Doing the best I can

As promised, today and for the next month until Christmas arrives, I'm going to challenge myself to blog everyday about something that I'm thankful for or something that makes me feel joyful.  It feels like today should be the easiest day because it's the first one and because we were supposed to spend the whole day focused on the things we're thankful for.  I don't feel like that happened.  Thanksgiving was today and we ate turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie.  We sat around a table and said a prayer about how thankful we were to be together.  And that's where it pretty much ended.  There were a lot of things that didn't go as I would dream today.  My dream Thanksgiving was a far away thought and I was really struggling to keep myself going and trying to focus on the good today.

So part of me was just going to cop out and say the easiest things today, the most obvious.  Which of course would be Hubby, Bean, and Pup Pup.  I am so very thankful for all of them.  But instead, I'm going to be thankful today for what got me through the day, because sadly, I hardly had a moment to focus on, or spend with, my wonderful little family.

Today I'm thankful that I was born such a patient person.  I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher because I loved kids and because I have the right personality for it.  I am incredibly patient, something I both recognize, and have been told.  This was such an important part of my teaching style, but it has also served me so well in many other ways in life, and today was no exception.  There were times today when I could have thrown my hands up.  When I could have gotten angry or frustrated.  There were moments when a little part of me wanted to.  But I didn't.  The rest of my took charge and I just plugged through, attacking each moment as it came and working on making it from morning (which started quite early) until night.

And as I sit here looking back on my day, I feel a few things.  Exhausted for sure.  Exasperated.  A little sad that I couldn't have made more magic happen today for Bean.  Hopefully that will change in years to come.  I could list pages of negative words that I feel about the events of today.  Instead I look back and I feel good.  So much today was outside of my control.  I was thrown into a situation and just had to make the most of it.  And I feel like I did that.  I can go to bed tonight without one regret as to how I handled myself.  I may not have been able to give my family the day that I dreamed of, but in the situation we were in, I feel like I did the very best that I could.  I feel proud that I didn't let it all drag me down and I am really happy that I was a good role model for Bean today.  I took what I was given and was able to navigate it all gracefully.  And for that, I am very thankful.