This may sound crazy, but I’m really grateful for cleaning the floors in our house. This morning Gavin and I tag teamed cleaning the floors in our house. With three furry animals, the boys, and me the floors seem to always have a layer of hair. Each weekend the floors get cleaned, but once in a while I just get an urge to deep clean them more than normal. Gavin and I worked together to move furniture, dry Swiffer, vaccuum, and then wet Swiffer, and then move the furniture back. It certainly isn’t the sexiest of chores around but there’s something crazy rewarding about it. There’s an immediate result that’s easy to see, there’s a level of work and focus needed to complete it, and it is still so simple that the mind can wander while doing it. Pushing a broom is more oddly calming than it probably should be, but I’m thankful for the work.

While Gavin and I were cleaning the kitchen floor I paused to show him how to pull the stove away from the wall to clean the floor completely. With the stove pull a few feet from the wall I took the opportunity to explain why the entire wall is tiled behind the oven instead of just tiling the visible areas when the stove is in place – which it is 99.99% of the time. Way back in the day Dad repeatedly shared the importance in finishing a project the right way. Don’t shortcut the completion of a project by not finishing something that won’t be seen often. If something is worth doing take the extra time to make sure it all is built correctly. When I put the tile in behind the stove I did the entire wall so it looks complete even if the oven is moved. When I explained all of this to Gavin he smiled and made a comment along the lines of, “oh, the same reason we’re cleaning behind the oven, right?” Right on kiddo! I’m grateful for an excellent “hidden” lesson today.

While I would like to share the details of the other thing I’m grateful for today it’s really between a dear friend and I. Long story short – I was reminded of a profound sense of purpose. Through difficult loss there are ways I’ve found to bring joy to my soul. A while back I shared something about this to a friend. Today they shared how this had helped them. The joy this brought was amazing. I’d lived a part of my purpose and I was so thankful to have been able to assist my friend.

Thanks!!!