Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Simple Things I Love

I've had a pretty "glass half empty" kind of year. Quite a bit of feeling sorry for myself and being grumpy. For those of you who really know how it feels to battle depression, you know that sometimes no matter what you say to yourself, it's not just a matter of "snapping out of it." But I do know that when I'm carefully looking for positive things in my life it helps. For the last month or so I've been trying very hard to find little things that make me happy. I decided maybe I'd blog them sometimes to give me an extra incentive. It's amazing how many wonderful things there are in life when you just stop, breathe, and pay attention to the little things. So, here are some simple things that have made me happy this week:


1. Reading Christmas books with my family. We have a Christmas book tradition in our family. When Worthy and I were first married, I started buying a Christmas book at Thanksgiving time each year. We now have quite a collection! Some of them have been added at Thankgiving over the last 16 years, some of them have been gifts (Thanks Gramma Gail!), and some I just couldn't resist. It was so fun to get our Christmas decorations out on Saturday and watch the kids get enthralled in the books. They immediately sat down and started reading. "Remember this one?" I kept hearing. Each night in December they each choose a new book and we read it. Even Morgan gets into this--she's big into traditions and I think it makes her feel like a little kid again. This picture is of our Christmas reading ritual. That's me in the background (see the blonde hair?). The kids are looking intently at the book I'm reading, "The Little Match Girl."


2. Pandora radio on the internet. LOVE IT. Right now it's playing me Christmas music and it makes me happy.


3. My kids say the greatest things. Here is Kate last night, answering the question "What did you learn in school today?" You have to picture her serious, intent little face.


Kate: "I learned how to kill a monster if monsters were really real."


Mom: "How?"


Kate. "There are two steps. Step one: Run. Step two: Run faster."



4. Worthy. He is having a really hard time at work right now. The politics there are so ugly, and his team keeps quitting, one after the other. I know he hates it at work, and I know that he keeps hanging in there because of his love and devotion to me and to his kids. I love him and I can't help but think things can only get better. I hope.


5. Blogs. I've tried really hard to make sure I check in every day to see how you are all doing. I love you all and you make me smile! Thanks for your blogs and for keeping in touch.

3 comments:

  1. I know we all tried to avoid the cheesy "It's thanksgiviing and I am thankful for..." posts, but I think it really is okay to count our blessings. I know how rough depression can be, and it makes it hard to see (or maybe the better word is FEEL) those blessings. Great post. Love you, Kim. Sorry about Worthy's stress. I just saw Nicole Francom posting about her husband's new job. Didn't he used to work with Worthy? I hope that situation improves for Worthy soon. Like you said, surely it has got to get better.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yep, James works(worked) with Worthy. All of his friends have bailed or are bailing. Anyone know of a good job out there that will keep us in San Juan County?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kim, we love the blogs too. Grandpa Asay just loves reading the blogs regularly. Please know that you are not alone in your depression( I don't know if depression loves company), but we face it often in our family as well. Just know that you are loved and this too will pass.

    ReplyDelete