Grateful in January

January is such a hard month for me. There's hardly any sun, it's cold, the air is smoggy and the snow looks dirty. I started wondering if there was anything good about January. So, I made a list of the things that I have loved about this month.

1. Blue eyes. Brilliant, lovely, deep blue eyes. I can forget all the naughty things that Brielle does when I look into her eyes. Truly, I could get lost in them.

2. Humidifier. Yes, it's January so we've been sick. Almost all of us (knock on wood). Breathing treatments weren't working, antibiotics weren't kicking in as fast as I wanted. But the humidifer always comes through. It makes breathing just a little bit easier. Plus, it's fun walking into a room and immediately feeling like I'm in Hawaii :)

3. Snowmen. Sophie made her first snowman (with the help of her fab sister, Sam). It was darling. At approximately 5 inches high and 3 inches wide, there was not one cuter snowman on the block - or the world in my opinion.

4. Forts. Truly, this has to be the best way to break up a boring, dull January night. Dad is a fort builder extraordinaire, and the boys love learning from him. It makes sleeping (even when sick) so much funner!

5. Food Storage. After the earthquake in Haiti, I decided that I really needed to get more organized. Inventory was taken, shelves were swept and cleaned, and water was refilled. I don't have enough of everything that I need, but I'm a little better off than I was at the beginning of the month. What more could I ask for?

6. Sleeping kids. It's nice to sleep. I really like it. Fortunately, my kids are all growing to like it, too. And the positions that some of them sleep in - really funny!

So, looking back on the list of things that I'm grateful for, I know that I wouldn't change a single day. Today, the sun is shining, it's almost 40 degrees and I feel like a very lucky mama.