Why I am Thankful

Thanksgiving seems like the perfect day to reflect on all the wonderful things I do have in my life, rather than that one thing which I do not (yet...optimism!)

For starters, have I told you what a wonderful husband I have? He works so hard for our family and our home. He loves to surprise me with little things like cleaning up the garage and sneaking my car back in so I would see it on my way out to work in the morning. He is wise, and kind, and strong and silly. I'm a lucky lady.

I also have a pretty great family.

My mom is awesome. Low key, helpful, silly and joyful. When she came to visit recently, she did all of the laundry, and cleaned the house until it sparkled because she wanted me to see how beautiful it actually is instead of getting caught up in all the things I still haven't done yet.

My brother and I are close. Well, as close as you can be when you a separated by an ocean. I have a great sister-in-law, who actually turned out to be a really great listener when if comes to that thing which I do not have yet. And of course, there is the ever adorable Lady C. Have I mentioned that I am incredibly thankful for Sk.ype, which allows me to spend time waving and sticking my tongue out at her, and watch her do it back? This is considered to be an incredibly intellectual conversation with a 17 month old.

My in-laws are not to shabby either. Hubby and his brother spend every other Monday visiting their 91 year old grandfather. And BIL finally has a serious girlfriend, so for the time being, I actually have an ally at family gatherings! My MIL is silly, fun loving, and thoughtful. And she works at Low.es. What girl with a new house could complain about having a discount connection at a home improvement store?

And then there is that house, which we have owned for just over a year now. It has a garage, and a half bath, and a finished basement, and a (nearly) fenced in yard. It has an open plan living area, three big bedrooms with (mostly) big closets. It has incredible light. And it's transforming little by little to reflect our style and personality.

My friends, who are there for me, even if not here for me. We're always able to pick up where we left off. And the ones that are here for me are always willing to help out, participate in wacky parties and activities, and are in general quite a bit of fun.

I suppose I am even thankful for my job. It is less than 20 minutes away from my house. As long as I get my work done, and get in 40 hours a week, nobody cares if I came in at 9:15 or left at 4:30. The flexibility is pretty incredible, and hard to find. And, even though the advancements in my career are not exactly at the forefront of my goals as of late, I am still making advancements in my career. Each new project is offering me opportunities that I haven't had before. I am learning new things all the time.

And how about a random list of things like kitties who sleep on my feet and keep them warm, a fresh bottle of nail polish that goes on like nothing else, sun streaming through my windows, a hammock in which to nap in the breezy shade, living close enough to the ocean to have summer beach days, a car that I will own entirely after three more payments, a house that is clean and picked up and ready to be decked out for christmas as soon as we get back from our thanksgiving trip, friends at work who join me for sushi lunches, silly singing competition shows, blogs about design and decorating, a box of hair dye waiting to take my grey away, sleeping in on weekends snuggled up to Hubby. I could go on and on.

Then, there is this blog, and the amazing friends I have made whom I will (most likely) never meet. You have made all the difference for my this year. For all of you who are still here fighting with me, my wish for you today is that you will soon cross over to the other side, but I also wish you the ability to take some time today to take a break, and think about all of the wonderful things you do have.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!