And what a day I had yesterday!

All the blessings in my life, that often I can't see because I'm too busy on something else (rather unimportant most of times), show me how much my Heavenly Father loves me. So now, I will explain to you how I know that.

1 /  I couldn't find sleep either when I went to bed at 11:00pm. And I had a very bad night because my daughter of 20 months woke me up two times. I was dead to the world when my son (soon to be 5 y. old) woke up at 7:30 am. BUT my husband was still home and he took care of him until I emerge from my coma.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR MY HUSBAND WHO IS A LOVING FATHER.

2 / In the morning, as I was answering some emails from friends, I received some news that made me smile.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THIS FRIEND WHO SHOWED ME THE WAY FOR MORE HAPPINESS.

3 / My father called me after lunch. Well, it seems "normal" but let just say I didn't saw him between my 2 and 14 years old and you would understand how happy I am to have a call from him. Each time. He's so much more than some people had portrayed him in my youth. We can talk of anything and we have never been in conflict. He's spiritual, has lots of humor, he's a tinker and a gardener. I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE A FATHER WHO LOVES ME AND HAS NEVER LOST HOPE OF MEETING ME AGAIN.

4 / I had an appointment with the Kindergarten where Gabriel, my son, will begin in two weeks. It has been mentally exhausting for my husband and I to be told by all the other preschools in the neighborhood that they had no place for him until August 2014! Gabriel likes to go to school and since he knew that we were going to move to Germany, he was upset that he couldn't go to his old school or a new one as soon as we moved in our new city. But, the last answer was positive for a Kindergarten that is 20 minutes walk away. We visited it yesterday afternoon. And I must say that my son (and my daughter too) "felt in love" with his class.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE WOMEN WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF MY SON, TEACH HIM THEIR LANGUAGE, SHARE THEIR ENTHOUSIASM; AND I AM MOSTLY IMPRESSED BY THEIR BRAVERY (yeah, he's quite a handfull...)

5 / After we left the school, we went shopping for some sweet things to send to some friends in France. As the darkness engulfed us, I rejoice to have the stroll back to our flat. I'm in town where bikeways are found everywhere and nature is weaved with the human constructions. Night has fallen, the streetlamps were alight and the children were laughing at my grimaces. The big bag of groceries didn't weight that much on my shoulder. 

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE LIFE I HAVE NOW, EVEN THE HAIRPULLING ATTITUDES OF MY KIDS, BECAUSE THEY ARE MY JOY AND MY PRIDE. THEY MAKE ME PROGRESS AS A HUMAN BEING QUICKER THAN A LIFETIME OF DIFFERENT JOBS WOULD EVER DO.

6 / It was Monday, so on Monday we have our family evening. As soon as Jonathan came back from work, I asked him if for one time, we could enjoy ourselves outside from home... I really didn't want to cook that evening (it happens sometimes). And he agreed to eat in the restaurant 50 meters away from our residence. It's not a fancy one, "just" a döner/pizza/icecream restaurant.  But they serve tasty döner plates (without oil on everything), with a smile. The place is spotless. They have baby chairs (6 of them!) and the waiter has a soft spot for babies, making them laugh and giggle each time he comes near their table. The children relatively behaved and we enjoyed our meal.

I AM GRATEFUL MY HUSBAND PROVIDES OUR FAMILY WITH ENOUGH MONEY SO THAT WE COULD SOMETIMES ENJOY A FAMILY DATE IN A RESTAURANT (or a zoo, a fair, etc).

7 / We came back home at 7:45 pm and started our spiritual part of the family evening. The kids were eager to sing (mostly Sophie) and even they didn't listen pretty well to the story we were telling them, it was a good evening. As they were in bed sleeping soundly, thanks to the day activities, I thought about all the blessings I have in my life. I have already told you six of them but one is left to be written.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE FAMILY I HAVE NOW. 

8 / If I didn't have chosen to befriend some eight years ago my dear friend Nelly, I wouldn't be here in Germany with a loving husband and two adorable children. If I didn't accept God in my life, I would certainly be less happy and peaceful in my heart in front of trials. My connexion to my Heavenly Father made me strong and enhanced my "good side" while taming my bad habits. 

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE FACT THAT I HAVE PLACED GOD IN THE CENTER OF MY LIFE AND OF MY HEART.

I could list so many blessings I have in my life. But the one essential, the one that makes me live:

GOD IS WITH ME IN EACH STEPS I MAKE, AND HIS ETERNAL LOVE MAKES ME REMEMBER THAT I AM HIS SPIRITUAL DAUGHTER AND THAT I CAN FACE ANYTHING WITH THIS POWERFUL KNOWLEDGE. FOR THAT I WILL EVER BE GRATEFUL.