There’s something truly magical about the family being cozied up at home with no big plans, right before the holiday hustle begins. However, it’s a little less magical when you’re hunkered down because of an unexpected guest—the stomach bug. Last weekend, we had big plans. Saturday dinner with friends, swimming lessons, a kids’ party on Sunday, and I was excited for it all—especially to celebrate another trip around the sun with a little birthday fun. But life had other ideas.

Instead of getting ahead on my to-do list on Friday, I got a call from school (the first in three years) that my little guy wasn’t feeling well. Boy, was he ever! He threw up in the car on the way home, and our night turned into a round-the-clock cycle of cleaning, comforting, and hoping no one else caught it. With a mix of disappointment and acceptance, I let go of the packed schedule I had looked forward to and geared up for a weekend with bleach and back rubs. Yet, somehow, we ended up having a weekend that was surprisingly beautiful.

When you shift your mindset, you can find things to be grateful for—even in the messy moments. I started to look at our weekend as I would a snow day. What can we do together, right here, right now, to create memories? We played Candy Land, Uno, and Monopoly, all four of us together, which, I’ll admit, doesn’t usually happen without a hard stop. Since it was the weekend, my husband was there for every game, every laugh, and every little victory. We read stories cuddled up on the couch, colored together, and embraced the simplicity of it all. I even tried some recipes I’d been wanting to make, including one with my newly acquired bread maker, thanks to a lucky Facebook Marketplace find.

Sitting at the table, surrounded by my favorite people, it struck me how blessed we are to have these unexpected moments, even if there’s a towel and a bowl nearby. Gratitude doesn’t always come from grand moments; sometimes, it’s found in the unexpected spaces between. No matter what you’re dealing with, sometimes a small shift in perspective is all it takes to see the beauty around you.

I hope you find your own moments of gratitude this week. And as always, happy reading.

- Katie