An Abundance of Joy

With the internet going down, my Spurred project, and Thanksgiving, I’m a little behind in sharing the Gratitude project with you! But that’s okay because it gives me lots to share this week. I hope all the readers who celebrate enjoyed their Thanksgiving weekend. I’m trying to hold off until after the 1st to put up our Christmas tree and pull out or Christmas decorations. When do you normally decorate?

These photos and accompanying words were pulled directly from my 30 day journal, so when I say “yesterday” or “today”, I’m really talking about whatever day I was writing for.

Day 7

Things I appreciate about Morn:

He was my first rescue.
His fur is soft and smooth.
Headbutting is his way of saying, “I love you.”
He is the most gentle cat I’ve ever met. He is gentle with people and other animals, and he always lets the other cats win when they play even though he’s the best hunter.
He lets me put funny hats or scarves on him and never runs away.
He spends hours in your lap.
He is obsessed with Tom.
His natural face makes him look grumpy, even though he’s not.

Day 8

Though our wedding ceremony was only last year, it’s been three years since Tom and I promised ourselves to each other. And I love that a card was on my desk this morning.

Day 9

I’m grateful that I grew up in another country. It shaped me and even though I believe it has caused some inner turmoil at times it is a very important part of me. I do not feel I have a ‘right’ to the Japanese culture because I am American, and yet I do not feel ‘American’ completely either- which I later learned is what it means to be a TCK.

“A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person who has spent a significant part of [their] developmental years outside the parents’ culture. The TCK frequently builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture may be assimilated into the TCK’s life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar background.”

Day 10

The view from our apartment is beautiful. There are some days when I wished it overlooked a lake instead of a city, but then I realize that a time will come for that. So I should enjoy the beauty of the city now. Sometimes Tom and I will just sit at the window and watch.

Day 11

Things I appreciate about Atlas:

He is very smart.
He meows and squirms in excitement if he thinks you are about to pick him up.
He bathes you by licking your hair.
He has a “favorite spot”, which is on the back of the chair.
He loves to explore everything, even the dishwasher.
He watches TV. But actually watches it.
He is a survivor, and because of it his tail flops forward instead of back.
He is clumsy. He doesn’t land on his feet if he falls, he trips over himself, and he stretches out like a person so you can pick him up and put him in your lap instead of jumping.

Day 12

I am grateful that I live in a place that experiences the seasons. When I lived in Japan I lived on one of the islands of the coast, and our seasons consisted of warm, sticky, and typhoon. While sometimes I gripe about how cold it is, and how I have to take extra care when I photograph, I love the snow falling. I love autumn and summer and spring.

Day 13

Yesterday a home in a friend’s neighborhood burned down. Nobody was hurt, but it had just been purchased by a gentlemen a few weeks previous and he was in the middle of renovations.

Every single day I wake up I go through a list of things I’m grateful for before rolling out of bed. The apartment Tom and I share is one of those things.