Not much in my life has been easy. In fact, my journey has been so difficult that I thought I had really seen it all and that nothing could knock me down again, because what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Then Dec 2012 happened; I got pre-eclampsia at 25 weeks with my twin girls, and ended up delivering them 3 weeks later. But the knocks kept coming: 9 weeks of a roller coaster I n NICU, loss of Bristol, Blaine’s stepmom was diagnosed with lung cancer, my mom had a tragic fall and subsequently passed, and then Blaine’s stepmom lost her battle with the lung cancer.

My spirit is beaten and bruised, and my soul is beyond sad.

In an effort to heal and move onward again, I have decided to challenge myself to a Journey to Gratitude: 365 Days of Gratitude. When you are faced with so much grief and sorrow, it is easy to get swept up in a downward spiral of negativity. Meanwhile, life is passing you by and you are missing the gems that life has to offer. This journey is my attempt to pull myself out of the sorrow and take note of the good things around me.

Today on Day One, I am ever-so-thankful for my little family. They are my everything. When you have no parents or grandparents left, you cling to those who are still left. I am so blessed to have a supportive husband and partner (who is also an amazing father), a beautiful and smart child who has already beat so many odds in her two short years on earth, and two of the best lap dogs anyone could ask for.

Not only am I challenging myself to post at least one thing I am thankful for on a daily basis for a year, but I am challenging myself to not post the same thing twice – which will force me to find things that I might not otherwise notice. Here’s to my 2015 Journey to Gratitude!