Okay. I’m late to the party. That’s nothing new. I had forgotten about the A-Z Challenge until this morning as I wrote my almost daily morning pages. I say “almost daily” because I don’t always write on the weekends. My Monday to Friday routines are thrown off because my husband usually has the TV on before I emerge from the bedroom in the mornings. I have trouble concentrating on writing when the TV is on (but not so much when I’m listening to music).

So, on April 8, I will begin the A to Z challenge. This year’s theme is gratitude for the community, specifically the blogging community. I have a few folks who “like” my reading updates when I post them monthly. But I don’t really blog for an audience (though it’s nice to have readers!); I write for myself.

Today, the letter is A.

The quote for the first challenge day is a really good one, and to begin the April challenge, the focus is on the people who make us happy. I am grateful for some special people in my life. There is my husband of 41 years this June and our two adult sons. The older son is a musician and a middle school band director; the younger–the adrenalin junkie–is a full-time firefighter and EMT. I am proud of them. John always gives me something to think about and challenges my brain. Aaron makes me smile at his actions. Then there is my daughter-in-law, who makes me so proud that she is willing to stand up for the marginalized people in our society. And my grandson, Sully, just makes me smile! He is three years old (he turns four in October). He is almost always happy.

Last spring, I started a very small book club. These ladies are so special. We share a love of books and good conversation. Our little group ranges in age from 18 to 80+ (I’m not sure how old Ms. Biba is). I look forward to our monthly meetings at the local coffee shop. Isabelle, the 18-year-old, gives us so much joy in her enthusiasm for books and the way she just fits in with our group of women who are old enough to be her grandmothers!

Ms. Biba and Shana have been my support group over the last couple of months as our church goes through some changes that are not necessarily the “best,” if I am to be honest. They have had my back, as it were, when I feel afraid to speak my truth. I am so thankful for them. Shana makes me laugh with her zaniness.

And so the April challenge begins.