Is September really over already? It was a bit of a rough month so it went by pretty quickly. For one, I finally caught one of Zach’s colds. I knew it would happen eventually. Then I had a tooth removed which wasn’t fun. I got tons of canker sores on my lip after making it almost impossible to eat for a week.

Zach has also been struggling to sleep and waking up a lot at night, so I haven’t been sleeping as well. We also made the decision to send Zach to daycare so we’ve been looking into options. I hate the idea of it, but it needs to be done.

At the end of the month, my annual skin check at the dermatologist resulted in the biopsy of a suspicious looking mole. No results yet, but I’m sure it’ll probably be fine. This isn’t the first one she’s felt the need to check. I’d rather her be cautious though!

None of these are things to be thankful for on their own. However, there have been a lot of things connected to these events that I am grateful for.

Why a monthly grateful post?

So often we get stuck in the day-to-day hustle and forget to acknowledge what’s really important. If someone were to ask “What’s most important to you?” we would be quick to respond with things like family, friends, being a good person, and so on. Unfortunately, we allow ourselves to get sidetracked a lot and temporarily “forget” our priorities. Unanswered emails clamor for our attention, deadlines and “to-do” lists clutter up our minds and steal our attention. As a way to temporarily silence these outside distractions, I like to look back over the past month and remind myself what is beautiful in my life. I try to identify three things that have happened in the past few weeks that I am grateful for and recognize them. I remind myself that these small moments are what make up my life and have value. And for them, I am grateful.

Let’s get into what I’m grateful for this month…

What I’m Grateful for in August

1. 1. Finding a daycare we like
      Since I went back to work after my maternity leave, my sister has been watching Zach for us. But it’s been two years and she needs to get back to work so she can start a career. I was hoping that by this time I would be able to stay home with Zach, but unfortunately, we’re just not at that point yet. I was dreading sending Zach to a daycare but we luckily found one within our price range, close to home, that is really nice. It’s clean, the teachers are nice, and most kids have been there a long time. He felt very comfortable playing with the other kids on the playground. I’m hoping he acclimates to the new changes quickly, but at least I know I won’t worry about him.
   2. A big lifestyle change
      When I was 24, I gave up being vegetarian which I had been for roughly half of my life. It’s always been something I’ve considered going back to but it’s a very difficult change to make when you aren’t just feeding yourself. Last month, however, we watched Forks Over Knives and Andy agreed it would be best for our health if we gave up meat and dairy. Starting the next day, we began transitioning to a plant-based diet. I’ve  given up all animal products (essentially vegan) and Andy has given up most. Eventually, we may all be fully vegan. He’s doing it entirely for health purposes and not really for the animals, so there isn’t that extra bit urging him to go all the way. I’m doing it for both. Zachary has also transitioned to a vegan diet. It’s been a little difficult, mostly finding meals that Zachary is willing to eat, but it’s going well!
   3. Finding a great oral surgeon!
      I couldn’t find any oral surgeons with good reviews or personal recommendations that were in my insurance network. However, I found an amazing one out of network that helped me so much and had a really reasonable rate. After choosing them, I knew I made the right choice when I got there for the surgery. Not only was the Dr. incredibly pleasant and reassuring, he explained everything as he did it, but he also told me I shouldn’t get an implant! My dentist had suggested I get an implant after I get it pulled. Because of the lack of space, which was the reason the tooth was damaged to begin with, the surgeon suggested braces to close the gap instead. He did an amazing job and was so incredibly helpful for something I was really dreading! 

      This month I intend to get back into my workout routine and make some more progress. It was really thrown off by sickness and the tooth pulling last month. I’m also really looking forward to taking Zachary trick-or-treating! I can’t wait for everyone to see him as a little mechanic!

      I’d love to hear about some of the things you’re grateful for and looking forward to! What are you grateful for last month?

      Link up to your own gratitude posts below!

      -To your Better Life-

      Kira