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Thursday, September 15

Merci beaucoup

 Hey loves, thanks for being here:) Seeing as it's National Thank You Day, I really wanted to try and share what a hugely positive role that thankfulness has played in my life this last year and a half, as well as some little tips for expressing it more. I wanted to include something special with this post as well, so I've partnered with Merci® to help show how easy and fulfilling it is to say 'Thank You' through heartfelt expressions of gratitude.
To get right into it, every day since Martin was diagnosed 18 months ago, I have been so incredibly blessed and humbled and overwhelmed by the love sent our way. I've said it before, but I know that at the core of my happiness and positivity through the last 18 months has been the neverending support and encouragement from so many of you. I've tried and failed over and over to express my thanks for every caring gesture, every timely comment, every prayer offered, every batch of cookies, every dollar donated, every tender thought, but there are simply no words or ways to repay so much goodness and generosity. You guys are too good to us.

It has been so humbling, as I said, first to realize just how much people cared, that the world was such a beautiful place full of such giving people, and then to realize that I was no longer the independent and strong woman that I used to be and that I really needed the help.

One day last year I sat with a friend and expressed how much I wanted to give each of you sweethearts a big bear hug, and that I wished there was something that I could do in return for helping hold up my little struggling family. Her advice was to simply pay it forward once I got my footing again. She said that all we can do is to take those feelings of gratitude and put them back out into the world whenever possible, so that's what we started doing.

At least once a week for the past little while, the kids and I will pick up a small token of appreciation and deliver it to a special someone. It's become one of our favorite family traditions:) We love the Merci® boxes of European chocolates because they're beautiful and so delicious, they're very inexpensive and easy to find, and the intent is written right on the packaging! (Merci is french for "thank you":)). We like to wrap the boxes in a pretty ribbon before making the delivery, and they always remember who's turn it is to hold the box this time around. :)

Denis Waitley said "Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every moment with grace, love, and gratitude." I really believe that focusing part of each day on what and who we have to be grateful for, even in the midst of terrible trials, that we can see the hope in each day we're blessed to be alive. Life is really a series of thousands of little miracles if we take the time to notice them. There is always something or someone to be grateful for. Always.
Today will never come again, so be a friend, be a blessing, encourage someone, choose to be happy, choose to be excited, take the time to care, let your words heal instead of wound, and simply say Thank You! We lift ourselves and others when we live with gratitude, and express it as often as possible. *steps off soapbox*

What are some ways that you like to express gratitude or teach your children about being thankful? This is the perfect time of year to work on ideas, so please share!

Disclaimer:
 This post was sponsored by Merci. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the partnerships that support The Freckled Fox!

22 comments:

  1. These merci boxes are such a great idea! Such a nice thing to show someone you appreciate them too <3

    Abigail Alice x

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  2. I love this idea! I have a ridiculous collection of Thank You cards (the dollar section at Target is my favorite place to snag these) and am always looking for reasons to send them. I love the idea of pairing them with these chocolates. Maybe even keeping a box for myself as a reward for being so thoughtful (:

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  3. I love what you wrote, Emily. I don't have any kids of my own yet, but I do teach 7th and 8th graders. Every Friday at the start of each class, I give the kids a chance to say what they're thankful for. I try so hard to instill the idea that life is better when we learn how to be thankful for the little things. And because it's a Christian school, we wrap-up up our thankfulness sessions by thanking God for all the good things He's given us. I also try to convey that even when life is at its worst, there are still things to be thankful for. Sometimes I wonder if they're actually learning about gratitude, or if they're just happy that the day's lessons are a little shorter. But I have to hope that something is getting through to their hearts.

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  4. Thank you for being such an inspiration to us all. Thank you for posting and sharing your thoughts and your great ideas. If I ever come to the US I would love to meet you and your little ones. I'm looking forward to your next posts and Merci boxes are such a great idea to thank someone, I would totally try it. I wish you the best of the best Emily you and your loved ones. Hugs & kisses from Saudi Arabia <3

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  5. Emily, This is so beautiful to read. Your kiddos are absolutely beautiful! I admire you so much for finding something so positive to focus on during a time when you're trying to stay afloat. This makes me want to cry tears of happiness. So, so happy that your are doing well.

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  6. Such a great idea! I love those boxes! I talk to my little girls about thanking people for little things. We do lots of homemade crafts and send them in the mail to people to brighten their day!

    http://www.mylittlenest.org

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  7. This is such a sweet idea and the Merci chocolates are delicious!

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  8. We like to share our gratitudes around the dinner table, or the brunch table on Sundays :)

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  9. You are amazing, Emily. I'm so grateful for you. Thank you for being a light in the world.

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  10. Your girls look like the best of friends! You guys have definitely over-come a lot in the past 18 months and it's inspiring to see how you have continued on. Just seeing how much support you've been shown here helps me have faith in the world and good people that care for strangers. Just keeping moving forward, Emily, you're doing great!

    Carly from www.AModernMomBlog.com

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  11. Thoughtful and giving as always my sweetest Emily 🙃🐬

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  12. you put so much in perspective as always thank you!! I've been so consumed by things being tough & flip it reminds me to stop being so focused on one struggle & be thankful, be loving, be kind..so glad you are writing again!!

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  13. Thank you Emily, for your inspiration. I've followed your blog since shortly before Martin's diagnosis and I have been awed by your strength. You have inspired me to start my own blog and I'm hoping to come to know the community of women whose blogs I normally read without commenting. I am so happy to see you doing so well. I know this is just a snapshot and there must be many difficult days and nights. But look at those girls!!! So so beautiful.

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  14. Oh thank you for your reminders to be grateful and thankful and giving and to heal with words instead of wounding. Every day is filled with choices and I thank you sincerely for this post. It is exactly what I needed to read this monring. I send my best across the miles to you and your beautiful family.

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  15. I really love this family tradition! I want to encourage him to receive, receive, all of the love and support. Sometimes we think we have to earn or deserve love and it's hard to just receive it and be thankful for it with no compulsion to give back or earn it :) no one who gives with love is ever expecting anything in return.

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  16. That is a lovely gesture that you are doing for the special people in your lives!! A great way to get the children excited about thanking and appreciating people. You have such beautiful children. As a mother of two, I take off my hat to you for doing everything that you do! You are doing such a great job!

    My two little ones like to pick flowers from our garden for our neighbour to thank her for all the snacks she gives them (and that they demand off her). It is their own special way of thanking her - the pride on their faces if just so good to see when they hand over their little bunches of flowers that "they grew" for her.

    Keep writing - its great to see you back here - you and your family have been in our thoughts.

    Love to you all.

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  17. I needed this reminder. Thank YOU! <3

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  18. Your littles are getting so big and I think about you and your family all of the time! Glad to hear from you!

    xx Kelly
    Sparkles and Shoes

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  19. Love this post. I've been thinking of you a lot and am so happy to see you moving forward with so much grace and courage. :) Your little ones are adorable (I have a couple of little reds myself, so I'm partial) and I love seeing all the pics you post of them. I know you probably worry about them, but I just want to say (in the the most loving and caring way) that they really will be ok. You're giving them such a good start in this world, and you're doing so well, Emily. I'm so thankful for you and for the strength you are finding, to make your and their life worth living again.
    Much love

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