When Snow + Subfreezing Temps are the Real Winners 🏆

I traveled with one of my daughters this past weekend - a trip we’ve made a number of times to see her significant other play college football. I’d been looking forward to this bonus time with her, with him, and with his family. The weekend was going to be cold, and I was ready. My suitcase was filled with hand-warmers, and I’d made a solemn promise to her daddy: to bring her back with the same numbers of fingers and toes with which she entered the world.

Somewhere along the way, our conversation turned to the upcoming holidays and how there would be fewer chairs at my Thanksgiving table this year. The topic didn’t exactly bring positive vibes - and it was a stark contrast to the expected fanfare of the upcoming weekend. 

Fast forward to game day: snow, subfreezing temps, last-minute errands, and hot flashes that could melt an iceberg. A disappointing loss and angry words flying through the tense stadium air. It was a day for sure.

What’s funny, though, is how little of that stuck. In fact, I had to dust off a few brain cells to even recall some of those moments. The parts that remain with me are the good ones - not just the easy positives, but the ones that happened because of the chaos. 

If it hadn’t been snowing and cold, would I have snuggled with my adult daughter? Probably not. Don’t get me wrong - I would have tried, but the reception might’ve been less warm.

If it hadn't been freezing, would I have had multiple rounds of hot chocolate? Honestly - maybe. But the temperatures made all of those cups essential for existence. Bonus.

If it weren’t cold, would my hot flashes that day have ever ended? Most definitely not. I would have never found relief and eventually succumbed to spontaneous human combustion. Okay, this could be a tiny stretch, but I assure you it didn’t feel like a stretch in those moments I found new life in the cold wind. 

When our weekend wrapped and we started the journey home, it was this collection of experiences - small on their own, but mighty in impact - that filled my heart.

It was a reminder that gratitude can’t be boxed in. It doesn't arrive only at a table set for 12 on a day called Thanksgiving. The things that inspire a thankful heart are happening constantly, in every circumstance. But they can be missed when I’m not paying attention which, truth be told, is most of the time.

Anyway… I’m still working out how to be thankful for angry cussing. Stay tuned on that one.

In the meantime, I thought it might be fun to make a list of things that didn’t go as planned - and ended up better that way. Use these Unexpected Gratitude prompts to jot down the small surprises, messy victories, and lessons tucked inside ordinary days. 

With a house full of cheer (and SO MANY DUST BUNNIES), 

Gretchen 💕

P.S. Shout out to these warmers. True MVPs.