Why is it that it seems harder to come up with these on a difficult week? I’m no less blessed, but my mind jumps off onto things it just doesn’t need to jump off onto. So really, counting my gifts is even MORE important on the difficult weeks.

With that prompting me, here are twenty-five gifts for this week:

301) My Dad is at probably the best hospital for the issues he is having.
302) My Dad is in better spirits today.
303) We should be able to get answers for what’s causing my dad’s weird health problems.
304) My sister and I are working together on this.
305) Dad is perky enough to flirt with the cute lady doctors, even at 69 years old and while wearing a hospital gown.
306) My youngest niece is engaged!
307) She wants us to photograph her wedding (which I take as a great compliment).
308) When total strangers love/compliment our photography work.
309) We survived the first week of our homeschool year.
310) Kathryn thinks I’m more fun than last year.
311) Friends who are knowledgeable about other issues we’re dealing with.
312) Mom cares about Dad’s well-being even though they’ve been divorced for years.
313) Pen-pals.
314) Watercolor colored pencils. (They’re great!)
315) Bluebirds. They just make me happy.
316) Opportunities to share our adoption story.
317) Opportunities to share others’ adoption stories (another great one coming up!).
318) Rebuilding damaged relationships.
319) Prayer.
320) Ken’s friendships with mature Christian men.
321) Ken being able to fix the car himself for not too much money.
322) A Saturday with nowhere we were required to be.
323) A new shipment of tea from Special Teas.
324) When Kathryn loves a book I’ve assigned to read.
325) Unsolicited hugs from my girls.

Jamie

Wife, mom, J-ma. Introvert who enjoys good books, sunshine, and authentic conversation. Often seen with a steaming mug of tea in hand – unless it’s lost yet again in the microwave. Read more »