What I'm Thankful For

Thanksgiving is a time for family, great food, and most of all for being thankful for everything in our lives. This year, I find myself thinking a lot about how much I have to be thankful for. In no order whatsoever…

I’m thankful for my job, the fact that is it now something I am excited about, and the opportunities that lie ahead. Most of all, I’m thankful to have one in a time when so many do not.

I’m thankful for our home. It is our home, it is ours, it is where we brought our daughters home from the hospital to, where they each took their first steps, said their first word, had their first laugh, etc… It is filled with wonderful memories for me of Nathan and the girls, as well as extended family and friends who have spent time there with us. And it just so happens to be the first place for Nathan and I that was truly ours.

I’m thankful for my memories. I’m thankful for the memories I have of loved ones who have passed on, thankful to laugh and smile and share them with others, thankful for the others that listen, especially when I know they’ve heard the story before. These loved ones live on in my heart and in my memories, and the people that are kind enough to listen to the stories, especially more than once, give extra immortality to them for me, and I love you for it.

I’m thankful for my girlfriends. I am so incredibly blessed with an amazing group of women that are my friends. We all have many common interests, and many not so common interests, we each handle stress and everyday life in a different way. But it is our differences that makes our friendships great. In a time of need, a time to laugh, a time to be ticked off, we each bring something different to the table, to make the other laugh, offer a shoulder to cry on, get mad right along with you, or just plain old say “I don’t know what to say about that!” No matter what though, they are there and I am very thankful for it.

Outside of these great ladies, there’s also some pretty great men and children that they are attached to. These guys and kids are also a huge part of our lives and our girls’ lives. We see them on a regular basis, celebrate birthdays, accomplishments, milestones; it is like have a big extended family and I love it.

I’m thankful for our families. Our parents, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc… that are a part of our lives. Nathan and I each have amazing sisters, who have always been there for us, and have been the best aunts we could ever ask for to our girls. Our parents, who all get great joy of watching us both stumble through the trials and tribulations of parenthood (in good nature of course!), have always been supportive, understanding, a wealth of knowledge, and known just what to say or do when we needed them. They know every memory, every dream, every wish, and our girls are so lucky to have them for grandparents. We love you guys!

I’m thankful for my daughters. Each and every day they amaze me, inspire me, love me, and make me a better person. Things changed when I become a mom, I learned to take less for granted, learned that there are more important things in life than everyday petty issues I used to get absorbed in, and that the most important thing is my family. I have so much fun with my girls, every day I feel like they learn something new, and that I get to learn something new right along with them. Every day when I am exhausted after work and feel like just going home and sleeping for a week, I get to the girls’ daycares and see their little faces light up, hear Sammie yell “Mommy!” and come running or Brenna squeal and come crawling over to me, and I’m completely refreshed! I love being a mom, I’ve said it since I had Sammie and I’ll say it until the day I die; I can’t imagine anything better in the whole world.

And last, but certainly not least, I’m thankful for my husband. He knows me so well, and loves me anyway! He is my support, my faith, my reason, my calmness, my everything. People on the outside looking in sometimes think that Nathan has it easy, that I do so much... Truth is, Nathan helps and not just in chores, taking care of the kids, etc…he helps me be a better me. When I want to get angry, give up, not keep moving forward; when I want to just call it a day, he picks me up, shakes me off, and puts me back on my feet and ready to go. The most amazing thing? Sometimes I don’t even think he knows he does it. The truth is, I couldn’t do anything I do without Nathan, his support, his love; that’s what makes it easy for me to do the things I do, I am always thankful for that.