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FIGS Week 3

To be honest, this wasn’t the easiest week for noticing the good things and the FIGs challenge, but gratitude definitely is essential on hard/annoying weeks as well as good or routine weeks. We had a few anti-figs this week: I had a gnarly cough, lost my voice, and strained my back, and then both of the kids came down with a stomach bug leading to one of them having to leave a trip to the mountains with a group of friends early while feeling terrible. Luckily all of these things are annoyances rather than long-term problems. Still, it was a lot at once, and I was very happy to start a new week today. I definitely needed to feel like we moved on from last week!

Monday, February 16
I’m grateful for our good friends who loaned us their sump pump when it rained and we noticed water in the garage. I’m also grateful they had us over to hang at the house while our power was out. They made hot cocoa, which was a nice treat.

Tuesday, February 17
I’m grateful for a long snuggle with A watching the Olympics together. We were both feeling worn down, and I had lost my voice, so it felt great to rest and do absolutely nothing.

Wednesday, February 18
I’m grateful for some nice moments with the kids, and to Joel for moving around work meetings so he could take my toddler to and from school and I could rest my back. The kids spent a long time working on a “masterpiece” together, which was a super long piece of butcher paper they drew on. My older daughter was really encouraging to my youngest, which was an unexpected delight.

Thursday, February 19
More Olympic FIGs! Watching Alyssa Liu win gold was pure joy, and watching both kids attempt to perform double axles in our living room was pretty great too.

Friday, February 20
I made a new recipe (this Chicken Tikka Masala), which everyone enjoyed! It was a relaxed dinner at the end of long week.

Saturday, February 21
I’m grateful we made it home after a long mountain drive with a very sick kid. Lots of friends helped us to mobilize and get packed up when it was clear we needed to leave quickly.

Sunday, February 22
I’m grateful for the hummingbird that flew right up to the window while I was enjoying coffee, and cozy time playing board games with my older daughter. I’m also grateful to live two blocks from the park, where we met friends and ran into neighbors.

Hoping you all had a good week! I definitely wasn't as organized at writing down FIGs as I went, but I switched to capturing them in my 5 year journal and definitely tried to notice the positive as it came. What's your favorite treat on a week when everything feels a little hard?
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Comments

  1. NicoleFebruary 24, 2026 at 7:12 AM

    Sorry you had a hard week but it's nice to have these little moments of happiness! Ugh on the water in the garage, that sucks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SamFebruary 27, 2026 at 2:08 PM

      Yeah--it's cleared up but we need to address the larger issue still.

      Delete
  2. Lisa's YarnsFebruary 24, 2026 at 8:14 AM

    Oh no!! A stomach bug!! That is the absolute worst!! Especially in the car! And then to feel ill and hurt your back! Good for you for looking for positive things. I haven’t been playing along with FIGS this year. I have kind of had an Eyeore type of month for no good reason. I think it’s from adjusting to traveling for work again. It’s fine when I am on the trip but preparing for it and reentry has been harder than expected.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SamFebruary 27, 2026 at 2:08 PM

      An Eeyore month is such a good way to put it. February has been kind of a slog this year. Adjusting to travel again is huge, especially with little kids. Hope that it feels more routine soon, or that you get a break in the travel schedule.

      Delete
  3. StephanyFebruary 26, 2026 at 9:40 AM

    I think it's amazing you found these little moments of joy during a really hard week. And it probably helped to reframe these hard days a bit!

    My favorite treat on a hard week is Dr. Pepper and something sweet, likely chocolate!

    ReplyDelete
  4. JennyFebruary 27, 2026 at 5:50 AM

    Oh, this week does sound like it was hard. How is your back- is it better now???
    I'm wondering how many little girls were doing double axles in their living rooms last week. Watching Alysa was definitely a FIG.
    I hope everyone is feeling better!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SamFebruary 27, 2026 at 2:06 PM

      Thank you--it is a lot better! Still a little sore, but I'm exercising again and can pick up my toddler again, so life feels much better.

      Delete
  5. MelissaMarch 1, 2026 at 5:33 PM

    Sickness in the house is not a good thing, and doubly hard when it's you. I agree with you that counting FIG's is so important when things are not the greatest, it helps to know that life still has it good parts. I like a bit of chocolate when everything is hard. My daughters bought sinnamon scrolls when they visited and that was pretty special too!

    ReplyDelete

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