Today I’m continuing my “Year of Es” wrap up with a post about the “everyday” focus of the blog this year…

One of my goals for this year was to celebrate everyday miracles. I feel like this goal provided me with the opportunity to find so much more gratitude than I would have otherwise. I found ways to make the everyday feel extraordinary and to celebrate everyday simplicity.

I bought this print for our home at Christmas of last year, knowing one of my Es was going to be “everyday” and it has really kept me centered on the things that mattered- St. Thomas Moore is basically saying that the little things are what help us grow and cultivate our souls:

“The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul that their simplicity might suggest” Isn’t that beautiful?!

This year, I’ve used this focus on the everyday to start brainstorming routines (some of which started working pretty well and others still need some major tweaking to become habits!), I’ve used it to remind myself to document the everyday moments when I am scrapbooking, to notice the small growth in my garden, to decide what I want to be a special occasion and what I want to be part of the everyday love and celebrations in our family.

This year I have recognized some of the everyday treasures that I own, from wedding rings to hand me downs. I have started to delight in the everyday moments of text messages or other wacky signs of affection from my friends. I have been reminded over and over again that, in the end, perspective changes everything.

My everyday routines changed this year when I went back to work- still part time, but for the first time since the kids were born it took place at the same time my husband was at work (most of the time until now I have only worked nights and weekends when he could be with the kids!) and my son started preschool. It made me miss some of our old routine for sure, but also opened me up to a new source of inspiration and energy, and made me be more intentional with the times I still had with my kids- story times, pancake breakfasts on Sundays, visits to the children’s museum. So ordinary but oh so important.

I’ve mentioned several times on my blog throughout the years that I have a small obsession with the play Our Town– I think it will be a lifelong goal of mine to do my best to “realize life while I live it… every, every minute” So really what focusing on the everyday did for me this year was, at least sometimes, bring me a little closer to being a saint and a poet. I hope to take that focus far beyond this year.