
We were celebrating one of my favorite end-of-year traditions. As we'd done for years, my husband, Grayson, and I had gotten a babysitter for our four children and gone out to dinner at a nice restaurant. But this wasn't just about good food or romance. It was a time for us to look back on the past year and plan for the future.
"Ready?" I said, nudging aside our plates of appetizers and setting my notebook on the table. "What are we most thankful for over the past 12 months?
"We bought a new home," I began.
"That's definitely something to celebrate." I jotted it down.
"We had some great trips to national parks," said Grayson. "The kids loved those."
"Zeke and Ellis both became proficient in reading."
"Completed the house renovation..."
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In

Letting My Feelings Show
The beloved Today show weatherman and cohost on turning 70 and how he approaches life a little differently after his 2022 health scare

Struck
My health was failing. So was my marriage. I didn't want to live like this anymore

Hawaii 5-0
My son said I didn't understand him. He was right. Then came my birthday trip

My Brownie Breakthrough
We'd lived in our new neighborhood for a whole month, and I still didn't know anyone. What did I have to do to make friends?

One Last Glimpse
Daddy was gone so suddenly, I didn't feel as if I had even said goodbye

Then Came Terry
I was a workaholic, and everything else in my life took a back seat. Even my faith

High Fidelity
On Sundays when my great-grandmother could no longer make it to church, she cranked up Tennessee Ernie Ford's All-Time Greatest Hymns. And it wasn't because she was hard of hearing

The Offering
Church was the last place I wanted to be

Where the Light Enters
An unusual way to heal a broken heart

Remember the Love
There's nothing sweeter than an old dog.That's why saying goodbye is so hard. Here are eight ways to find healing, from our resident pet expert