Monday Grateful

Monday Grateful: The key to the Mondays is always gratitude.

I got home last night from being gone for the weekend at my cousin’s wedding in California.

This morning has been a sweet mix of relishing both a great getaway and coming home.

Even though a certain 4 year old woke me up at 5am (that’s 3am in California) with wet pajamas, I have been grateful through my sleepy haze.

I’ve been making a list of all the gifts from the last several days.

So, so many.

Here’s a few.

uninterrupted time with my mom, sister and grandmother for a few days

new dress, sweater and shoes to wear to a wedding

meeting my cousin’s sweet baby, Lily

watching my cousin be completely taken with his daughter…silly, gushing, larger than life proud of his baby girl…LOVE!

my Grandmother’s antics

hot sourdough bread by the sea

seeing the hotel del Coronado

seeing the ocean

rocky beaches

being hosted by my gracious aunt and uncle

sharing belly laughs, hot coffee, red wine and a hotel room with my sister

trying to pick the perfectly cheesy greeting card for my Grandmother to take to the wedding

our extended family spilling all over a hotel lobby sharing long, lazy breakfasts

singing around the piano

playing with instagram on my mom’s phone

my cousin Matthew’s unbridled joy on his wedding weekend

taking my Grandmother to Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie

finding lego minifigures for my kids at Urban Outfitters

Anthropologie window displays

Aveda tea

Starbucks coffee

my sister’s uncanny ability to locate an amazing local restaurant

sunny patios

the way wet green grass sparkles in the morning sun

homemade fresh corn tortillas

stretchy comfy skinny jeans

my Grandmother praying, in the car, on the plane, at the wedding…

hotel rooms with microwaves (for my corn bag)

my mother’s quiet grace

seltzer water with lime

blue snowflake mosaic hurricane lamps made by my aunt

having the Bible, a movie, music and several books at my fingertips

coming home to spring instead of snow

a mess of daffodils and hyacinths welcoming me to my house

being missed

listening to Cole and Mary Polly quote lines from seeing the local high school play

sitting with Mary Polly in her newly constructed twinkle lit fort, hearing all about her weekend

snuggling with Simon at 5am and not having to get up quite yet

open windows, fresh cut daffodils, laundry detergent and yummy candles expelling the smell of sweaty soccer laundry and wet bed from my house