Wrangler Dani

Writer, editor, wife, adoptive mama and cowgirl living in beautiful Central Oregon.

Gratitude Project: Small Victories

Sorry that I’ve been quiet lately, even after promising to blog the Gratitude Project every day. This bum shoulder of mine decided to take a painful turn; when I started crying and couldn’t seem to stop, Adam decided it was time for us to try actual medical advice, rather than just The Google.

The kindly doctor at Urgent Care hooked me up with “the stuff they give to quarterbacks and ball players”, a sling and good advice, and Adam bought me a Venti Extra Hot Pumpkin Spice Latte, which is clinically proven to ease any kind of suffering. Sadly I did not get injured by throwing a touchdown pass, but more likely tweaked something when working on our kitchen and then slept on it wrong. Even still, I feel like I have a kinship with serious athletes, with my hard-core-looking kinesiology tape and meds.

But today I’m grateful for little victories, like my big Starbucks drink and a flexible job that lets me take it easy if I need to. I’m grateful that my husband took me to Urgent Care and that my shoulder is healing. I’m grateful for our pets, who love us unconditionally all the time – I felt like such a gross-looking wreck (you try doing your hair with one hand) and Bandit and Guinness both still wanted to be petted and snuggled by me, such a comforting feeling. I’m grateful for TV to distract me. Most of all, I’m really, really grateful for Adam. Taking care of a fussy, pain-wracked wife is probably the least fun thing I can imagine doing, and he has been an encourager, a cheerleader and a caretaker like no other. Today I’m typing without pain, so it seems fitting to rejoice in that. Small victories are sometimes the best kind, and I’m so thankful.