Thankful.

In the spirit of gratitude I thought I would share some things I'm feeling grateful for.  I try and think about what I'm thankful for everyday, and I have to admit that writing these little lists out always puts me in the best mood. It's a good exercise, and I love having these posts to look back on on a particularly down day to cheer me right up. So, without further ado, here's my list-

1. My family. I feel lucky to be married to my best friend, and even better? He's the greatest father. Everyday I wake up and feel so grateful for Hank, and now that we have sweet Henry in the picture, life just feels...right.  I love spending my days with Henry- his laughs and smiles have brought more happiness to me than anything in the world, and I feel like it's so much easier to find positivity in every aspect of life with that little guy calling me mama. Even the worst of days have that bit of goodness in them, and for that I am so thankful. Beyond us three, I'm so thankful for all of my family. We have a solid one, and I try to never, ever forget that.

2. Madeline. Before Henry was born she was the baby of the house, and even though things have completely changed, she is still the sweetest thing in the entire world. We went through a weird transitional phase when Henry first arrived but now we are all back to normal, and she truly is Henry's best friend. It's awesome to watch them play and explore together. Madeline's pretty much in heaven to have a full-time, roll-around-on-the-floor playmate.

3. The basics. A roof over our head, food in our bellies, clean water to drink.

4. My friends. Over this past year my idea of what a friend is and how to be a friend changed a bit, and in that shift I've found myself with a lot less close friends than ever. But this is a good thing. I now have the time and energy to focus on the people in my life that matter, rather than spreading myself thin with too many people. Quality over quantity, and the few that I keep close are some of the best people in the entire world. This past year I've also met and gotten quite close with a few new mama friends, and I adore them, even though they are at least a couple of hours away (and one all the way up the West Coast!). Their daily support and friendship is amazing.

5. My education. Even though I stay home with Henry now, I am so thankful to have been able to attend both college and graduate school.  I think back so fondly on my college times, and not just at all the fun my friends and I had socially- I feel like I really learned a lot in all of the classes I took in regards to English. I have such a love for writing, and although that's been a part of me for as long as I can remember, so many of my professors at NAU and so many of the classes I took really helped ignite a deeper passion for it.  It think of them every day and feel very grateful to have had that experience, and I'm excited to move forward with all of it.

6. The knowledge and ability to change anything I want. Right now I'm just taking each day for what it is, a chance to be a better wife and mother. I know that if yesterday I was in a snappy mood, today I can change my attitude and be kinder. I know that if I made poor food choices, if I was more lazy than productive, so on and so forth, then right now I can fix that through my actions. In the past I think I would let a bump in the road shake me, thus starting a cycle of more negativity. Now though I'd like to think that proactively moving forward has helped me get closer to becoming that person I want to be, and I'm thankful for this.

7. Health. Everyday I feel thankful for this, because I've seen so many people in my life deal with very hard things. From my Mom's breast cancer to my Dad's heart problems, we recently had a few years that were very difficult. And although everything is good now, going through a lot of what we did together made me really appreciate good health and to never take it for granted.

8. Technology. I love that we are all so connected and I'm able to be in touch with my faraway family and friends whenever I want. I was just emailing with my friend in India- it was 11:30pm and bedtime for her- and I had to sit back for a moment and marvel at how awesome that really is.

9. Having the luxury of being able to even type out a thankful list. Really. There's so much that goes into this little act- a happily napping baby, a computer, electricity, etc. etc. 

10. And finally, some little things, both serious and silly: the men and women who serve our country, Netflix, yoga pants, Trader Joe's coming to town, Sons of Anarchy, Oprah, cheese (Gouda and Muenster specifically), Pink Lady apples, my Kindle and getting to read any book instantly, feeling like we are getting even a little bit closer to marriage equality, Martha Stewart Living, this blog, and all of you!

And speaking of you, what are you thankful for? If you post a list on your blog, be sure to link me below so I can go check it out too. 

p.s. I have something special I'll be sharing on the blog tomorrow that has been on my mind for awhile. Until then, have a great night and a happy Thanksgiving, if you celebrate!