I like lists – the kind that are full of things I need to do or get. I especially love crossing things off of them. Sometimes I’m even known to write things down that I’ve already done or gotten so that I can cross those off, too.

I think that it can be more helpful to write things down beyond grocery lists and household chores though. A couple of months ago, I realized that it wasn’t such a bad idea to dump some of the mental clutter that I have banging around in my brain. I am not one to write to a diary and pour my heart out, but quickly and simply jotting down a few of the little things I am grateful for when each day is over is food for the soul.

After a long day, it’s good just to think back on all of it – the chaos, the stress, the good news, the bad news, the smiles, the little things. Some days, my list consists of “listening to the kids play outside while I made dinner” and that’s it. But it’s something to hold onto that reminds me that amidst all the busyness that there are those slivers of perfection.

I want to share with you this lovely shop from one of my amazing friends here in blogland. Katie writes on her blog Making This Home and has a shop Gadanke that she started full of beautiful, meaningful journals for capturing the moments in time that slip away far too quickly.

She has the most perfect journal that fits right in with what I’ve been writing about for 26 days (who’s counting?) – {The Little Things} ~ Listing Thankful Thoughts. Katie has generously offered a 10% discount on this journal to all of you!

Just enter discount code SOGRATFUL at checkout.

Happy journaling!

So, here we are at day 25 – less than a week to go! Halloween is almost here – which means, the end. It has been fun, it still is fun. Sometimes writing about the same thing every day is hard. You’ll notice that I missed a day or three in there somewhere. The thing is, not everything that is small and wonderful and little and to be cherished is meant to be blogged. Some of it is personal, some of it is uninteresting to anyone but me. You get the idea. That’s the thing about writing about The Little Things for 31 days – it’s made me so much more aware of smaller moments that might have escaped too soon before – unnoticed. It’s made me appreciate the little things that go on in the midst of the crazy. But sometimes the little things are that – little – and they can’t outweigh the big stuff.

In the past 25 days since this series started, my hubby has had an interview for a job he didn’t get, we had a mishap with our new fixer upper project (as in it started to fall down all by itself before it’s approved demolition date), family members have needed us, friends have needed my shoulder, and a whole bunch of other big things that tend to hog the show if you let them. The little things don’t always make everything better. It’s not as easy as saying “Well, our other house fell down today, but look – I enjoyed a cup of coffee in the quiet this morning before the kids woke up!” I loved that cup of coffee but it wasn’t that good, if you know what I mean.

Life isn’t just as easy as noticing some flowers or slowing down to laugh with your kids. Tough stuff happens and the little things make it brighter but they don’t make the other stuff go away.

I have no pictures to share because that’s the other thing about little things – they aren’t always easy to capture in words or photo – they just are what they are and you have to hold them in your heart without feeling like unless you share them with the internet they aren’t real. Today, I just want to hold onto some real little things that weren’t photo worthy, aren’t blog worthy, but were there nonetheless. I bet you have some from today, too.

Nature never hurries. Atom by atom, little by little she achieves her work. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson