It’s been a good weekend.
I’m writing this somewhere over what looks like Arizonewmexitexas. I’d know for sure if I could see if those are Cardinals or Cowboys car flags attached to cars down there. But honestly, Cowboys fans are everywhere like a bad itch.
I’m grateful for what this weekend past became.
A crew of colleagues in new roles for nearly everyone pulled off the improbable. We delivered a seamless international training event, somehow, someway. I likened it to watching a possum cross eight lanes of highway traffic unscathed.
You don’t know how on God’s semi-green earth he did it, but he did!
I’m grateful for the opportunity to work this convention and give my best. I’m grateful for a company president who inspired thousands – and trusted me with the words he’d use. I’m most thankful for a team of cohorts that rocked it out and got the job done.
What are you thankful for this week?
1-My crew. Yes, they’re the ones I just spoke of. They handled impossible demands in incredible times. They absorbed unrealistic expectations and pumped out quality. They ate calamari and drank sangrias and stomached arena food with me too. Gracias.
2-Texts flying in from my girls. This past weekend in San Jose, I was three time zones away. Each checked in at their own times. Sometimes, to check on me. Other times, to tell me stuff. I loved hearing from them and felt guilty about eating ribeye without them.
3-The woman in the window seat. People rammed me with rolling luggage. Bumped me with backpacks. One grumbled Jesus Christ can you let my wife out first! when I stood up at my seat (I was going to let her out.) One smile from a stranger helped it go away.
4-That moment Camdyn kisses my cheek. It doesn’t matter who’s around. She cares not where we are. When I drop the girl off, she kisses daddy’s cheek. It wasn’t long ago she held my hand in the parking lot, too. I’ll take what I can get.
5-My Recliner. It’s made an appearance here before. I can’t recline it because it’s unplugged. Abu might climb inside and get crushed when I put my feet up. Hell, Abu sits in it more than I do. But when I can find a quiet morning time in it, it’s mine alone.
6-The rising moon on the mountains. I don’t even know what range it was, but the second night in San Jose, a brilliant orange sun rose over the mountains. I thought it was a giant M&M at first. I love it when God shows up.
7-Having a purpose to fulfill; a challenge. This past weekend was that. I wasn’t sure I could do the job but felt damn good I could. And that we’d do well as a team. And that I’d get to meet some of the incredible entrepreneurs I get to work with online.
8-The view from an airplane. I’m like a kid looking out the window seat. Actually, I think about my kids, the two who haven’t flown, especially. Wishing they were here to see stuff and ask questions (not just for Go Ask Daddy.) #WindowSeatSiempre
9-The desire to let quotes set the tone. On my blog, they’re added after I write. In my journal, they’re there before I write. I start entries with a motivational quote. Steve Jobs, Vince Lombardi, Og Mandino. I want to start sharing them with my girls, too, every day.
10-Madison’s sweet words. I posted recently about the Father’s Day detour we took this year. While we watched Die Hard on the couch, she posted a sweet message to dad on Instagram. Really hit me in that spot, you know?
I’m not crying. YOU’RE crying.
Leave the #gratitudeandshit below, would you?
Just a dad ... 
Mrs Wood kept a gratitude journal for a year. Every day she wrote something she was grateful for for that day. 365 things to be grateful for. It made all the difference.
Great practice for Mrs. Wood. When you look back on that, how can you not feel blessed? That’s what I call a good year.
That attitude shapes how we see everything.
I love keeping a gratitude list on the notes section of my phone. Funnily enough, I had a quick flick over it yesterday. It’s so good to take a minute to stop and think about what we are thankful for. Good on ya Eli.
Great idea – so it’s easily accessible. What did you see in your quick flick over it the other day? I love looking back at my filled journal to see what types of things I appreciated.
Good on you too – so grateful to share a blogging circle with the likes of you.
Eli I like that you keep track of gratefulness. Wonderful post. Love the wall with eyes. 🙂
It makes a huge difference! Glad you liked the post. I see faces and eyes everywhere.
Great post Eli! Gratitude for so many people, accomplishments, the small and extremely important moments with your daughters, celebrations and the perspectives from an airplane…and eyes on walls as a bonus! A most enjoyable journey!
Thanks, Carrie! I worry about repeating gratitude but really, is that a bad thing? It helps to try and find things to give thanks for that aren’t as quickly apparent – like the quirk of a building watching me, in fact.
There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for…ALWAYS. 🙂
Not everyone got up this morning, for instance.
😊
I love how much your girls love their dad! It’s so sweet. And I agree about the view from an airplane. I can’t help but love seeing the world from so high up. It does kind of put things into perspective.
It’s humbling to me, Beth! We will always have a touchstone in each other.
I always sk for a window seat! I kept checking out all the high school soccer fields. And suddenly they were all smaller than SD cards.
There is nothing like an unashamed kiss on the cheek from a kid.
Congratulations to your team!
It’s priceless! And I’m pretty proud of this team, so thanks, Mimi.
Sounds like a really wonderful, fulfilling weekend! Aw, your girls are too sweet. And I love a good inspirational quote. 🙂
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
It was incredible, Lauren. And my girls’ sweetness belies their tough exteriors! I want to start doing posts on random quotes i use in these posts.
I love kisses on the cheek from my boys. They also still hold my hand…well, at least the little ones. Sounds like a really great weekend!
It’s tough not to make a big deal of it when it happens, right? Kisses or hand-holding. That weekend was one for the books, Shann.
bravo to all of you for a job well done, like a well=planned bank heist. maybe not a grear comparison, but I always loved my heist and caper movies –
Not unlike a well-planned bank heist at all, Beth. Heist and capers are are almost as keen as bacon and cheese.
Where abouts were you? East coast?
Sounds like work is really going well and that you work with some pretty wonderful people. 🙂
Love that inspirational quote, too.
Hope you’ve been having another great week my friend.
xo
I was in San Jose! Next stop: Detroit, in September. Yes, I’m pretty happy with the job right now! Glad you liked the quote – someday I’m going to write another post about quotes!
Great to hear from you my friend, as always.